HISTORICAL DICTIONARY A–Z - Spain and Portugal: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present - page 294

however, when his vessels were destroyed
in a storm on the coast of T EXAS . Narváez
and his companions were drowned or killed
by local natives when they struggled ashore.
The only survivors of this catastrophe were
C ABEZA DE V ACA and three comrades, who
left an amazing record of their wanderings
and endurance in the southern deserts of
North America.
Narváez seemed to have the makings of a
major conquistador. However, like some
other promising contemporaries, he lacked
the coolness of thought and the flexibility of
decision that might have won the confidence
of his countrymen and the cooperation of
the indigenous folk whom he encountered.

restrained as it had been during the Carlist
War took an increasingly reactionary direc-
tion, alienating many of his associates as
well as losing him the favor of Maria Chris-
tina and Isabella II. Perpetually at odds with
other military politicians he was at the helm
of government again at the time of his death
in April 1868, shortly before Isabella II was
driven from the throne.

Navarre (Navarra)
A medieval kingdom occupying territory
on both sides of the Pyrenees, Navarre
played an important role in the politics of
northern Spain during the early centuries
of the R ECONQUISTA . Dynastic and political
alliances linked Navarre at various times
with A RAGON , L EÓN , and C ASTILE , as well
as with the French monarchy. In 1512
Navarre was conquered by F ERDINAND V of
Aragon who transferred ownership to
Castile as a gesture of the increasing inte-
gration of the Spanish realms. The trans-
Pyrenean districts remained under French
control.
Although Navarre remained a subsidiary
of Castile throughout its modern history, a
separate legal and political structure was
preserved until the 19th century, with I SA -
BELLA II of Spain being separately inaugu-
rated as queen of Navarre in 1833. Despite
this recognition of Isabella the Navarrese
supported the cause of C ARLISM in a series
of insurrections and rallied to the rebellion
of F RANCISCO F RANCO during the S PANISH
CIVIL WAR in the hope of reinstating a Carl-
ist pretender.
Although certain districts have a Basque
population, Navarre's territory, encompass-
ing more than 4,000 square miles, is not
generally considered a part of the B ASQUE

Narváez y Campos, Ramón María
(duque de Valencia) (1800-1868)
Spanish soldier and statesman
A professional army officer whose conser-
vative temperament was shaped during the
reign of F ERDINAND VII, Narváez neverthe-
less supported the cause of I SABELLA II
against the conservative forces during the
First Carlist War. His victories in a number
of major operations brought him increasing
respect and earned him high command. In
1840, however, when the regent, Queen
M ARIA C HRISTINA , who had moved in a con-
servative direction fell out with the liberal
general B ALDOMERO E SPARTERO , Narváez
supported the queen mother and followed
her into exile in France.
Narváez led the military expedition in
1843 that brought back Maria Christina to
the regency and ousted Espartero. Over the
next 25 years Narváez held the prime min-
istership on five separate occasions, as well
as serving as ambassador to France in the
late 1840s. His conservatism, no longer