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Just out of curiosity - how would you go about Spain maintaining a level of world power status in the latter half of the 19th century?

Queen Isabella seems a crucial problem, as she constantly inferred with the government, then you have Carlists remnants, Cuban nationalism, the United States etc.

Now personally I think Spain had some possibility to at least remain a secondary power. The 1860s saw numerous victories in 'small wars' across in the globe in Morocco, Peru and Indochina. You also had Leopoldo O'Donnell who ruled during the decade with his centrist Union Liberal who provided some stability. However on his death in the early 1870s it died with him.

Now if you can somehow neutralise Isabella say with a more influential Consort than the Duke of Cadiz would that help? His younger brother Prince Enrique was a handsome swashbuckling liberal and apparently Isabella liked him. Considering Cadiz's supposed homosexuality and/or impotence is it hard to see him be chosen if the right scandal takes place? Given the small Anglo-French crisis that arose over the marriage Enrique's liberal credentials might help act as a compromise for Britain.

The Union Liberal surviving might help, and indeed the unrest of the early 1870s were as much to blame for the left and right going their separate ways as anything. Or if Enrique gets leverage he might push for a more democratic system overall.

Colonially, the problem is Cuba which is Spain's eggs all in one basket. I think Madrid getting hold of some profitable colonies elsewhere might make her more agreeable to autonomy/dominion status for the island, avoiding the bloody downward spiral and eventual American war. Here there's a few ideas. 1) I think giving France's periods of unrest in 1848 and 1870-71, Spain could pull off primacy in Morocco, and from there perhaps more influence along the North-west African coast. 2) Indochina - Spain helped France during its invasion in the 1860s, Napoleon III suggested Spain take Tonkin, effectively splitting Vietnam north and south, but Spain didn't wish to commit. They missed a trick, Tonkin was quite wealthy and would allow the Spanish access to southern Chinese markets. 3) Borneo - much more minor but Spain dabbled in North Borneo fighting pirates, and established several forts in the area, even butting heads with the Dutch to keep a hand. 4) Sub-Saharan Africa - the areas of Cameroon and Congo were in easy reach of established island bases, could Spain get a more impressive slice of the Scramble?
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