My research takes a comparative historical perspective to analyse a period of history in the formation of the contemporary political spaces of Navarre, Basque Country and Spain. It understands history as an open process within which a variety of social actors negotiate their views, interests and authorities. During the 19th century crucial political, judicial, economic and ideological transformation took place within these spaces, which affected how these spaces and the peoples inhabiting them were conceived. My work analyses how these changes were perceived and managed by the political elites of Navarre and the Basque Country, and attempts to identify how the ideas and actions of these political elites might have influenced the emergence of the current political and ideological landscape, as well as explain their particular relationship.