We tell you about the history of Spain in the 18th century, as well as the Bourbon reforms and enlightened despotism.
Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV of France, was the first Bourbon king of Spain.
What was the history of Spain like in the 18th century?
The 18th century in Spain It began with the death of the last monarch of the House of Habsburg, Charles II, and the accession to the throne of Philip V, which marked the beginning of the reign of the Bourbons in SpainThe recognition of Philip V as King of Spain was secured after the War of Succession (1701-1713), which culminated with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht between the European powers.
The Bourbons of the 18th century, advised by enlightened ministers, implemented important internal reforms (such as the New Plant Decrees) and They modified colonial trade and administrationThey also participated in military conflicts, mostly in alliance with France (such as in the Seven Years’ War), and expelled the Jesuits from Spanish territories.
The 18th century in Spain was a time of absolute monarchy (in imitation of the French absolutist model) and modernizing impulses (frequently hindered by the nobility and the clergy). Enlightenment thought, which influenced government measures (according to the regime called “enlightened despotism”), He also contributed to the promotion of critical thinking and science.
The War of the Spanish Succession and the Utrecht System
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) pitted the supporters of Philip V against the supporters of Archduke Charles of Austria for the throne of Spain.The Bourbons of the Iberian Peninsula, supported by the Crown of Castile and the King of France, Louis XIV, fought against the Austrians, who had the support of the Crown of Aragon and the other European powers (Austria, Prussia, Hanover, the Netherlands, England, Portugal and Savoy).
The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.. The European countries recognised Philip V as King of Spain on condition that he renounce any future claim to the crown of France. In addition, Spain lost all its imperial possessions in Europe, which passed to Austria, Savoy and England.
Bourbon France saw its hegemony diminished while England began its maritime and international dominance. The Utrecht system ensured the balance of power in Europe but also England’s new hegemonic role.
The dynastic change of the 18th century
The first Bourbon kings in Spain
Philip V (1700-1746) was the first king of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain.He was the grandson of Louis XIV, King of France, and his reign was one of the longest in the history of Spain, lasting almost half a century.
In January 1724, Philip V unexpectedly abdicated in favour of his son Louis, the first-born son of his first marriage to Maria Luisa of Savoy, but due to the early death of Louis I in August of the same year, Philip returned to occupy the throne of Spain.
In 1746, Philip V died and his son inherited the crown of Spain Ferdinand VI. His reign was characterized by the maintenance of peace and neutrality towards France and England, which were at odds and trying to form an alliance with Spain. This situation was taken advantage of by the Marquis of Ensenada, minister of Ferdinand VI, to continue the efforts of internal reconstruction initiated during the reign of Philip V.
The internal reforms of the first Bourbons
The arrival of the new Bourbon dynasty in Spain brought about important changes in the structure of the State. These changes, largely inspired by the French absolutist State, were introduced mainly during the reign of Philip V.
The first Bourbons adopted various centralizing measureswith the aim of making a more effective State. In this sense, they introduced important innovations:
- The New Plant Decreeswhich abolished the charters and institutions of the kingdoms of the Crown of Aragon (Aragon and Valencia in 1707, Mallorca in 1715 and Catalonia in 1716). The charters of the Basque provinces and Navarre were maintained, since they supported Philip V during the War of Succession.
- A new model of territorial administrationbased on the following structure: division of the territory into provinces; replacement of the viceroys by captains general as political governors of the provinces; maintenance of the royal audiences for judicial matters; creation, based on the French model, of the figure of the Yontententes, officials in charge of economic matters. Finally, the positions of corregidor, mayor and syndics representing the common people (elected by the people for their defence) were maintained in the town councils.
- A reform of the central administration, which consolidated the establishment of an absolute monarchy. All councils were abolished, with the exception of the Council of Castile., which became the main advisory body to the king. The Secretaries of State (State, War, Navy, Treasury, Justice and the Indies) were created, the precursors of the ministries. In 1787 the Supreme State Board was established, the precursor of the Council of Ministers.
- An intensification of regalist politicsthat is, the search for the supremacy of the Crown (civil power) over the Church (religious power). The two main measures were the establishment of greater control over the Inquisition and, above all, the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from the territories of the Spanish monarchy, ordered by Charles III in 1767.
