War of Succession and Bourbon Reforms in Spain
The War of Succession and the System of Utrecht
In 1700, Carlos III died, leaving Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France, as his heir. England and other European powers supported Carlos of Austria, the other candidate for the throne, to prevent French hegemony. The War of Succession caused an international conflict and a civil war in Spain: Castile supported the French candidate, while the Crown of Aragon supported the Austrian candidate. Felipe V became the new King of Spain, despite the supporters of Charles at the Battle of Almansa, but suffered defeats on the European battlefield. France was exhausted by the duration of the war, and in 1711, an event occurred that changed the course of the conflict: the death of Emperor Joseph I, brother of Carlos. Now, the new emperor was Carlos VI, and the danger of the union of the empire with Spain led to the signing of the Peace of Utrecht. Spain lost Minorca and Gibraltar to England, Naples and Sicily, plus the Netherlands, to Austria, and Sardinia to Savoy.
Dynastic Change: The Early Bourbons
Under the reign of the first Bourbon, Philip V, a series of economic and military reforms were carried out to modernize the country. On the military front, Felipe V established the system of the fifth, changing the model of military organization to the French model, replacing thirds with regiments and modernizing the army. Under Ferdinand VI, several shipyards were created, such as Cartagena and El Ferrol. The reign of the founder of the dynasty in Spain is divided into two periods, coinciding with the date 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son, Ludwig, whose reign was short-lived, and his father recovered the throne. He also sought to reorganize the finances of the Crown, and the foundations were laid for the Unique Contribution project, which sought two objectives: to counter the unequal pay that existed between Castile and Aragon and to increase resources. With Fernando VI, the son of Ferdinand V, the unique contribution was driven by his minister, the Marquis of Ensenada. The Department of Finance was also established, and a land survey of the Crown of Castile was made, showing properties, rents, and profits. However, the Single Contribution project resulted in partial failure due to the opposition of privileged groups. Regarding relations with the Church, the reigns of the first Bourbons are a clear example of political gifts. Finally, these kingdoms adopted economic protectionist policies and created royal manufactures to promote economic development.
Reforms in State Organization: The Centralist Monarchy
The new dynasty brought a series of management reforms that sought to centralize power. The most important of these reforms were called the Nueva Planta decrees, which were intended to abolish the privileges of each realm. The first kingdoms to lose these privileges were Aragon and Valencia, after the Battle of Almansa, followed by Catalonia and Mallorca (1711). In contrast, the kingdom of Navarra and the Basque provinces retained their charters. Also, all courts of the several kingdoms disappeared, with only those of Castile remaining. In terms of justice, Audiencias (High Courts) were created. In the government of the Crown, Secretariats were established. In the provinces, Intendants were created. Finally, the figure of the mayor was created for local government. In short, these reforms sought to increase the power of the crown, following the French model, centralizing that power and ending the poly-synodal system.
The Practice of Enlightened Despotism: Carlos III
Carlos III came to the throne after years of experience in the government of Naples. In this realm, the new king brought a number of ministers, such as Grimaldi and Esquilache, who implemented a government that limited the power of the Church, removed resources and power from the Inquisition, and liberalized trade. Some of these reforms caused riots, such as the Esquilache Riots of 1766. This event resulted in the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767. Another important reform was the colonization of Sierra Morena, with the creation of New Towns, directed by Pablo Olavide. In short, the reign of Carlos III is the clearest example of enlightened despotism in Spain.