Carlists
a Spanish political faction which advocates the claims of Carlos of Bourbon and his descendants to the Spanish throne. In 1833 the Carlists, whose chief strength lay in the Basque provinces, and who, because of their tenets of absolutism sm and priestcraft, were secretly favored by the Pope and the eastern powers, raised the standard of revolt. They had the advantage until 1836, when Espartero inflicted on them a terrific defeat at Luchana. In August, 1839, their commander, Maroto, treacherously made peace, and the remaining Carlists soon fled to France. In 1873 the grandson of the first pretender raised another revolt in the Basque provinces of Navarre and Biscay, but after several sharp conflicts the rebels were hemmed in along the N. coast, and in 1876 the pretender and his chief supporters fled into France.