Italy–Spain relations

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Italian-Spanish relations
Map indicating locations of Italy and Spain

Italy
Spain
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Italy, MadridEmbassy of Spain, Rome

Italy–Spain relations are the

interstate relations between Italy and Spain. Both countries established diplomatic relations some time after the unification of Italy
in 1860.

Both nations are member states of the European Union (and both nations utilize the euro as currency) and are both members of the Council of Europe, OECD, NATO, Union for the Mediterranean, and the United Nations.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Rome, 5 April 2023

History

Precedents

In 218 BC, the

Migration period. The Rome-based Latin Church
would go on to hold nonetheless substantial clout over Christian polities of the Peninsula for the rest of the middle ages.

After 1557, the Kingdom of Sicily, the Kingdom of Naples, and the Duchy of Milan under the Catholic Monarchy hitherto ruled by the Council of Aragon became ruled by the newly-created Council of Italy,[4] as a cog of the polysynodial system underpinning the administration of the Habsburg empire, a composite monarchy. The Kingdom of Sardinia remained for the time being ruled by the Council of Aragon.[5] The Council of Italy was dissolved for good in the wake of the Peace of Utrecht.[6][7]

Establishment of diplomatic relations

After the proclamation of

Isabella II of Spain, influenced by the stance of Pope Pius IX.[9] Once Leopoldo O'Donnell overcame the opposition of the Queen, Spain finally recognised the Kingdom of Italy on 15 July 1865.[10] Soon later, in 1870, following the dethronement of Isabella II at the 1868 Glorious Revolution, the second son of Victor Emmanuel II, Amadeo I
, was elected King of Spain, reigning from 1871 until his abdication in 1873.

Situation after World War I

Despite some incipient attempts to promote further understanding between the two countries, immediately after the end of World War I there were still issues restraining further Italian-Spanish engagement in Spain, including a sector of public opinion showing aversion towards Italy (a prominent example being Austria-born Queen Mother Maria Christina).[11]

Rapprochement between the Mediterranean dictatorships

Once dictators

France, Italy, and Spain. While showing a will for friendship and rapprochement, the "Treaty for Conciliation and Arbitration" signed in August 1926 between the two countries delivered limited substance in practical terms, compared to the expectations at the starting point of the Primorriverista dictatorship.[13]

A diplomatic "honeymoon" between the two regimes followed the signing of the treaty, nonetheless.[14]

Conspirations against the Spanish Republic

The early monarchist conspirations against the

Renovación Española, the traditionalists and the Fascist falangists engaged in negotiations asking help from Fascist Italy regarding the preparations of the 1936 coup d'état, Mussolini decided not to take part at the time.[15]

Italian intervention in the Spanish Civil War

Italian tankettes advancing with a flame thrower tank during the battle of Guadalajara.
See also:
Foreign involvement in the Spanish Civil War

After 18 July 1936 and the beginning of the

the occupation of Barcelona and Girona and in concluding the Levantine campaign".[18]

Spanish Republican poster decrying the Italian intervention in the Spanish Civil War: 'The Italian invader's claw wants to enslave us'.

Italian submarines carried out a campaign against Republican ships, also targeting Mediterranean ports together with surface ships.[19] The Italian Regia Marina also provided key logistical support to the Rebels, including escort of commercial shipment transporting war supplies,[20] and, seeking to facilitate the naval blockade on the Republic, it also allowed the Rebel Navy the use of anchorages in Sicily and Sardinia.[21]

See also: Italian occupation of Majorca

Italians forces in the

Peninsular Levante controlled by the Republic (including the bombings of Barcelona investigated as crimes against humanity).[22] A Fascist squadristi, Arconovaldo Bonaccorsi, led a wild repression in the Balearic islands.[23]

World War II

During World War II, 1939 to 1943, Spanish-Italian ties were close. Though Italy fought alongside Germany during the war, Spain was recovering from a civil war and remained neutral. In February 1941, the meeting between Mussolini and Franco in Bordighera took place; during the meeting the Duce asked Franco to join the Axis.[24]

