Carlism (Basque: Karlismo, Catalan: Carlisme, Spanish: Carlismo) is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855), and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread dissatisfaction with the Alfonsine line of the House of Bourbon. The movement was at its strongest in the 1830s but had a revival following Spain's defeat in the Spanish-American War in 1898, when Spain lost its last remaining significant colonies, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
An exceptionally long-lived movement, it was a significant player in Spanish politics from 1833 until the end of the Franco regime in 1975 as a social and political force, and one of the main actors in the Spanish Civil War.
In this capacity, it was the cause of several major wars during the 19th century, and an important factor during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.
Read more about Carlism: History, Carlist Claimants To The Throne, Ideology, Literary References To Carlism