Margaritaville

When we hear the word Margarita we think of the delicious drink of the same name or the song Margaritaville that once in your head is almost impossible to get out. No today we are going to look at the Carlist women’s group the Margaritas. I haven’t reviewed what is Carlismo yet but it will be the subject of an eventual post. In a nutshell Carlists are those Spaniards that wanted to place the Bourbon Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788-1855) on the throne of Spain. Herein lies the issue-a Bourbon dynasty already sat on the throne, the Alfonsine line.

The Margaritas were a Carlist women’s organization named after the wife of Carlos, Duke of Madrid (Carlos VII 1868-1909), Margarita of Bourbon-Parma born April 28th, 1867 and passing on April 28th, 1894 without having children. Margarita served as a nurse during the Second Carlist War. Yes, wars were actually fought over this.

Don’t worry there are still this line’s claimants to the Spanish throne and to make it more confusing there are competing Bourbon lines apart from the current Spanish King.

Founded in 1919 for the purpose of aiding poor Carlist families. The organization during the Second Republic acted as evangelical Carlists with the aim of rallying supports to the cause.  They did this by meetings in homes, hosting musical evenings, and conducting religious acts. The white beret (see above in the banner for the male red beret of the Carlists) wearing Margaritas served, most often, as war nurses during the war but they also brought supplies-food and clothing to their Carlist militia (Requetés) men at the front. At home they conducted traditional tasks such as knitting and household and farm tasks. The Margaritas in their ordinance (above) described the ideal Margarita as “an example of Spanish woman, intrepid defender of the Christian family, vigilant guardian of the traditions of the patris’, the defenders of the faith on the home front."

The male Requetés are well represented in political labels and covers. When this cover came up on the Bay for a reasonable opening bid-I jumped. Apparently only I did as I was the only bidder. I suspect those that looked at it didn't bother checking out the second image-that of the back of the cover.

The letter was mailed on February 26, 1937 from  the northern Spanish city of Victoria which is the capital city of the Basque Autonomous Community and of the province of Araba (Basque)/Álava (Spanish).  The letter is franked with a 30c Edifil #823 and a 10c blue Cruzada Contra del Frío Edifil #7, sealed with a Heller Salamanca censor tape #S 7 11 and addressed to a Jesuit in Salamanca.

The back of the cover is what drew me to it. Since I don't have the Allepuz volume of locals that cover Alava I can't give a number. However, it is an attractive rectangle in dark blue with Alava, Margaritas, Requetes, and 25 centimos label over the flap of the letter with a center featuring a shield with the normal Requetés cross in white instead of red and a daisy (Margarita) at the center.

A really interesting item and label that I haven't come across before or since.