Spain’s Transformation: From Bourbon Succession to Liberal Revolutions (1700s-1800s)

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714)

Causes of the Conflict

  • Death of Charles II of Spain without an heir.
  • Clash of candidates: Philip of Anjou and Charles of Austria.

Conflicting Sides

  • International Alliance: Austria, Holland, Portugal, and Britain supported Charles of Austria.
  • France: Supported Philip V of Bourbon.
  • Spain: The Crown of Aragon supported Charles of Austria; the rest of the territory recognized Philip V.

Resolution: Peace of Utrecht (1713)

  • International recognition of Philip V as King of Spain.
  • Territorial compensation for other powers.
  • Impact on Spain:
    • Suppression of the Crown of Aragon’s institutions (from 1707).
    • September 11, 1714: Suppression in Barcelona.
    • 1715: Occupation of Mallorca.

The Absolutist Monarchy: Bourbon Reforms (Post-1714)

Centralization and Administrative Reform

  • Cancellation of traditional institutions and constitutions: Generalitat, Courts, Council of One Hundred.
  • Imposition of Spanish laws and institutions: Nueva Planta Decrees.
  • Courts established for the whole of Spain.
  • Abolition of the Council of Aragon.
  • Imposition of Captains General, Audiencias, and Corregidores in cities.
  • Reorganization of the Hacienda (land registration).

Economy and Society in the 18th Century

Society by Estates

  • Privileged Estates: Nobility and Clergy.
  • Farmers under the seigniorial system.
  • Small growth of the bourgeoisie.

Agrarian Economy

  • Land primarily in the hands of the nobility and clergy (entailed properties).
  • High agricultural taxes.
  • Weakness of industry and foreign trade.

Bourbon Reformism and the Enlightenment

Enlightened Ideas and Figures

  • French influence on enlightened ideas.
  • Spanish Enlightened Figures: Jovellanos, Floridablanca.
  • Key Concerns: Education and economic backwardness.

Enlightened Despotism under Charles III

  • Origins: Charles III’s arrival from Naples, bringing enlightened ideas.
  • First Conflict: Squillace Mutiny.
  • Regalism: Expulsion of the Jesuits, civil laws.
  • Society: Limitation of noble privileges.
  • Education: Reform of universities and schools, creation of academies and economic societies.

Economic Transformation in the 18th Century

Population Growth

  • Limited by subsistence crises.
  • Greater growth on the periphery.

Agricultural Changes

  • Limitation of Mesta privileges.
  • Initiation of agrarian reform.
  • Freedom of grain trade.
  • Expansion of vine cultivation.

Freedom of Trade

  • Decree of free trade with America.
  • Expansion of Catalan trade with America.

Freedom of Industry

  • Establishment of royal manufactures.
  • Private manufacturing (e.g., Indianas in Catalonia).

The Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814)

Causes of the War

  • Abdications of Bayonne.
  • Joseph Bonaparte proclaimed King of Spain.
  • Popular uprising of May 2, 1808.

Beginning of the Conflict

  • Power vacuum and inability of authorities to confront the invasion.
  • Formation of the Supreme Central Junta.
  • Popular resistance through guerrilla warfare and sieges.

Ideological Positions

  • Afrancesados (supporters of Joseph Bonaparte).
  • Patriotic Front (Absolutists, Liberals, Enlightened).

Evolution of the Conflict

  • Napoleon’s domination of the peninsula (1809).
  • Guerrilla warfare leading to French attrition.
  • Anglo-Spanish offensive (1812-1813).
  • Napoleon’s withdrawal.
  • Annexation of Catalonia to France (1812): Catalan as official language, economic and legal reforms, popular resistance.

The 1812 Constitution: “La Pepa”

  • Drafted by the Cortes of Cadiz in 1812, gathered on the Isle of León under French siege.
  • Liberal in nature, known as “La Pepa” because it was approved on Saint Joseph’s Day.
  • Promulgated by the Regency on March 19, 1812.
  • Revoked: By King Ferdinand VII on May 4, 1814.
  • Restored: In 1820 by General Riego.
  • Repealed: By the French (Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis) in 1823.
  • Restored: In 1836 after the events of La Granja on August 13, 1836.
  • Valid until October 24, 1836, when a new text was introduced and promulgated on June 18, 1837.
  • This constitution was the first in Spain, and the first with a progressive character.

Restoration of Absolutism (1814-1820)

  • Return of Ferdinand VII (March 1814).
  • Repeal of the Cadiz Constitution.
  • Persecution of Liberals and restoration of the Old Regime.
  • Serious economic situation.
  • Liberal pronouncements (pronunciamientos).

The Liberal Triennium (1820-1823)

  • Riego’s Pronunciamiento.
  • Ferdinand VII swears to the 1812 Constitution.
  • Liberal reforms, causing confrontation with the Church, nobility, and peasants.
  • Royalist uprisings in Catalonia.

The Ominous Decade (1823-1833)