The Bourbon Dynasty in Spain: Absolutism and Foreign Policy
The Imposition of Bourbon Absolutism
The authoritarianism of the Habsburg monarchy had already begun in the seventeenth century with a process of concentrating power in Castile. His cuts were not met since 1665, and they only had to approve taxes. In the Crown of Aragon, Navarre, and the Basque Country, they had retained their own institutions and a degree of sovereignty over the central power.
By installing the Bourbons on the Spanish throne, the absolutist model implemented in France under Louis XIV was imposed. The absolute monarch was the embodiment of the state: he belonged to the territory, and from it emanated institutions. Their power was virtually unlimited because it was the source of law, the ultimate authority of government, and the head of justice. With this new conception, assisted by loyal and competent advisors, they fought the few limitations that still acted on the prerogatives of the crown, striving to strengthen royal power.
Foreign Policy Under the Bourbons
The foreign policy of the Bourbon reign began with a major loss of power and influence of the Spanish crown in the international context, which allowed the release of the monarchy from the military and financial burden it had assumed in maintaining numerous European possessions in the 16th and 17th centuries. Thus, the Bourbons concentrated their energies on improving the situation inside the country.
The main fighting took place because of the efforts of Elizabeth Farnese to defend the accession to the throne of Naples for her eldest son, Carlos, and the throne of Parma and Modena for her other son, Philip. Spanish interests in Italy led to clashes with some European powers, especially Austria. In search of allies, Philip V and Charles III signed a series of pacts with France (Family Pacts).
The arrival of Ferdinand VI inaugurated an era of neutrality in Spanish foreign policy. Their efforts were directed to restructuring the army and fleet. The construction of ships was intended to maintain good lines of communication with the American territories. The Bourbons still possessed many colonies in America and made real efforts to improve and streamline both the administration and colonial trade. The monarch had very effective partners: ministers Jose de Carvajal and the Marquis de la Ensenada.
During the reign of Carlos III, Spain took part in the Seven Years’ War alongside France (Third Family Compact, 1761) and against England. The war ended with the Peace of Paris (1763), in which Spain ceded Florida and territories from Mexico to Britain, while Louisiana went from French to Spanish hands. In 1782, they also recovered the island of Menorca, which belonged to Britain. Finally, Spain starred with France in the U.S. War of Independence, supporting the American colonies. At the end of the conflict, with the English defeat, Spain regained Florida and the territories of Mexico.
The War of Succession
Charles II (the last monarch of the House of Austria) died in 1700 without a direct heir. Philip of Anjou was one of the leading candidates for the throne due to family ties, as was Archduke Charles, the grandson of Habsburg. Louis XIV of France and the 2nd son of the Emperor of Austria were linked to the Spanish dynasty.
The testament of Charles II designated a successor. The Bourbon candidate was proclaimed king in 1700 under the name of Philip V and was sworn in before the courts in 1701. The appointment caused a major conflict in the balance of power between the European powers. Philip V’s accession to the Spanish throne strengthened the influence of the Bourbons in Europe, and soon Britain, the Netherlands, and Portugal, who were against this situation, supported the Austrian candidate, going to war against France and Spain. Thus, the succession to the Spanish throne became an international conflict.
In Spain, the succession issue had also divided the peninsular territories. Castile proved faithful to Philip V, with the exception of a part of the great nobility, who feared losing power and influence with the change to Bourbon absolutism. The Crown of Aragon (especially Catalonia) endorsed the Austrian candidate, along with the representative institutions of the various sectors of society (nobility, bourgeoisie, and clergy) and the popular classes. The reasons for their support could be fear of losing institutions and power to the centralizing tendencies of the new monarchy, as well as the bad memory of the French troops left in Catalonia during the uprising of 1640. The confrontation derived into a civil war that lasted almost a decade.
At the international level, the forces of both candidates were quite balanced, and the Bourbons were unable to defeat the Allied armies that supported Habsburg. However, in 1711, an event changed the course of events: Archduke Charles ascended to the throne on April 17 following the death of the Emperor of Austria (Joseph I). By then, the danger to the European balance was a Habsburg on the throne of two important kingdoms.