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SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY: ABSOLUTISM AND CENTRALISM

IES SANTA CATALINABURGO DE OSMA- SORIA4º . HISTORIA/HISTORY

Timeline

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

FIRST ACTIVITY

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

FIRST ACTIVITYSPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION

CHRONOLOGY

CAUSES

CANDIDATES TO THE THRONE

SIDES IN SPAIN

SIDES IN EUROPE

Complete the table

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

Answer these questions:• A. What do you think is a war of succession in

general?• What was the last Spanish Habsburg King?• Why the War of Succession started?• Why did other countries take part in it?• Draw a conceptual map of the consequences of the

agreements reached in Utrecht

FIRST ACTIVITY

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

Philip V

Archduke Charles

Almansa battle

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was fought among several European powers, principally the Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, and the Duchy of Savoy, against the Kingdoms of France and Castile and the Electorate of Bavaria, over a possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under a single Bourbon monarch. Such an unification would have drastically changed the European balance of power. It resulted in the recognition of the Bourbon Philip V as King of Spain while requiring him both to renounce any claim to the French throne and to cede much of the European Spanish Crown's possessions.In 1700, the last Spanish Habsburg King, Charles II of Spain, died without issue, leaving his possessions to Philip, duc d'Anjou, grandson of his half-sister and King Louis XIV of France. Philip thereby became Philip V of Spain.The war began slowly, as Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, fought to protect the Austrian Habsburg claim to the Spanish inheritance, in favour of his younger son, the archduke Charles.The war was concluded by the treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Rastatt (1714). As a result, Philip V remained King of Spain but was removed from the French line of succession, thereby averting a union of the two kingdoms. The Austrians gained most of the Spanish territories in Italy and the Netherlands. As a consequence, France's hegemony over continental Europe was ended, and the idea of a balance of power became a part of the international order.With regard to the political organization of their kingdoms, Philip issued the Nueva Planta decrees, following the centralizing approach of the Bourbons in France, ending the political autonomy of the kingdoms which had made up the Crown of Aragon; territories in Spain that had supported the Archduke Charles, and up to then had kept their institutions in a framework of loose dynastic union, lost them. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Navarre and the Basque Provinces, having supported the king against the Habsburg pretender, did not lose their autonomy and retained their traditional differentiated institutions and laws (fueros). 

Consequences of the War of Succesion (1700-1713)SPAIN GREAT BRITAIN FRANCE HOLY ROMAN

EMPIRE

Complete the table

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

SPAIN GREAT BRITAIN FRANCE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE

PHILIP V NORTH AMERICA TERRITORIES

END OF HIS HEGEMONIE IN EUROPE: BALANCE OF POWER

GAINED TERRITORIES IN EUROPE: MILÁN, NAPLES, SPANISH NETHERLANDS…

FAMILY PACTS WITH FRANCE

GIBRALTAR AND MENORCA

LOST TERRITORIES IN AMERICA

LOST HIS POSSESSION IN EUROPE

ASIENTO DE NEGROS GAINED TERRITORIES IN EUROPE: ALSACE, STRASBURG

MENORCA AND GIBRALTARSACRAMENTO AND OTHERS TERRITORIES IN NA

NAVIO DE PERMISO (500 Tm)

INTERNAL POLITICS: CENTRALISATION

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION

The political reforms The Bourbons consolidated absolute monarchy in Spain, which evolved into enlightened despotism, and implanted political and administrative centralisation. • In absolute monarchy, all the power was concentrated in the king. To achieve this, the Bourbons isolated the nobility from power, intervened in the affairs of the Church, and hardly ever convened the Cortes. They ruled with the help of secretaries or ministers, who were in charge of the different government affairs. • Political and administrative centralisation was imposed by Philip V by means of the Nueva Planta Decrees of 1707, 1715 and 1716. These Decrees suppressed the laws and institutions of Aragón, Valencia, Catalonia and Mallorca and implanted the Castilian model. Only the Basque Country and Navarra maintained their charters, called fueros. Furthermore, a new provincial division was imposed, thus ensuring control of the government over the entire territory

