Spain’s first stamps were released on 1 January 1850, and depicted Isabella II, who had been Queen since the age of three. In 1849, when the Postmaster of Spain, Luis José Sartorius, first Count of San Luis and leading ‘Moderato’ member of the Regency government, issued a decree that postage stamps should be prepared and introduced, Isabella was only 19 years of age.
The lowest value, 6 cuartos, was printed in black and depicts Isabella facing to the left. It is inscribed ‘FRANCO’. The other four denominations in the set, a 12 cuartos, and 5, 6 and 10 reales (there were 8 cuartos per Real) showed Isabella facing right; the Real values were inscribed ‘CERTIFICADO’, indicating they were intended for paying registered mail.
Stamps from the first issue were inscribed ‘1850’; the postal authorities under the efficient Sartorius, who became Prime Minister in 1853, were sufficiently organised to have new sets printed and ready for the 1 January release in each subsequent year to 1856. Apart from the 1854 issue all bear a portrait of Isabella, her face growing in rotundity (she was not known for having a svelte physique, as photographs attest). Stamps of the years 1851 through 1854 (showing provincial coats of arms) all carry the date of issue.
Isabella was deposed in 1867, following a mini-revolt (known as the Glorious Revolution) and removed herself to Paris, where she stayed for her remaining years (she died in 1904,
