MADOZ, PASCUAL (1806–1870), Spanish statistician, was
born at Pamplona on the 7th of May 1806. In early life
he was settled in Barcelona, as a writer and journalist. He
joined the Progresista party formed during the first Carlist
war, 1833-40. He saw some service against the Carlists;
was elected deputy to the Cortes of 1836; took part for Espartero,
and then against him; was imprisoned in 1843; went into
exile and returned; was governor of Barcelona in 1854,
and minister of finance in 1855; had a large share in secularizing
the Church lands; and after the revolution of 1868 was governor
of Madrid. He had, however, no great influence as a leader
and soon went abroad, dying at Genoa in 1870. Madoz was
distinguished from most of the politicians of his generation
by the fact that in middle life he compiled what is still a book
of value—a geographical, statistical and historical dictionary
of Spain and its possessions overseas. Diccionario geográfico,
estadístico y histoórico de España, y sus posesiones de Ultramar
(Madrid, 1848–1850).