Romualdo Cesáreo Sanz Escartín (1844-1923) was a Spanish Carlist politician and military leader. He is known mostly as a longtime Cortes member, first as a deputy and later as a senator, in both cases representing Navarre. In 1918-1919 he briefly served as provisional leader of Carlist political structures in Spain.
Family and youth
Along his paternal line Romualdo Cesáreo Sanz Escartín was descendant to Sanz and Amigot families; both for centuries have been related to Valle de Roncal, a mountainous area in the Navarrese Pyrenees, and have inter-married a number of times across a few generations since the 17th century.Romualdo’s great-great-great-grandfather, José Sanz, married Ana Maria Felipa Amigot; his great-great-grandfather married Josefa Amigot, and his great-grandfather married Juana Antonia Amigot, see his descendants starting from the first available at the Geni genealogical service, available here; another version of genealogical tree at Geneaordonez service, available here His paternal grandfather, Agustín Mariano Sanz López (1765-1838), originated from Roncal,Agustín Mariano Sanz López entry, [in:] Geni genealogical service, available here where the family owned an iconic Sanz mansion.see the official Valle de Roncal tourist service, available here He married Juana Antonia Amigot Ochoa (1776-1837), also a Roncalesa.Juana Antonia Amigot Ochoa entry, [in:] Geni genealogical service, available here Their son and Cesáreo's father, Juan Nepomuceno, served as captain of Carabineros Juan Nepomuceno José Sanz Amigot entry, [in:] Geni genealogical service, available here and another relative, Cesáreo Sanz López, in the army.Cesáreo Sanz López entry, [in:] Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia online, available here, also Sanz y López, Cesáreo entry, [in:] Gran Enciclopedia Navarra, vol. X, Pamplona 1990, , p. 264 Also other family members served in the uniformed forces: Juan's brother Miguel Sanz Amigot in the Guardia Civil, and rose to the rank of a coronel; he formed part of command layer of Decimotercero Tercio, a unit covering the provinces of Vizcaya, Gipuzkoa, Álava and Navarre.De los legajos al documento electrónico, Madrid 2014, , p. 125Guia de forasteros para el año 1866, Madrid 1865, p. 539, available here
Unlike his ascendants Juan Nepomuceno Sanz Amigot did not marry a local a girl and wed Josefa Escartín MainerDe los legajos al documento electrónico, Madrid 2014, , p. 125 (in some sources named as Mayner),Josefa Escartín Mayner entry, [in:] Geni genealogical service, available here a native of Jaca, descendant to an Aragonese family of petty landholders and civil servants noted already in 15th century.Los Escartin, de Escartin entry, [in:] Amigos de Serrablo service, available here The couple settled in Pamplona. It is not clear how many children they had, though there were at least three sons among them.Carlos Campo Sánchez, Eduardo Sanz y Escartín: el reformismo de un católico conservador, [in:] Miscelánea Comillas: Revista de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales 69 (2011), p. 184 Growing in the family of military tradition, the young Cesáreo was from the onset prepared to join the army; in 1857 he became a cadetLa España 09.03.57, available here in Colegio de Infanteria in Toledo, where in 1861 he completed the standard curriculum and was promoted to the first officer rank of alférez.Ferrer 1979, p. 92 As excellent student he was not assigned to any field unit and assumed auxiliary teaching duties in the Toledo academy, where in 1863 he became professor de cadetes.Ferrer 1979, pp. 92-3
At unspecified time Sanz Escartín married Cristeta Amóros; none of the sources consulted provides any information on his wife, except that she died in 1920.ABC 20.10.21, available here The couple lived mostly in Toledo, though they owned also an apartment at calle San Bernardo in Madrid.El Debate 10.02.23, available here It is not clear whether they had any children. Though no author explicitly claims there were none, no genealogical website features any descendants and obituaries of both Sanz and his wife did not mention any; moreover, in last will he administered that personal fortune left after his death be spent on religious purposes.El Debate 27.02.23, available here Two of his close relatives became nationally recognized figures. A younger cousin of Cesáreo, Eduardo Sanz Escartín, was a Conservative politician; during late Restoration he grew to civil governor of Barcelona and minister of labor, though he is known mostly as one of sociology pioneers in Spain. Fermín Sanz-Orrio, a son of Romualdo's paternal cousin, was a Falangist politician and minister of labor during mid-Francoism.the father of Fermín Sanz-Orrio y Sanz, Francisco Javier Sanz, was brother of Romualdo’s father
Revolution and war
