Alejandro Mon y Menéndez (26 February 1801 in
Oviedo
Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...
,
Principality of Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
, Spain – 1 November 1882) was a Spanish politician and jurist who was
prime minister of Spain
The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government (), is the head of government of Spain. The prime minister nominates the Spanish government departments, ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers (Spain), Council of Mini ...
in 1864, during the reign of Queen
Isabella II
Isabella II (, María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868. She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain.
Isabella wa ...
.
Early life
Mon was born in
Oviedo
Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...
and was the eldest son of Miguel Mon y Miranda and Francisca Menéndez y de la Torre. His only sister, Manuela, was married to the
Asturian Pedro José Pidal, 1st Marquis of Pidal, another prominent politician who served several times as prime minister.
He studied law in the
University of Oviedo
The University of Oviedo (, Asturian: ''Universidá d'Uviéu'') is a public university in Asturias (Spain). It is the only university in the region. It has three campus and research centres, located in Oviedo, Gijón and Mieres.
History
Th ...
, where he became interested in politics and approached the
Moderate Party
The Moderate Party ( , , M), commonly referred to as the Moderates ( ), is a Liberal conservatism, liberal-conservative*
*
*
*
* List of political parties in Sweden, political party in Sweden. The party generally supports tax cuts, the free ma ...
.
Political career
In the
regency
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
of Queen
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (, ; 27 April 1806 – 22 August 1878) was the queen consort of Spain, Queen of Spain from 1829 to 1833 and Queen regent of the kingdom from 1833, when her daughter became queen at age two, to 1840. By virtue ...
(1833–1840), Mon was appointed for his first high political office,
minister of finance
A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position .
A ministry of finance's portfolio ...
from 1837 to 1838, in a moderate cabinet headed by
Narciso Fernández de Heredia, 2nd Count of Heredia-Spínola. During the
regency
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
of the
progressivist
Progressivism is a left-leaning political philosophy and reform movement that seeks to advance the human condition through social reform. Adherents hold that progressivism has universal application and endeavor to spread this idea to human so ...
Baldomero Espartero
Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies ...
(1840–1843), he was in none of the cabinets but remained active in political life.
When the moderates came back to power in 1844, a period started known as the ''
Moderate Decade
Moderate is an ideological category which entails centrist views on a liberal-conservative spectrum. It may also designate a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion.
Political position
Canada
...
'', Mon was called by the new prime minister,
Ramón María Narváez, 1st Duke of Valencia, again as minister of finance. He held this post from 1844 to 1845 and carried out the
tax reform of 1845, which established the basis of the current tax system of Spain. It was executed in collaboration with
Ramón de Santillán, and it is popularly known as the ''Mon-Santillán reform''.
After the downfall of the moderates, the
unionist Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuán, GE (12 January 1809 – 5 November 1867), was a Spanish general and Grandee who was Prime Minister of Spain on several occasions.
Early life
He was born at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canar ...
, offered him several ministerial portfolios, which he always declined. Mon preferred to be in posts away from the first line of political life, such as ambassador to the
Holy See
The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
or to France. However, he returned to active politics in 1864, when he replaced
Lorenzo Arrazola y García as prime minister, but his cabinet lasted only nine months because of the social and political instability. Five years later, the
Spanish Glorious Revolution took place.
Retirement
Mon lived long enough to see the reign of
Amadeo I of Spain
Amadeo I (; 30 May 184518 January 1890), also known as Amadeus, was an Italian prince who reigned as King of Spain from 1870 to 1873. The only king of Spain to come from the House of Savoy, he was the second son of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy a ...
, the
First Spanish Republic
The Spanish Republic (), historiographically referred to as the First Spanish Republic (), was the political regime that existed in Spain from 11 February 1873 to 29 December 1874.
The Republic's founding ensued after the abdication of King ...
and finally the
Restoration of King
Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...
, which he supported as a personal friend of
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (8 February 18288 August 1897) was a Spanish people, Spanish politician and historian known principally for serving six terms as Spanish Prime Minister, prime minister and his overarching role as "architect" of the ...
. However, he was not active politically during the Restoration but kept only the honorary post of
life senator. He retired to his home town, Oviedo, where he died in 1882.
References
*Comin, Francisco, ''Alejandro Mon y Menéndez (1801−1882). Pensamiento y reforma de la Hacienda'', Instituto de Estudios Fiscales, Madrid, 2001.
*Fernández de la Mora, Gonzalo (2001)
Mon en su sigloin galeon.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mon Y Menendez, Alejandro
Prime ministers of Spain
Economy and finance ministers of Spain
Presidents of the Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Politicians from Oviedo
1801 births
1882 deaths
Liberal Union (Spain) politicians
Moderate Party (Spain) politicians
People of the Dominican Restoration War
Ambassadors of Spain to France
Ambassadors of Spain to the Holy See
1864 in Spain
University of Oviedo alumni