- Some not-so-effective attempts to reform the tax system. The aim was to unify and rationalise the tax system and, to this end, the Cadastre of Ensenada was carried out in 1749 by the Crown of Castile. This cadastre was a census of all the properties in the kingdom. Monetary unification was also sought through the establishment of the “real de a dos”.
The enlightened despotism of Charles III
The rise to the throne of Charles III
Charles III (1759-1788), son of Philip V and half-brother of Ferdinand VI, was King of Naples between 1735 and 1759 and acceded to the throne of Spain in 1759. His reign was characterized by the application of reforms of enlightened despotism.
The 18th century was a period of economic recoveryThis recovery was uneven, greater in the periphery than in the center of the peninsula. In this context of economic growth, the Count of Aranda (1769) and the Count of Floridablanca (1787), enlightened advisors and ministers of Charles III, carried out the first censuses with the aim of understanding Spain’s economic and fiscal potential.
The agricultural reforms of Charles III
The Count of Campomanes promoted the Royal Economic Societies of Friends of the Country.
Awareness of the need to undertake reforms in agriculture spread among the enlightened.an activity that occupied the majority of the population. For this purpose, associations were created, such as the Royal Economic Societies of Friends of the Country, and the ministers of Charles III prepared various reform plans, such as the Adjusted Memorial of the Count of Campomanes and the Report on the Agrarian Law by Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos.
All these projects of the period denounced the enormous amortized properties (entails of the nobility or dead hands of the church) and they claimed that peasant access to land ownership was a necessary condition for the country’s progress.. For the first time, people began to talk about disentailment (that is, the expropriation and placing on the market of lands and goods that, until then, could not be bought or sold).
However, The outright refusal of the clergy and the nobility, and even the opening of proceedings by the Inquisition against enlightened ministers such as the Count of Aranda, led to the paralysis of these reforms. The only measures that were carried out were The distribution of communal lands in Extremadurathe repopulation of Sierra Morena under the government of Pablo de Olavidethe reduction of the rights of the Mesta (Castile cattle breeders’ organisation) and some irrigation works (such as the Imperial Canal of Aragon or the Canal of Castile).
The economic and financial reforms of Charles III
The enlightened ministers of Charles III approved measures to encourage the development of industryThe guild monopoly was abolished and royal factories were established, with state support., for the manufacture of weapons, ships, glass, tapestries and other products, although with little economic success. The Catalan private textile industries (called “Indiana factories”) were more competitive.
Regarding trade, Measures were adopted to integrate national trade, such as the improvement of communication routes or the abolition of internal customs. In addition, a decree of 1778 established the liberalization of trade with America, which increased the number of ports in Spain and America authorized to trade and ended the monopoly that until then had been exercised by the Casa de Contratación. However, the a protectionist trade policy with respect to other powers.
In the financial field, The Bank of San Carlos was established, the predecessor of the future Bank of Spain. During this period, the peseta appeared, although it was not the country’s official currency until 1868.
The stages of government of the reign of Charles III
In political terms, two periods can be distinguished in the governments of Charles III:
1759-1766: the governments of the Marquis of Esquilache and Jerónimo Grimaldi. Attempts to introduce reforms met with stiff resistance, culminating in the Esquilache riot in 1766. This revolt, which broke out against the decree requiring the change of capes and hats, had complex reasons. It was a popular “nationalist” riot against the Italian-born minister Esquilache, but it was manipulated by the clergy (specifically the Jesuits) and the nobility to stop the reforms. The Jesuits, accused of fomenting the riot, were expelled from Spanish territories in 1767.
1766-1788: the governments of the counts of Aranda, Floridablanca and Campomanes. This period was dominated by the great enlightened ministers who tried out various economic reforms. Due to the opposition of the clergy and the nobility, many of these reforms could not be carried out.
Spanish foreign policy in Europe during the 18th century
During the reign of Philip V, Spain fought alongside France to recover Italian territories.
The main lines of Spanish foreign policy in the 18th century were defined by the difficult situation created after the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). The objectives set were the following: to recover Gibraltar and Menorca (Spanish territories that had remained in British hands) and to establish princes of the House of Bourbon in the lost Italian territories.
For it, Spanish foreign policy was based on the alliance with Francewhich was realized in…