General Prim

A carte-de-visite portrait of the Spanish statesman General Juan Prim (1814-1870), Conde de Reus, Vizconde del Bruch, and Marqués de los Castillejos.

He commanded the Spanish army in Mexico against the troops of Napoleon III. On his return to Spain he joined the opposition and in 1868 took part in the coup that ousted Queen Isabel II. In 1869 General Serrano was elected regent and Prim became president of the council and was made a marshal. It was Prim’s responsibility to find a European royal who would become the next monarch of Spain, one who would not be opposed to being democratically elected, a task he described as being 'like looking for an atheist in heaven'. Amadeo of Savoy was considered the most suitable of those who consented, and on 6 November 1870 he was elected King of Spain. However, Prim was assassinated the following month (28 December 1870). Three days after Prim’s death, King Amadeo swore in the presence of the corpse to uphold the new constitution.

Photographed by Disdéri of Paris after a painting or illustration by someone who signs himself 'Aubert' in the lower right-hand corner of the image.