Authoritarian Monarchy of the Catholic Kings

Under the authoritarian monarchy, the Catholic Kings favored agencies that strengthened royal power. In this sense, their performance was much more effective in Castile, where they could apply their authoritarian and centralizing policy, than in Aragon, where the pact (pactismo) survived.

Reforming State Institutions

The institutional policies launched by the Catholic Kings were directed toward creating a strong authoritarian monarchy compared to other major powers: the nobility, the Church, and the cities. To achieve this, they reformed existing institutions, especially in Castile.

• The Royal Council: With the reorganization of the Royal Council, the institution became professionalized, and the direct involvement of the nobles and clergy was barred. Monarchical officials entered into its composition, and to this extent, the aristocracy lost political influence. Its functions were quite broad, ranging from acting as a supreme court to serving as the advisory body of the king on internal and external issues.
• Royal Secretaries: They created new positions, such as the royal secretaries, who were responsible for preparing Council meetings.
• Viceroys: The viceroys were the representatives of the sovereign in territories where the monarchs were not present.
• The Courts of Castile: The role of the Courts (Cortes) of Castile was reduced, and some of their functions were assumed by the councils.
• Municipal Administration: In municipal administration, the office of the corregidor (Spanish magistrate) was revitalized. They were given a royal appointment to govern cities with administrative, judicial, and military power. Their performance limited the autonomy of municipalities and the power of local oligarchies, which favored royal authority.
• Judiciary Reform: They reorganized the judiciary, including magistrates at the local level, the chancelleries (chancillerías), and the Royal Council of Castile.

Consolidating Royal Power

The reform of institutions represented the consolidation of royal power through several key pillars:

• The Army: The medieval model based on private armies was eliminated and replaced by a professional mercenary army loyal to the king.
• The Holy Brotherhood: The Santa Hermandad was established to guarantee public safety and order.
• Control over the Church: The Catholic Kings won recognition from the Papacy for a series of powers over the Church in their territories, allowing ecclesiastical power and wealth to be controlled by the monarchy. This was achieved through:
  • The Tribunal of the Inquisition: It played a momentous role in ensuring religious homogeneity and reducing the influence of powerful military orders.
  • The Right of Patronage: The monarchy was entitled to select the principal church offices and to receive a portion of the ecclesiastical revenues of these territories.

Administration of the Indies

This administrative framework also established the House of Trade (originally translated as the home of recruitment board), Indian viceroys, Captains General, governors, and council hearings (audiencias).