Pedro José Pidal y Carniado, 1st Marquis of Pidal (25 November 1799 – 28 December 1865) was a Spanish lawyer, writer, politician (alcalde,^{[2][note 2]} deputy and senator) and academician who served important political offices in the reign of Isabella II of Spain, including those of Ministry of Governance,^[3] Minister of State,^[2] Minister of Justice^[4] and speaker of the Congress of Deputies.^[4][2]

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Quick Facts The Most Excellent1st Marquis of Pidal, 99th President of the Congress of Deputies ...

The Most Excellent Pedro José Pidal 1st Marquis of Pidal
Official portrait by Dióscoro Puebla (1877). Congress of Deputies.[1]
99th President of the Congress of Deputies
In office 27 November 1843 – 4 July 1844
Preceded by	Salustiano de Olózaga y Almandoz
Succeeded by	Francisco Castro y Orozco [es]
Ministry of Governance
In office 3 May 1844 – 12 February 1846
Preceded by	José Justiniani Ramírez de Arellano [es]
Succeeded by	Francisco Javier de Istúriz
In office 5 April 1846 – 28 January 1847
Preceded by	Javier de Burgos
Succeeded by	Manuel Seijas Lozano [es]
Minister of State
In office 29 July 1848 – 19 October 1849
Preceded by	Carlos Martínez de Irujo
Succeeded by	Salvador Cea Bermúdez [es]
In office 20 October 1849 – 14 January 1851
Preceded by	Salvador Cea Bermúdez [es]
Succeeded by	Manuel Bertrán de Lis y Ribes
In office 12 October 1856 – 15 October 1857
Preceded by	Nicomedes Pastor Díaz y Corbelle
Succeeded by	Leopoldo Augusto de Cueto
Seat g of the Real Academia Española
In office 25 February 1847 – 28 December 1865
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Antonio Aparisi Guijarro[note 1]
Personal details
Born	Pedro José Pidal y Carniado (1799-11-25)25 November 1799 Villaviciosa, Spain
Died	28 December 1865(1865-12-28) (aged 66) Madrid, Spain

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Pedro José Pidal y Carniado was born in Villaviciosa, Asturias. On finishing his Law studies, he moved to Madrid in 1822 and started working for a prestigious law firm^[2] and collaborated with the short-lived daily El Espectador (1821-3), founded by his fellow Asturian liberal, Evaristo San Miguel.^[5]

Before becoming increasingly involved in politics, he briefly (c. 1841) held the Chair of History of Government and Legislation in Spain at the Ateneo de Madrid.^[2] He became an academician of the Real Academia Española in 1844,^[2] of the Real Academia de la Historia in 1847, and director of this institution in 1852.^[2]

Among the many other reforms carried out by Pidal as Minister of the Interior, the so-called Pidal Plan (1845) —the most important of a series of reforms in Spain's education system that would eventually lead to the so-called Ley Moyano (1857), which would remain in effect until 1970^[6]—, implemented the first major overhaul of Spain's education system. Actually drawn up by his friend Antonio Gil y Zárate,^[2] the plan called for state-run institutos to be created in each provincial capital^[7] and among the many aspects the plan introduced were modifications to the syllabus, with the subjects of Spanish literature introduced at secondary level^[8] and geography and Spanish history introduced for both secondary and university students.^{[note 3]}

The plan also created the first chair in International Law, a post first held, albeit briefly, by Lorenzo Arrazola y García, a former Minister of Justice, future Prime Minister of Spain and President of the Supreme Court.^[10]

His son, Alejandro Pidal y Mon (1846–1913) would also become a deputy^[11] (as well as Speaker of Congress)^[12] and academician (also being appointed director of the Real Academia Española). His grandson, Pedro Pidal Bernaldo de Quirós (1870–1941) would likewise enter politics, becoming both deputy^[13] and senador.^[14]