Many people are not aware that Spain didn't recognized the DR as a sovereign and independent state until 1855, practically 11 years after gaining independence. However, unlike the situation with French recognition of Haitian independence, Spain didn't burdened the DR with an exaggerated debt. The Spanish recognition of the DR wasn't even initiated by the Dominicans but rather by the Spanish themselves.
The issue that pushed them to recognize the DR was the increasing possibility and interest of the US aquiring the Samana peninsula and part of Samana Bay. It has been the most desired geographical spot in the Antilles because its the bay closest to perfection for harboring an extensive marine military force. It was common knowledge that whatever power gained control of Samana effectively controlled the whole Caribbean an even Central America. The increasing interest of the US in aquiring Samana also threatened the stability of Spanish rule over Cuba and Puerto Rico.
When the US began to send diplomats to Santo Domingo to initiate talks and possible negotiations over Samana, Spain couldn't interfere because it didn't had an official recognition of the DR and had no diplomatic presence in the country.
In 1855 the Spanish-Dominican Treaty was signed where Spain recognized the DR as an independent state and established several rules regarding Dominican-Spanish commerce, navegation, extradition, friendship, and peace.
The seventh article of the treaty is probably the most interesting, because it states thatthe descendants of Spaniards in the DR also had the right to opt for Spanish Citizenship. For this purpose the Spanish Embassy created a 'matriculado' for whomever wanted to gain their Spanish Citizenship. All they had to do was declare themselves and show proof they descend from Spaniards.
The most interesting aspect of this is that the Spanish Consul, D. Jose Maria Segovia, gave a very extensive interpretation to that article. The Spanish Consulate effectively considered all the people born in Dominican territory as Spaniards, without taking into consideration the nationality of the parents.
This also had political repercussions within Dominican politics, because many followers of Buenaventura Baez began to conspire against Pedro Santana. The result was that Santana didn't retaliate against the supporters of Baez due to the fear that by attacking what were essentially Spanish Citizens, the Catholic Kings would interpret that as an attack against the Spanish state and could had escalated the issue for Santana. In the end, Santana renounced his presidency and the Vice President Manuel de Reegla Motabecame president to later hand over power to Baez.
The irony is that Santana takes power again and then hands over the DR to Spain in 1861 in order to ensure the conservation of the Dominican people and, most importantly, discourage a possible ninth Haitian military invasion. Everyone, Santana included, not only were Spaniards, but between 1861 and 1865 were living on Spanish land.
The issue that pushed them to recognize the DR was the increasing possibility and interest of the US aquiring the Samana peninsula and part of Samana Bay. It has been the most desired geographical spot in the Antilles because its the bay closest to perfection for harboring an extensive marine military force. It was common knowledge that whatever power gained control of Samana effectively controlled the whole Caribbean an even Central America. The increasing interest of the US in aquiring Samana also threatened the stability of Spanish rule over Cuba and Puerto Rico.
When the US began to send diplomats to Santo Domingo to initiate talks and possible negotiations over Samana, Spain couldn't interfere because it didn't had an official recognition of the DR and had no diplomatic presence in the country.
In 1855 the Spanish-Dominican Treaty was signed where Spain recognized the DR as an independent state and established several rules regarding Dominican-Spanish commerce, navegation, extradition, friendship, and peace.
The seventh article of the treaty is probably the most interesting, because it states thatthe descendants of Spaniards in the DR also had the right to opt for Spanish Citizenship. For this purpose the Spanish Embassy created a 'matriculado' for whomever wanted to gain their Spanish Citizenship. All they had to do was declare themselves and show proof they descend from Spaniards.
The most interesting aspect of this is that the Spanish Consul, D. Jose Maria Segovia, gave a very extensive interpretation to that article. The Spanish Consulate effectively considered all the people born in Dominican territory as Spaniards, without taking into consideration the nationality of the parents.
This also had political repercussions within Dominican politics, because many followers of Buenaventura Baez began to conspire against Pedro Santana. The result was that Santana didn't retaliate against the supporters of Baez due to the fear that by attacking what were essentially Spanish Citizens, the Catholic Kings would interpret that as an attack against the Spanish state and could had escalated the issue for Santana. In the end, Santana renounced his presidency and the Vice President Manuel de Reegla Motabecame president to later hand over power to Baez.
The irony is that Santana takes power again and then hands over the DR to Spain in 1861 in order to ensure the conservation of the Dominican people and, most importantly, discourage a possible ninth Haitian military invasion. Everyone, Santana included, not only were Spaniards, but between 1861 and 1865 were living on Spanish land.