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. ABSOLUTISM AND CENTRALISM

The political reforms

T.2. The 18th century in SpainAbsolutism in SpainThe major representation of absolutism in Spain was Louis XIV’s grandson Philip V, who ascended to the Spanish throne as the first of the Bourbon line in Spain (after the War of Succession in l7l4). This absolutism also tended towards the French centralization system of government, unifying and centralizing the administration and legislation (laws) of the kingdoms with the New Model Decrees. With these decrees, the fueros and all the institutions of Aragon, Valencia, the Baleares and Catalonia disappeared to be replaced by Castilian ones. This started when the war finished because these territories had fought against Philip in the War of Succession but the subsequent laws were even more centralist.The only fueros that continued were the Basque ones, because the Basques had fought in favour of Philip V, but they still suffered some centralist decrees.Below is part of two decrees of Philip V underlining his political intentions. “I have judged it convenient to completely abolish all the fueros, privileges, practices and customs that have been traditionally observed in the kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia, it being my wish for all of these to become exclusively the laws of Castile.”Decree by Philip V repealing the fueros of Valencia and Aragon. 1707“I have resolved that in Catalonia there should be installed a High Court, to be presided over by a Captain General or by a General Commander of the Royal Arms, so that the offices, after beginning in my name can then continue with theirs. All legal matters to be discussed in the High Court will take place in the Castilian language. There are also to be installed in Catalonia a number of sheriffs (corregidores), and for all the towns and cities there will be 12 sheriffs’ posts, whose nomination l reserve exclusively. In the city of Barcelona there will reside 24 councillors (regidores) and in the others eight, whose nomination again l reserve exclusively. I also maintain the rights as to the regulation of the State Mint (Fábrica de Monedas).”Philip V. New Model Decrees, Catalonia. 1716Read the two decrees of Philip V and then writes which of theese ideas are related with absolutism or centralism.

SECOND ACTIVITY

Read the two decrees of Philip V and then writes which of these ideas are related with absolutism or centralism.

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. ABSOLUTISM

The Enlightenment favoured the creation of Economic Societies of Friends of the Country (Sociedades Económicas de Amigos del País) who spread the innovations of this period.

• In agriculture the new American crops like maize and potatoes spread and the use of fertilisers and irrigation were promoted, while fallow land was reduced. New and free land was also sought for cultivation, and extensive tracts of land were repopulated in Sierra Morena.

• Industry promoted new techniques of modernisation: the control of the guilds was criticised and manufacturing was encouraged as in the Royal Factories dedicated to shipbuilding, the production of weapons and luxury goods such as fabrics, silk, glass, tapestry and porcelain.

• Domestic trade was boosted because of improved transportation: roads were widened and paved, bridges were built and a radial road network linking Madrid to the main peripheral ports was designed. Foreign trade was also revitalised, especially since freedom of trade was decreed with the American colonies (1778)

The economic reforms

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. ECONOMY

• From 8 until 12 millions of inhabitants

• Inland Spain lost population, coasts grew.

• 90%, peasants, mainly day laborers,

• A lot of beggars.• Urban bourgeoisie, minority (civil

servants, army officers, craftsmen and merchants).

• Clergy (privileged), owner of 25% of all the lands.

• Nobility (privileged), landowners.

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. SOCIETY

SPANISH SOCIETY

The Bourbons set out to recover their lost territories in Europe and conserve the American colonies. To achieve these objectives, they signed an alliance with France by means of the so-

called Family Compact or Pacte de Famille (1733, 1743, 1761).

• Philip V followed a revisionist policy on the Treaty of Utrecht aimed at recovering some of his European possessions for two of the sons he had with Elisabeth Farnese. Thus, he managed to conquer Naples and Sicily for Charles (1734) and the Duchy of Parma for Philip, which was lost again shortly thereafter (1737).

