The Spanish War of Succession and Bourbon Reforms
The Absolute Monarchy of the Bourbons: War of Succession
The last monarch of the House of Austria, Charles II, died in 1700 without issue. The only candidates were Philip of Anjou and the Archduke Charles of Habsburg. Charles II’s testament designated Philip V as his successor (1700), and he was sworn in 1701. This created a conflict between the European powers. With Philip V strengthening the influence of the Bourbons in Europe, Great Britain, Holland, and Portugal, contrary to that, gave their support to Austria and entered the war against Spain and France. This became an international conflict.
In Spain, it was also a conflict as the peninsular territories were divided. Castile proved faithful to Philip V, except for some part of the nobility. The working classes, each backed by Austrian institutions, feared losing power to the trends of the new monarchy and the grim reminder of the French troops in Catalonia in 1640.
In the international arena, both candidates’ forces were balanced, but in 1711, the Emperor of Austria died, and the Archduke Charles took the throne. The Netherlands and England wanted to end the war and recognize Philip V as the Spanish monarch. Peace was signed in the Treaties of Utrecht and Rastadt (1713-1714). Austria kept Milan, Naples, Sardinia, and Flanders. Great Britain received Gibraltar and Minorca, and trading privileges in Spanish America.
In Spain, superior troops of Philip V in Utrecht (1713) resisted Barcelona, Catalonia, and the Balearic cities. The Catalan courts decided against the Bourbon army. In 1714, troops took Felipe. In May 1715, they occupied Mallorca and Barcelona.
Taxation Under Bourbon Absolutism
In the 17th century, there was a process of concentration of power in Castile by the authoritarian Habsburg monarchy. The courts just met to approve taxes. There was no change. The Crown of Aragon, Navarre, and the Basque Country maintained their courts and sovereignty. The Spanish throne imposed Bourbon absolutism (the monarch was the incarnation of the state), the territory belonged to him, his power was unlimited, he was the maximum head of the government and justice. To strengthen the royal power, the monarch had no constraints.
Foreign Policy of the Bourbons
The Bourbons lost power in the international context, thus they improved the situation inside the country. In the 18th century, the main conflicts occurred because of Isabel de Farnese’s defense of the accession to the throne of Naples for her son Charles, and the throne of Parma and Modena for her other son, Philip. Looking for allies, Philip V and Charles III signed agreements with France (Family Compacts). Fernando VI came to the throne and restructured the army and fleet, maintaining good communication lines with the American territories. The Bourbons had many colonies in America. The monarch collaborated with Jose de Carvajal and the Marquis of Ensenada.
In the second half of the century, Spain intervened in the Seven Years’ War alongside France against England (1761). The war ended with the Peace of Paris (1763). Spain ceded Florida and territories in Mexico to Britain. In 1782, Spain retrieved the island of Menorca, which belonged to Great Britain. Spain and France intervened in the American War of Independence (1776-1783). England was defeated, and Spain regained Florida and territories in Mexico.
An Agrarian Economy
Agriculture was very rich, and 80% of the population was devoted to it. Land was depreciated; it could not be sold, only inherited. This also happened with the Church’s land, municipalities, and the nobility. The land was instituted by an entailment that then extended to enriched commoners. The crown, nobility, and church had extensive possessions from which they received income. There existed land-owning farmers who were tenants or laborers.
There was no land of ecclesiastical dominion in Catalonia, grown by farmers with stable contracts. In Galicia and Asturias, the forums were fixed for three generations. Land scarcity originated boards and a smallholding problem to support a family. In Extremadura, Castile, and Andalusia, estates existed in the hands of the nobility and clergy, worked by peasants and laborers, with very hard conditions. If their incomes increased, they received a miserable salary.
Livestock was very strong and possessed enormous herds, with owners benefiting greatly and using the land for grazing, not cultivation.