The fall of Mussolini came as a shock to the Franco administration. During the first few weeks the tightly-censored Spanish press limited themselves to laconic, matter-of-fact information when providing news on the Italian developments.[25] However, after the Italian-American armistice had been made public, the Spanish papers extensively quoted the official German statement, which lambasted the Italian treason. Some Spanish officers sent their Italian military decorations back to the Italian embassy in Madrid.[26]

Since mid-September 1943 two Italian states, the one headed by Mussolini and the one headed by king

Victor Emmanuel III, competed for Spanish diplomatic recognition; the German diplomatic representatives in Madrid pressed the case of Mussolini, the Allied ones advised strongly against it.[27] Following a period of hesitation, in late September Spain declared it would continue its official relations with the Kingdom of Italy.[28]

The Italian ambassador in Madrid Paulucci di Calboli opted for the Badoglio government, even though some Italian consuls in Spain declared loyalty to Mussolini.[29] The Spanish ambassador in Fascist Italy, Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta, formally remained at the post of the Spanish representative in the Kingdom, though he returned to Madrid; in practice before the Badoglio administration Spain was represented by lower-rank officials.[30] However, Spain maintained informal relations with the Repubblica Sociale Italiana. The former Italian consul in Málaga, Eugenio Morreale, became an unofficial Mussolini representative in Madrid;[31] the Spanish consul in Milan, Fernando Chantel, became an unofficial Franco representative in RSI.[32]

In practice, Spain maintained distance towards both the so-called Kingdom of the South and the RSI. Badoglio sought Madrid's good offices to expedite negotiations with the Allies, but he was turned down. Major Fascist figures who sought Spanish passports were almost always denied assistance.[33] During the final months of the war new ambassadors were appointed by both Spain (José Antonio de Sangróniz y Castro) and the Kingdom of Italy (Tommaso Gallarati Scotti), though Sangróniz arrived no earlier than in May 1945.[34]

Cold War

After World War II, the Francoist dictatorship provided financial support to post-fascist Italian party

Spanish Transition.[35]

21st century

Nowadays, Italy and Spain are full member countries of the European Union (EU), NATO, and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Bilateral relations between the two countries are very close due to the historical ties that unite them and due to their membership in the EU. Meetings between governments and at the business level are frequent. All of this is reflected in economic exchanges marked by a very significant weight.[36][37]

Diplomatic relations under the EU have been mired by underlying issues of common mistrust between both countries; cultural proximity and common challenges notwithstanding.

second cabinet of Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte, with Pedro Sánchez as his Spanish counterpart.[39] The arrival of Mario Draghi to Italian premiership, however, further distanced the position between both countries, contrasting to the hitherto "relative alignment" cultivated by Conte.[40]

In November 2021, Italian President Sergio Mattarella made a state visit to Spain, and was received by King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace of Madrid.[41]

In January 2022, Spain proposed to Italy the signing of a Friendship Treaty between the two countries. Spanish foreign minister Albares proposed to his Italian counterpart Di Maio the "relaunch" of the relationship between the parliaments of Spain and Italy and raised the prospect of creating an investment forum between companies from both countries pertaining to projects making use of EU funds.[42][43] In November, the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, stated that cooperation on energy, "real economy" and immigration will continue, strengthening bilateral relations within the common framework of the EU and NATO.[44]

Cultural exchange

See also: Italians in Spain

During the Age of Discovery, famous Italian explorers and travelers were part of modern Spanish history, such as Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus or Francesco Guicciardini.[45][46][47]

A Eurostat publication in 2016 estimated that 187,847 Italian citizens live in Spain and 19,094 Spanish citizens live in Italy.[48]

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Embassy of Italy in Madrid
    Embassy of Italy in Madrid
  • Consulate-General of Italy in Barcelona
    Consulate-General of Italy in Barcelona
  • Embassy of Spain in Rome
    Embassy of Spain in Rome
  • Building hosting the Consulate-General of Spain in Milan
    Building hosting the Consulate-General of Spain in Milan