• Ferdinand VI favoured a neutral approach in foreign policy. • Charles III, allied with France, was involved in two conflicts. In Europe, he intervened in the Seven Years’ War (1761), and signed the Treaty of Paris (1763), in which he ceded Florida to

Great Britain and was granted Louisiana by France. In America, he supported the revolution of the thirteen British colonies against their mother country, and through the Treaty of Versailles (1783) he regained Florida and Menorca.

New foreign policy

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. FOREIGN POLICY

Philip V (1700-1746)• French, sad and depressive, he missed Versailles from La Granja (a

copy).• 1724, a short reign of Louis I, his son.• 1707/1716: NUEVA PLANTA DECREES for Aragonese Crown

countries. Aftermath: a centralized government following Castilian model, a real state without customs inside. Spain is divided into provinces (in front, a major general, not a viceroy).

• An absolute monarch, despot but “enlightened”, Parliament (Cortes) won’t be called.

• The king ruled with ministers: Patiño reorganized a powerful navy.• Foreing policy: Spain was stripped of her remaining European

dominions in 1714. Spain reconquered some of her lost Italian possessions from the Austrians in the 18th century, placing Bourbon princes on the thrones of Parma, Naples, and Sicily. However, these were not incorporated again into the Spanish Crown. This policy was called “irredentism”.

• Two Family’s Pacts with France against England.

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. REIGNS

Ferdinand VI (1746-1759)• Educated and clever.• The Marquis of Ensenada, his more important minister, made a lot of public works and

reorganized the Treasury to get more taxes. He strengthened the navy, called foreing technicians and scientists and he also ordered to make the famous cadastre (Catastro), a general report about the wealth of the country and the taxpayers.

The King Ensenada

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. REIGNS

Charles III (1759-1788)• A good king, a good major for Madrid, surrounded by good ministers:

Aranda, Floridablanca, Campomanes.• Former king of Naples and Sicily.• Third Family’s Pact with France (England is already a serious threat

for the Empire): as a result of the Seven Years’ War, France lost Canada and Spain, Florida. As a compensation, France gave Louisiana to Spain.

• France and Spain supported Americans against British (War of Independence): 1783, Peace of Versailles, Spain recovered Florida and Menorca.

• INSIDE REFORMS (Enlightened despotism):– Sierra Morena colonization– Royal manufactures (silk, crystal, tapestries, china) and cotton

mills (Catalonia)– Free trade among Spanish and American ports, big shipping

companies– New roads and bridges– Canals, as Castile or Imperial ones– Tenants’ expelling from land will be banned, to plough up new

lands will not (against Mesta)– New clothes (shorter capes, three point hats). This thing and

the wheat’s high cost caused a rebellion against the minister Esquilache (1766)

– Jesuits’ expulsion (Indian missions in Paraguay will be abandoned)

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. REIGNS

ESQUILACHE RIOTS (1766)

The increase of the taxes and of the price of the bread

The privileged instigate the people´s revolt using the new hygiene and public order ordinances as a pretext.

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. REIGN OF CHARLES III

CAUSES

Charles IV (1788-1808)

• No interest, no competence.• The government, in Prime Minister Manuel

Godoy hands.• Spain follows French foreign policy.• Reforms will be stopped because of the

fear for French Revolution.• Moreover, reforms will be failed because

bourgeoisie is a weak minority, people have a conservative and religious closed mind and ancient nobility and clergy were very powerful.

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY. REIGNS

FUENTES

JESÚS MANAhttp://es.slideshare.net/manavega/spanish-18th-century-15966900?qid=1b68bdc8-3163-4d74-a249-a45a92b0ca11&v=qf1&b=&from_search=1

PAPEFONShttp://es.slideshare.net/papefons/the-first-bourbons-and-enlightenment?qid=6f8c4e3b-c7fb-4844-87c6-47f427acd614&v=default&b=&from_search=5

4 History Social Science. C. Echevarría and others. Anaya

http://www.slideshare.net/iesfraypedro/spanish-18th-century

SPAIN IN THE 18th CENTURY

https://www.bgc.bard.edu/research/library/vmr/hours-location-staff.html