Matías Barrio y Mier (1844–1909) was a Spanish law academic and a Carlist politician. He served as a scholar of jurisprudence at various universities, though mostly in Oviedo (1881–1892) and Madrid (1892–1909), and authored manuals used by students until the 1930s. He is best known, however, as the Carlist political leader (1899–1909). As a Traditionalist he served 9 terms in the Cortes, initially during the rule of Amadeo I (1871–1872) and then during the Restoration period (1891–1903, 1905–1909).
Family and youth
Matías Barrio y Mier was born in a mountainous village of Verdeña (Province of Palencia). His paternal grandparents, Manuel Barrio and Teresa Vielba, were local hidalgos.they were very distantly related to the Grimaldis of Monaco, José María Vallejo García-Hevia, Matías Barrio y Mier (1844-1909): Un historiador del derecho en la cátedra, la política y la guerra, Madrid 2020, , p. 16 His maternal grandparents, Simon Morante and Tomasa de Mier, belonged to petty nobility from the nearby San Juan de Redondo.Vallejo García-Hevia 2020, p. 16 His father José Barrio VielbaFroilán de Lózar, La aventura política de Matías Barrio y Mier, [in:] Publicaciones de la Institución Tello Téllez de Meneses, , 78 (2007), p. 167 married Dolores de Mier y Terán; the couple had no children. Following her premature death, in 1836 Barrio Vielba married the niece of his defunct wife, Susana de Mier.Hijos ilustres del Valle de Redondo, [in:] Origeness Blogspot available here. It is not clear why she appears in documents as "Susana de Mier", since her parents were Simon Morante and Tomasa de Mier, Vallejo García-Hevia 2020, p. 16. In line with standard customs, she would have appeared as "Susana Morante Mier" The couple had 4 children, Matías coming third and the only son.Santiago Francia Lorenzo, Matías Barrio y Mier, [in:] La Pernía, montana palentina website, available here At the age of 8 he moved to Toledo, where his maternal uncle served at the prestigious post of the Cathedral dean;Francia Lorenzo he looked after Matías when the latter attended Latinidad y Humanidades course at the local Instituto Provincial de Segunda Enseñanza (periodically also private colleges in Madrid),Carlos Petit, Barrio y Mier, Matías (1844-1909) entry, [in:] Diccionario de Catedráticos Españoles de Derecho (1847-1943) at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid website, available here until the young Barrio became Bachelor of Arts in 1859 (cum laude).Carlos Petit As a teenager Matías intended to join the military, but dissuaded by his father, he eventually agreed to pursue a career in law.Santiago Francia Lorenzo, Territorio Perniano. Un manuscript de Matías Barrio y Mier en el Archivio Capitular de Palencia, [in:] PITTM 71 (2000), p. 455
In 1859 Barrio moved to Valladolid, where he studied Filosofia y Letras and Derecho Administrativo simultaneously. He completed the law studies first, obtaining bachillerato in 1863 and graduating (cum laude) the year after.Carlos Petit In 1865 he started doctoral research in Derecho Civil y Canónico at Central in Madrid; his PhD title was awarded in 1866.following the work on Teoría fundamental de las circunstancias atenuantes y agravantes de los delitos, Carlos Petit, see also Froilán de Lózar, p. 169 He pursued his Philosophy and Letters studies to obtain bachillerato (from Valladolid) 1867, graduating (from Central) in 1868 and reaching for PhD laurels in 1872, still at Central.the thesis was on Idéa de las fuentes del conocimiento historico, Carlos Petit He followed a number of other classes, getting certified as archivist and librarian from Escuela Especial de Diplomática;Carlos Petit; Francia Lorenzo (2000), p. 455 gives the name as Escuela Superior Diplomática he also studied theology in Madrid and Vitoria, though sources differ as to the grade he reached.According to Petit Barrio studied theology for 2 years; Francia Lorenzo claims Barrio graduated in theology p. 455, Froilán de Lózar, p. 169 says that the 1868 revolution interrupted Barrio's theology studies, but he later resumed them and obtained another PhD Barrio completed also some courses abroad; at the Paris École des Hautes Études he studied sanscrit, perfected in Madrid in the late 1870s.Carlos Petit When the Spanish revolution of 1868 broke out Barrio was already a formidable prospective scholar, with one PhD, four licenciaturas and six carreras completed.Ángela del Valle, Angela del Valle López, Aportación bio-bibliográfica a la historia de la ciencia: Universidad Central, 1886-1902, Madrid 1998, , 9788427712300, p. 100
In 1871 Matías Barrio married an Asturiana from Llanes, Maximina Marcos Sánchez.Francia Lorenzo Nothing is known about her or her family, except that it was "one of the most distinguished ones" in the cityVallejo García-Hevia 2020, p. 40 and that she outlived her husband at least by 14 years.in 1923 she was entitled to a pension, El Adelanto 27.09.23, available here The couple had 4 children, José,named after his grandfather Carlos, Jaime and Blanca;Froilán de Lózar, p. 172; the choice of names reveals zealous Carlist penchant, as they were names of the then claimant and his children, Vallejo García-Hevia 2020, p. 40 the family moved across Spain, following the professional lot of Barrio and his subsequent academic assignments.one study refers to Barrio's as to a "landholder", see José Varela Ortega, El poder de la influencia: geografía del caciquismo en España (1875-1923), Barcelona 2001, , 9788425911521, pp. 186-187 The oldest son, José Barrio Marcos, died as a student in 1900,Barrio's biographer claims he has never recovered from this blow, Vallejo García-Hevia 2020, p. 205 Blanca perished at 26 years of age in 1910.La Lectura Dominical 01.10.10, available here Carlos grew to head of fiscal administration in Valladolid in the mid-1930s;in the 1910s served as mid-range finance official in Salamanca, Guia Oficial de Espana 1914, available here he was dismissed by the Francoist administration in late 1936; the dismissal was related to the decree which envisioned release from state service officials who demonstrated antipatriotic behavior.Boletín oficial de la provincia de Cáceres 02.01.37, available here There is nothing known about one more son, Jaime; there is neither any information available on any of Barrio's grandchildren.