See also

References

  1. ISBN 968-23-0886-0
    .
  2. ^ Gosner, L. (2016). "Extraction and empire: multi-scalar approaches to Roman mining communities and industrial landscapes in southwest Iberia". Archaeological Review from Cambridge. 31 (2): 125–126.
  3. ISSN 2176-6436
    .
  4. ISBN 978-84-340-2266-9
    .
  5. ^ Barrios 2015, p. 528.
  6. ^ Barrios 2015, pp. 532–533.
  7. ^ * Pere Molas i Ribalta Colegiales mayores de Castilla en la Italia española, en Studia historica. Historia moderna, ISSN 0213-2079, Nº 8, 1990 , pags. 163-182.
  8. ^ López Vega & Martínez Neira 2011, p. 96.
  9. ^ López Vega & Martínez Neira 2011, pp. 96, 98.
  10. ^ López Vega & Martínez Neira 2011, p. 99.
  11. ^ a b Sueiro Seoane 1987, pp. 185–186.
  12. ^ Domínguez Méndez 2013, p. 238.
  13. ^ Tusell & Saz 1982, pp. 443–445.
  14. ^ Tusell & Saz 1982, p. 444.
  15. ^ a b c Saz-Campos 1981, p. 321.
  16. ^ González i Vilalta 2009, pp. 11–12.
  17. ^ Rodrigo 2019, pp. 86–87.
  18. ^ Rodrigo 2019, pp. 87, 91.
  19. ^ Campo Rizo 1997, pp. 75–77.
  20. ^ Campo Rizo 1997, pp. 70–71.
  21. ^ Campo Rizo 1997, p. 73.
  22. ^ Aguilera Povedano 2019, pp. 285–286.
  23. ^ Aguilera Povedano 2019, p. 291.
  24. ^ Payne 1998, p. 110.
  25. ^ Eszter Katona, Relaciones ítalo-españolas en el periodo 1943-1945, [in:] Antoni Segura, Andreu Mayayo, Teresa Abelló (eds.), La dictadura franquista. La institucionalització d’un régim, Barcelona 2012, ISBN 9788491687139, p. 672
  26. ^ Katona 2012, p. 675
  27. ^ Katona 2012, pp. 676-678
  28. ^ Katona 2012, p. 677
  29. ^ those in Barcelona, Málaga and Tetuan. Consuls in San Sebastián and Sevilla opted for Badoglio, Katona 2012, pp. 678-679
  30. ^ Katona 2012, pp. 680-681
  31. ^ Katona 2012, p. 679
  32. ^ Katona 2012, p. 681
  33. ^ Payne 1998, p. 112.
  34. ^ Katona 2012, p. 682
  35. ^ a b Val, Eusebio (22 September 2016). "Franco financió al neofascismo". La Vanguardia.
  36. ^ "Italia: relaciones comerciales con España y sectores de oportunidad". CEOE. 20 October 2020.
  37. ^ "Presidente italiano ve a Málaga ejemplo de la "profunda amistad" con España". Cadena COPE. 16 November 2021.
  38. ^ a b Abellán, Lucía; Verdú, Daniel (30 September 2019). "Las dos potencias del sur de Europa se dan la espalda". El País.
  39. Agencia EFE
    . 20 October 2020.
  40. ^ Verdú, Daniel; Cué, Carlos E. (18 June 2021). "Italia y España ponen a prueba su alianza en la era Draghi". El País.
  41. ^ "Visita de Estado de su Excelencia el presidente de la república italiana, Sr. Sergio Mattarella". Casa de Su Majestad el Rey. 16 November 2021.
  42. Swissinfo
    . 13 January 2022.
  43. Agencia EFE
    . 13 January 2022.
  44. Europa Press
    . 3 November 2022.
  45. ^ "Américo Vespucio". Biografías y Vidas: la enciclopedia biográfica en línea.
  46. ^ "Exploradores y viajeros por España y el nuevo mundo (Cristóbal Colón)". Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library.
  47. ^ "Exploradores y viajeros por España y el nuevo mundo (Francesco Guicciardini)". Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library.
  48. ^ "Europe: where do people live? | World news". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2016-08-01.

Bibliography

External links

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