In the mid-1860s Sanz was assigned to batallón de Cazadores de Llerena; he served as teniente when in 1868 the unit was deployed against the revolutionaries in Béjar.where the locals deposed city authorities, seized official funds and set up a revolutionary democratic junta, Gregorio de Fuente Monge, Los revolucionarios de 1868: élites y poder en la España liberal, Madrid 2000, , p. 29 The bloodbath and ensuing repression echoed across the country, which prompted Sanz and other officers to defend themselves in the press.La Iberia 15.10.68, available here Promoted to captain,Sanz y Escartín, Romualdo Cesáreo entry, [in:] Gran Enciclopedia Navarra, vol. X, Pamplona 1990, , p. 264 he resumed teaching duties in Toledo.Ferrer 1979, p. 92 Sanz's career in the infantry college came to an abrupt end following declaration of the Republic; he lodged a discharge request and was released from the army.Ferrer 1979, p. 94 At that time he already declared himself a Carlist; straight from Toledo he headed North, where legitimist turmoil was gradually turning into a full-blown civil war. At that time his uncle, Cesáreo Sanz López,few authors refer to Sanz Escartin as "sobrino" of Sanz Lopez, though their exact relationship is not clear, B. de Artagan [Reynaldo Brea], Príncipe heróico y soldados leales, Barcelona 1912, p. 258, Agustín Fernández Escudero, El marqués de Cerralbo (1845-1922): biografía politica [PhD thesis Universidad Complutense], Madrid 2012, p. 495 was already member of the highest Carlist military and administrative bodies.Cesáreo Sanz López entry, [in:] Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia online, available here
Upon access Sanz declined an offer to be promoted to a comandante; he was assigned to the troops commanded by general Nicolas Ollo and operating in central Navarre. It is not clear what unit he was heading during the 1873 campaign, first taking part in victorious battles of Allo and Dicastillo, then taking Estella and finally laying siege to Viana and Lumbier."donde encargado de abrir una mina para batir uno de los fuertes, tropezose gue el subsuelo era roca viva, por lo que era imposible abrir la galeria, y entonces se le confió la colocación de la bomba que, incendiando parte del fuerte, obligo a sus defensores a que se rindiera", Ferrer 1979, p. 92 Gaining his comandante stripes on the battlefield, later in the year he was entrusted with organization of 9. Batallón de Navarra, the unit he then led in combat.Sanz y Escartín, Romualdo Cesáreo entry, [in:] Gran Enciclopedia Navarra, vol. X, Pamplona 1990, , p. 264 In June 1874 he organized a daring attempt to capture Lumbier, an episode which almost cost him life when cut off from his troops, in an isolated house and with personal staff only he fought off enemy soldiers.Ferrer 1979, p. 92 In the second half of 1874 Sanz led the 9. Battalion at Rocafuerte, Abárzuza and Sangüesa,Romualdo Cesáreo Sanz Escartin entry, [in:] Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia, available here recognized for both serenity and valor when under fire. During fighting at Santa Margarita heights he personally led a company in a head-on charge and had his horse shot; he was afterwards promoted to teniente coronel.Ferrer 1979, p. 92
In late 1874 Sanz took command of a column, a formation composed of his original 9. Batallón though also of 2. and 4. Navarrese battalions; the grouping was engaged on the Aragon front and until early 1875 took part in the unsuccessful siege of Pamplona. Following the battle of Artazu promoted to coronel de infanteria he left the line command and was appointed head of staff of División de Navarra, commanded by general José Lerga;Antonio Brea, Campaña del norte de 1873 a 1876, Barcelona 1897, p. 383 he is credited for drafting plans to take Lumbier, executed in October 1875 by general José Pérula. At that time Sanz was already responsible for organizing Cuerpo de Inválidos and Batallones Sedentarios, makeshift stopgap formations set up as the Carlist war machine was already running out of steam. Once conde de Caserta assumed command of Ejercito Real del Norte Sanz moved to another staff assignment appointed segundo jefe of his Estado Mayor;Román Oyarzun Oyarzun, Historia del carlismo, Madrid 2008, , p. 460, Brea 1897, p. 382 at that time the Carlist troops were already in full retreat. Withdrawing towards the Pyrenees, in February 1876 Sanz crossed the French frontier;Ferrer 1979, p. 93 at that time he was already general de brigada.José María Remirez de Ganuza López, Las Elecciones Generales de 1898 y 1899 en Navarra, [in:] Príncipe de Viana 49 (1988), p. 362, B. de Artagan [Reynaldo Brea], Cruzados modernos, Barcelona 1910, pp. 217-222, Romualdo Cesáreo Sanz Escartin entry, [in:] Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia, available here
Settled
Sanz's exile did not last long. At unspecified time though prior to the summer of 1877 he returned to Spain, settling back in Toledo. As a discharged officer he was not entitled to military pension; he decided to make a living banking on his teaching and wartime experience as an infantry commander.
The Toledo Colegio Militár de Infantería, set up by Ministry of Defense in 1850 as the key military education establishment, following a brief period in Madrid returned to Toledo in 1876, renamed as Academia. Located in iconic Alcázar premises and admitting hundreds of officer hopefuls every year it became not only a city landmark, but also exercised enormous influence on local life, with massive impact in terms of lodging, transportation, services and production, all geared to address the academy needs.Enrique Sánchez Lubían, Toledo y las academias preparatorias, [in:] ABC 17.09.13, available here The Infantry Academy gave rise also to private schools, supposed to prepare candidates to pass the Academia entry exams; during last decades of the 19th century there were 5-8 such establishments operating.ran i.e. by Antonio Lozano Ascarza, Agustin Montagut, Arturo Guiu, Pedro Bazán or Rodrigo Peñalosa, most of them in senior officer ranks and some acting professors of the Academy at the same time, Sánchez Lubían 2013 It was one of such schools that Sanz Escartín opened himself.