railway in the Italian peninsula). Spain September 29, 1833 – Three-year-old Isabella II becomes Queen of Spain, under the regency of her mother, Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Her uncle Don Carlos, Conde de Molina challenges her claim, beginning the First Carlist War. July 15, 1834 – The Spanish Inquisition, which began in the 15th century, is suppressed by royal decree. September 1837 – Battle of Aranzueque: Liberal victory for the forces loyal to Queen Isabel II of Spain, end of the Carlist campaign known as the Expedición Real – The First Carlist War. October 1, 1838 – Supporters of Infante Carlos, Count of Molina, are victorious in the Battle of Maella during the First Carlist War. August 31, 1839 – The First Carlist war (Spain) ends with the Convenio de Vergara, also known as the Abrazo de Vergara ("the embrace in Vergara"; Bergara in Basque), between liberal general Baldomero Espartero, Count of Luchana and Carlist General Rafael Maroto. Portugal July 5, 1833 – Liberal Wars, 1833 – Battle of Cape St. Vincent: The forces of Queen Maria II of Portugal win decisively. July 24, 1834 – The Liberal Wars end in Portugal. January 26, 1835 – Queen Maria II of Portugal marries Auguste de Beauharnais, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg, in Lisbon; he dies only two months later. January 1, 1836 – Queen Maria II of Portugal marries Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Africa Egba refugees fleeing the Yoruba civil wars found the city of Abeokuta in south-west Nigeria. February 14, 1831 – Battle of Debre Abbay: Ras Marye of Yejju marches into Tigray and defeats and kills the warlord Sabagadis. 1831 – Rifa'a el-Tahtawi returns from study in Paris to Egypt. December 11, 1834 – The Sixth Xhosa War is characterized by severe clashes between white settlers and Bantu peoples in Cape Colony; Dutch-speaking settlers colonize the area north of Orange River. February 1, 1835 – Slavery is abolished in Mauritius. October 10 – October 13, 1837 – The French army besieges and captures Constantine in French Algeria. December 16, 1838 – The Boers win a decisive victory over the Zulus in the Battle of Blood River. French conquest of Algeria In 1830, France invaded and quickly seized Ottoman Regency of Algiers, and rapidly took control of other coastal communities. Fighting would continue throughout the decade, with the French pitted against forces under Ahmed Bey at Constantine,