The Bourbon Dynasty and the War of Spanish Succession

The War of Spanish Succession and the Treaty of Utrecht

The War of Spanish Succession began after the last Habsburg king, Charles II, died in 1700. Having no offspring, his will left the crown of Spain to Philip of Anjou (later Philip V), the grandson of Louis XIV of France. However, Archduke Charles of Austria claimed the same right to the crown. The war began when Philip V took the throne; the Habsburgs, zealous of Bourbon hegemony in Europe, claimed their rights to the throne, sparking the conflict.

The war had a European dimension, while in Spain, it became a civil war. Castile supported the Bourbon pretender, while the Crown of Aragon supported the Habsburg suitor. After the battles of Villaviciosa and Brihuela (1710), the conflict tilted in favor of the Bourbons. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, which signified the recognition of Philip V as king, with the condition that he never unite the kingdoms of Spain and France.

As a result of the treaty, the Spanish Empire saw significant changes:

• Austria won the Spanish dominions in Italy and Flanders.
• Britain kept Gibraltar and Minorca (conquered in 1708).
• Britain also won the Asiento de Negros (a monopoly on the sale of slaves in America) and the Navío de Permiso (the right to send an annual galleon of manufactured goods for sale in the Spanish colonies).

Dynastic Change and the Early Bourbon Monarchs

The arrival of Philip V marked the beginning of a new dynasty. The monarch was an unstable man, and the idea of becoming King of Spain was a heavy burden; consequently, he was often dominated by those around him. Initially, French administrators carried out the policies of the late king. Later, his second wife, Elizabeth Farnese, exercised de facto power, initiating an aggressive foreign policy aimed at recovering dominions in Italy.

In January 1724, after a deep depression, Philip V abdicated in favor of his son, Louis I, who died only a few months later. Philip returned to the throne, but power was then held by the strongman José Patiño, who began implementing administrative reforms and succeeded in reorienting Spanish foreign policy by seeking alliances with France against England and the Netherlands through the Family Pacts.

Ferdinand VI (1746-1759) succeeded his father on the throne. Also a sickly king, he placed the responsibility of government on the Marquis of Ensenada. Ensenada proposed to strengthen the absolute state by imposing a policy of neutrality in foreign affairs, which allowed the crown to implement necessary internal reforms.