Spanish Habsburgs: Philip IV, Charles II & War of Succession
Lower Austria
Philip III (1598-1621)
Philip IV (1621-1665): The Rise of the Count-Duke of Olivares
The Count-Duke of Olivares sought to restore the monarchy’s international position by fully mobilizing its resources. This meant that all territories would participate in the common effort with the same sacrifice that Castile made. During most of Philip IV’s 40-year reign, Spain fought throughout Europe, in the Americas, and in some of the Hispanic kingdoms and territories. It was believed that this effort was necessary to maintain the integrity of the empire and its continued hegemony. However, in the last decades of the 17th century, new political and economic powers emerged that challenged Spain’s dominance: France, England, and Holland.
The combat activity during this reign was impressive. The Hispanic monarchy participated in different stages of the Thirty Years’ War alongside the Emperor. Initially, they defeated the Protestant powers, but by the end of the war, they were defeated by France. The causes of these losses were the depletion of financial and human resources, as well as internal rebellions. After the Count-Duke’s departure in 1643, replaced by Don Luis de Haro, the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended the Thirty Years’ War. This marked the failure of the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs, confirmed French hegemony, and consecrated religious pluralism. The Netherlands became independent, but the war with France continued until the Peace of the Pyrenees in 1659, which resulted in another defeat for Spain.
The Count-Duke’s Reforms and Internal Rebellions
The Count-Duke launched a series of reforms to tackle the crisis, including the Union of Arms: a common army for the whole monarchy, funded by the different realms and territories. He wanted to introduce the Castilian model to all kingdoms, but this was met with resistance, leading to clashes with:
- Catalonia (1635-1652): During the war between France and Spain, Catalonia became a military front. Tension arose between the royal troops and the population, exacerbated by Catalan reluctance to participate in the war, and irritation towards the Count-Duke and the king. A peasant revolt escalated into a general riot, resulting in the assassination of the Marquis of Santa Coloma. The Catalans sought help from France and established a republic, with the French King Louis XIII as its independent Catalan count.
- Portugal (1640-1668): The Portuguese courts proclaimed the Duke of Braganza as King John IV. Spain’s opponents, especially France and Britain, rushed to support the secession. All subsequent diplomatic and military attempts by Spain to regain control of Portugal failed, culminating in the defeat at Villaviciosa in 1665.
- Andalusia (1641): A conspiracy led by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, brother of the now Queen of Portugal, aimed to establish an independent Andalusian kingdom. However, the revolt was crushed.
- Aragon (1648): An aristocratic conspiracy, similar to the one in Andalusia, was led by the Duke of HÃjar, who sought to make Aragon an independent kingdom. This attempt also failed.
Charles II (1665-1700): The Succession Crisis
Charles II succeeded Philip IV at the age of four. He was proclaimed of age at 14, and the government remained in the hands of his ministers. The Duke of Medinaceli, and later the Count of Oropesa, implemented policies of regeneration and economic, administrative, and religious reforms. The king’s poor health and lack of offspring led to the formation of factions around the two main candidates for the throne: Philip of Anjou and Archduke Charles.
The Castilians supported Philip of Anjou. On October 2, 1700, Charles II appointed Philip V as his heir, with the condition that he would not inherit the throne of France. Initially, Europe agreed, but when Louis XIV upheld his grandson’s right to succeed him, a grand alliance formed, sparking the anti-French War of Succession in 1702.