Academic Matías Barrio commenced his teaching career as an interim assistant professor in Valladolid in 1864–65,Carlos Petit the following year nominated assistant professor in Comparative Law at Facultad de Derecho at Central in Madrid.Carlos Petit As in 1869 he completed the required 25 years of age, following an unsuccessful bid for the chair of Derecho Romano at Central, he applied and won the chair of Derecho Político y Administrativo español and Derecho Político de los principales Estados at Universidad Literaria in Vitoria, a local Álavese institution managed by its self-government.Carlos Petit In 1873 the local ayuntamiento fired Barrio for his refusal to join Batallón de Voluntarios de la República;Carlos Petit one year later, in full swing of the Third Carlist War, the governmental order released him from the chair of Geografia Historica at Universidad de Zaragoza.Carlos Petit, Froilán de Lózar, p. 169
Expulsed to France he returned to Spain to the Carlist-held territory, where at the university of Oñate he became dean of the Jurisprudence Faculty, working also as catedratico and a librarian.Carlos Petit, Froilán de Lózar, p. 169; according to a press obituary he was also a rector, see ABC 24/06/1909, available here Following the Carlist defeat he migrated to France but returned thanks to the 1877 amnesty, unsuccessfully requesting re-installment at his Zaragoza post.he challenged the rejection of his application in court; a number of MPs appealed in his favor, see Petit In 1880 he was nominated (beating 9 counter-candidates) catedratico numerario at Universidad de Valencia and commenced teaching Prolegómenos de Derecho e Historia and Elementos de Derecho Romano.For details see Yolanda Blasco Gil, La Facultad de Derecho de Valencia durante la Restauración (1875-1900), Valencia 2000, , 9788437043944, pp. 193 Following a brief spell in Zaragoza (teaching Historia Universal) he had his rights fully reinstated and acknowledged by the ministry in 1881.
In 1881 Barrio commenced his 11-year-spell at Universidad de Oviedo, where he initially assumed Historia y elementos de Derecho civil español, in 1883 elected dean of the Faculty of Law and 1884 starting lectures in Derecho civil español, común y foral.Carlos Petit He is remembered for having reformed the library of the Law Faculty, granting access to the public.see Barrio y Mier, Matías entry [in:] vivirasturias.com In 1892 Barrio left Asturias for Madrid, as he won the competition to chair Derecho civil español, común y foral at Universidad Central;Carlos Petit in 1902 he assumed Derecho común de España comparado con el foral there.Carlos Petit Elected unanimously dean of the Faculty of Law in 1905.Carlos Petit, Froilán de Lózar, p. 171; B. de Artagan, Politicos del Carlismo, Barcelona 1913 claims it was in 1906, referred after Blog de la Asociación Cultural Tradicionalista Fernando III el Santo, available here
His fundamental work is the monumental Historia general del derecho español,Historia general del derecho Español. Extracto taquigráfico de las explicaciones del dr. d. Matías Barrio y Mier, Volumes I-IV, Madrid, no stated date of issue, usually dated at 1900 which served as a textbook for generations of students of law in Spain and in Latin America,vivirasturias.com re-issued with some modifications even 30 years later, see Apuntes de historia general del derecho español, issued by Universidad Central in 1929.Carlos Petit In Palencia he is recorded as an author of a small booklet named Tradiciones pernianas, published in 1871; a late version of earlier Romantic books on folk culture,Froilán de Lózar, p. 179 it described Palencian customs and gathered together local tales.Francia Lorenzo Another work, never published and left as manuscript, is Territorio Perniano, dated 1878 and gathering data on localities in the regions of Liebana and La Pernía.His commitment to the native region was demonstrated also in 1904, when he co-founded Casa de Palencia in Madrid, see Froilán de Lózar, p. 190
Public servant During his university years of early 1860s Barrio was active in the Ateneo of Valladolid,Carlos Petit; Francia Lorenzo says it was in Pisuerga later animating also the local Juventud Catolica.Carlos Petit Initially holding petty positions in the local fiscal structures he declined a career offerFróilan de Lózar, p. 169 and dedicated himself to law. In 1869 he entered Colegio de Abogados in Madrid, followed by joining similar bodies in Vitoria (1869) and in Valladolid (1878).Carlos Petit He practiced as an attorney for the poor in Madrid,Carlos Petit opening law offices in Palencia and Cervera de Pisuerga.Carlos Petit; Francia Lorenzo says he had also offices in Valladolid, Burgos and Madrid As a lawyer and academic he gained great prestige for competence and impartiality, and was often nominated as referee in many oposiciones de cátedras across the country. He is noted for his stance during the competition for Cátedra de Lógica, Etica y Derecho at Instituto de Enseñanza Media in Toledo; facing a choice between two contenders, a Traditionalist Catholic priest and the future socialist leader Julián Besteiro, Barrio voted for the latter.Francia Lorenzo