The Context of the Great Royal Expedition
187 years ago, in the context of the First Carlist War (1833-1840), a significant part of the Carlist army, made up of 22,000 men recruited voluntarily in the Basque Country, Navarre and Catalonia, crossed the Ebro River at Xerta (Baix Ebre). Their objective was to head towards Valencia and Madrid. This expedition, known as the Great Royal Expedition, was commanded by the pretender Charles of Bourbon and, during its Catalan journey, by General Ramon Cabrera, who would later be nicknamed ‘the Tiger of Maestrazgo’.
The Crisis and Change of Strategy
After the mysterious death of General Zumalakarregi in 1835, Carlos de Borbón’s party went through a crisis that lasted for two years. During this period, the Elizabethans or constitutionalists obtained some significant victories in the Valencian Country. In the midst of this crisis, Infante Sebastián Gabriel proposed a change in strategy that involved the gathering of a large army.
The Journey and Strategic Decisions
The expedition departed from Estella and, after crossing various regions, settled on the Ebro to face the road towards Valencia. To cross the river, General Cabrera evaluated several options and finally opted for the Xerta weir. Across the river, he defeated a constitutional detachment commanded by Captain Borso di Carminati.
Controversy and Inaction
Despite the high morale of the troops after crossing the Ebro, the Carlist army failed to occupy either Valencia or Madrid. This inaction was the result of the conservative strategy imposed by the suitor. General Cabrera, dissatisfied with the result, withdrew and unsuccessfully attempted to take Zaragoza, finally fortifying himself in Morella in January 1838.
