The Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, together with the City Council of the Royal Site of San Ildefonso, National Heritage and the Castellarnau Society hold the commemoration of the 187 anniversary of "La Sargentada" of La Granja de San Ildefonso, on August 13.

Real Sitio de San Ildefonso, Segovia (Spain)

The Motín de la Granja de San Ildefonso or Motín de los sargentos de la Granja was an uprising that took place on the night of August 12 to 13, 1836, during the Regency of María Cristina de Borbón. A group of sergeants from the garrison and guard of the Royal Palace of the Farm, where the Regent was with her daughter Isabel, forced Maria Cristina to reinstate the Constitution of 1812 and to appoint a progressive liberal government presided over by José María Calatrava with Juan Álvarez Mendizábal back in the portfolio of the Treasury.

In this edition of "La Sargentada 2023", the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory (Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory) in collaboration with the City Council of the Royal Site of San Ildefonso, National Heritage and the Castellarnau Society, has carried out a series of commemorative events. Among them stands out an institutional act at midday in the City Hall with the reading of the proclamation by Nicolás Sartorius, intervention by the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, Fernando Martínez, and an offering of laurel crowns in memory of the sergeants accompanied by the liberal anthems, the Marseillaise, the Anthem of Watering, and the National anthem of Spain, three anthems that have become exceptional acoustic symbols of our democratic memory.

On the same Sunday, August 13, a festive event was held at 9:00 p.m., with the representation of "El sargentillo valiente" in the Patio de la Herradura of the Royal Palace of La Granja. A funny comedy that narrates the events that occurred through its protagonists and a brave, although unexpected, sargentiillo that in a humorous way takes us into this historical episode, accompanied by the choir of La Granja directed by Javier Lázaro, author of the musical themes.

The most important consequence of the La Granja uprising was the repeal of the Royal Statute and the re-establishment of the Constitution of 1812, with the entry into force of the laws and decrees promulgated under that Constitution during the Liberal Triennium. During this brief stage in the history of Spain, between August 13, 1936 and the promulgation of the constitution of 1937, the definitive abolition of the Old Regime in Spain took place and the process of consolidating liberalism was consolidated.

It has commemorated a unique event in the history of Spain that represented the re-establishment for the third time of the Constitution of 1812 and the constitutional freedoms contained therein. The protagonists were a group of eager sergeants who, without spilling a single drop of blood, were supported by the residents of the municipality who did not hesitate to arrogate the restoration of the Constitution under the cry, once again, of "Viva la Pepa! ".