Pact of San Sebastián
Poet involved
What happened
On August 17, 1930, an alliance of former liberal monarchists, Catalan politicians, and Republicans met at San Sebastián in the Basque Country to coordinate the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII. The pact represented a rare unity among Spain's diverse opposition forces, setting aside their deep ideological differences to achieve the common goal of establishing a republic. The meeting laid the groundwork for the municipal elections of April 1931 that would ultimately force the king's abdication.
Literary impact
The San Sebastián pact symbolized the brief moment of unity among Spain's intellectuals and artists that would be shattered by the civil war. Many poets of the era, including Antonio Machado and Miguel de Unamuno, initially supported the Republic with great hope, and their early Republican poetry reflects this optimism before the later disillusionment set in.
Source: Britannica
