Royalist (Spanish American independence)

Royalist
Realistas
Leaders
Political leader	Ferdinand VII of Spain
Constitutional monarchy	Cortes of Cádiz; Trienio Liberal
Absolute monarchy	Ominous Decade
Dates of operation	1810–1829
Allegiance	Spanish Empire
Motives	Preservation of the territorial integrity of Spain
Allies	Russian Empire[1]
Opponents	Patriot Governments
Coat of arms of the Spanish Monarchy (1761–1843)
Flag of the Spanish Navy, Castles and Fortresses

The royalists were the people of Hispanic America (mostly from native and indigenous peoples)^[2][3] and Europeans that fought to preserve the integrity of the Spanish monarchy during the Spanish American wars of independence.

In the early years of the conflict, when King Ferdinand VII was captive in France, royalists supported the authority in the Americas of the Supreme Central Junta of Spain and the Indies and the Cortes of Cádiz that ruled in the King's name during the Peninsular War. During the Trienio Liberal in 1820, after the restoration of Ferdinand VII in 1814, the royalists were split between Absolutists, those that supported his insistence to rule under traditional law, and liberals, who sought to reinstate the reforms enacted by the Cortes of Cádiz.