page_title: José Corbató Chillida
section_title: Españolista
hierarchical_section_title: José Corbató Chillida / Españolista
caption_attribution_description: English: Apología del gran monarca
context_page_description: José Pascual Corbató Chillida, known also as José Domingo Corbató, Padre Corbató or Francisco María Cruz, was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest. Between 1891 and 1912 he animated 7 local and short-lived Valencian periodicals. In the mid-1890s he was briefly catapulted to celebrity status when he was trialed for asserting that the regent Maria Christina was leading the Spanish freemasonry. Politically Corbató initially sided with Carlism and was its vehement propagandist. In the 20th century he developed his own political doctrine: Traditionalism formulated in highly providentialist and millenarian terms. In historiography his political trajectory is considered typical for some disintegration patterns within Carlism; Corbató himself is viewed as representative of a heterodox breed of españolismo.
context_section_description: In the early 1900s Corbató developed his own political theory. Auto-identified as españolismo, it was laid out in some 20 booklets published in Valencia between 1900 and 1905; the best known work is Apología del Gran Monarca. Corbató's españolismo was a highly providentialist, millenarian doctrine which combined exalted patriotism and religious zeal. Based on assumption that the global liberal order would undoubtedly collapse it envisioned ultimate advent of a universalist monarchy. In a regenerationist tone Corbató hinted that the impulse might come from Spain, which would regain imperial status as a Hispanic commonwealth. He remained ambiguous as to the future monarch. Scholars reconstruct his españolismo as "a form of anti-liberal Spanish nationalism, founded on ultramontane Catholicism and Traditionalism, with the objective of building a moderate, regionalist monarchy and corporative society". One historian sees Corbató's españolismo as an attempt to modernize Traditionalism; another presents it rather in terms of mysticism and esoterism.
  Apart from his booklets, the principal platform of advancing Corbató's ideas were La Luz Católica and La Señal de Victoria. However, he tried also to set up own political organisation. Since 1902 he headed a Valencia-based Junta Central Católico-Españolista; it presided over few small local círculos. He tried to operate "Academia Españolista" in Barcelona, though with some 40 members it remained almost defunct. His most successful structure was Milicia de la Cruz, founded in 1901. It adhered to a hybrid formula in-between a secular religious order, paramilitary organisation and traditional círculo; its membership is unclear, though it should probably be estimated in tens rather than hundreds. As its leader Corbató assumed a new name, Francisco María Cruz; the militia operated thanks to minor donations and sought support of the local religious hierarchy.
  In 1905 Corbató left Valencia for the Basque Mendívil. Invited by the local entrepreneur Alfredo Ortiz de Villacián he was supposed to serve the community of local miners. In fact, both were consumed by a theory of immaculate conception of Saint Joseph. When in 1907 he published El Inmaculado San José and tried to launch the cult of Sagrado Corazón de San José, the Vítoria bishop prohibited him from saying mass; he was also admonished by Rome. Locally he was increasingly frequently ridiculed as a madman. Subscribers of La Señal started to withdraw and the daily soon collapsed. He dissolved Milicia de la Cruz in 1907 and did not try to rebuilt it when returned to Valencia in 1910. Instead, he focused on a new periodical; preparatory works lasted until 1912, when it materialized as a bi-weekly Tradición y Progreso. The local hierarchy viewed him as a "dangerous man"; Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez suspended his ministerial licenses and denounced his writings as deviating from the orthodox Catholic teaching. Following few issues Tradición closed in late 1912; at the time Corbató was already gravely ill and in poverty. His passing away was barely noticed in the press. Some of his disciples awaited Corbató's resurrection for a few years to come.
caption: Apología del gran monarca
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