The First Republic was dissolved by the army in 1874 and the monarchy was restored through the crowning of Alfonso XII, Isabel II's son. The conservative and liberal parties monopolised the government of the Restoration, which was nominally a democracy, with universal suffrage from 1890 onwards, but was effectively controlled by local political bosses and manipulated by the Ministry of Administration. The continuous electoral frauds disillusioned the masses and the opposition. Alfonso XII died in 1885 and María Cristina became regent until Alfonso XIII came of age. In 1898, Spain lost its colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.