First Carlist War - The End of The War

The End of The War

After the death of Zumalacárregui in 1835, the Liberals slowly regained the initiative but were not able to win the war until 1839. They failed to recover the Carlist fortress of Morella and suffered a defeat at the Battle of Maella (1838).

The war in the North ended with the Convenio de Vergara, also known as the Abrazo de Vergara ("the embrace in Vergara"; Bergara in Basque), 31 August 1839, between the Liberal general Baldomero Espartero, Count of Luchana and the Carlist General Rafael Maroto. Some authors have written that General Maroto was a traitor who forced Carlos to accept the peace, but historians generally think that the Carlists were too tired to continue with the war against the Liberal government. In the east, General Cabrera continued fighting, but he was alone and finally had to flee to France in July 1840. Considered a hero, Cabrera returned to Portugal in 1848 for the Second Carlist War.