National Militia (Spain)

The National Militia (Spanish: milicia nacional) in Spain was a citizen-organized quasi-military force comparable to the National Guard that arose in France during the French Revolution.

The National Militia has its origin in the civic military defense groups formed in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), but came to full fruition during the Peninsular War (1808–1814), which is viewed in Spain as a war of independence against Napoleonic France. The Spanish army had been destroyed, but new forces were established at the municipal and provincial level, who fought against both France and against certain remnants of feudalism that remained in Spain.

The Spanish Constitution of 1812, adopted at Cádiz while much of the country was still under French control, recognized these groups under the name of milicias nacionales as part of the country's military forces, together with the regular troops. At the same time, this legal recognition implied at least the formal end of their status as voluntary organizations armed by distinct local or provincial government entities, merging them officially into a single body. In 1814 a regulation was put into effect specifying the duty of all citizens to serve if called upon, and regulating the militia. In summary, the National Militia was distinct from the regular army and was divided into infantry and cavalry. Officers were elected by their own troops. The militia was composed of citizens between the ages of 30 and 50; 30 citizens were obliged to serve out of every 1,300 in population. They performed tasks related to security, order, and peace within the borders of Spain.

The militia supported and was supported by the patriotic, but also liberal movement unleashed by the Peninsular War. Consequently, when the restoration brought the absolutist Ferdinand VII to power in 1814, the Cádiz constitution was abrogated and the militia was dissolved. Much to the displeasure of the king, the Liberal Triennium of 1820–1823 reconstituted the National Militia, which fought against the absolutist uprisings within the peninsula. The end of the Triennium was, once again, the end of the Militia. It was replaced by a different militia known as the Royalist Volunteers (Spanish: Voluntarios Realistas.

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