Bourbon Spain: Succession War & 18th Century Changes
The Arrival of the Bourbons in Spain
The War of Succession and Nueva Planta Decrees
The will of Charles II appointed the Duke of Anjou (Philip V) as his successor. However, the perceived arrogant attitude of Louis XIV of France triggered rejection from major European powers: England, Holland, and the Holy Roman Empire. They did not look kindly on the possibility of the Bourbons governing both France and Spain. In 1701, these powers signed a pact, the Grand Alliance of The Hague, initiating the War of Spanish Succession (1702-1714).
The war was primarily a conflict between the Austrian Habsburg claimant, Archduke Charles, and the Bourbon claimant, Philip V, and their respective allies. It evolved into a major international conflict involving most Western European powers. Furthermore, it became a civil war within Spain, pitting the Crown of Castile (largely supporting Philip V) against the Crown of Aragon (largely supporting Archduke Charles).
Key Bourbon victories at Almansa (1707) and later at Brihuega and Villaviciosa (1710) proved crucial, allowing Philip V to secure his claim to the Spanish throne. The conflict formally ended with the Peace of Utrecht (1713) and the Treaty of Rastatt (1714). As a result, Great Britain obtained Gibraltar and Menorca, along with the asiento (permission to trade slaves in Spanish America). Following the crucial Battle of Almansa, Philip V issued the Nueva Planta Decrees, which abolished the traditional privileges and institutions (fueros) of the kingdoms of Valencia and Aragon, integrating them more fully under Castilian law and administration.
A New Centralized State Model
A significant consequence of the War of Succession was the implementation of a new state model based on the centralization of political power, mirroring the French system. Regional Viceroys were largely replaced by Captains General, who held both military and administrative authority. The traditional regional parliaments (Cortes) of the Crown of Aragon were abolished or lost significant power. This strengthened royal absolutism, concentrating power in the hands of the monarch. The figure of the minister or Secretary of State gained prominence, becoming responsible for managing large sections of the state administration.
Economy and Society in 18th Century Spain
The Spanish economy in the 18th century remained predominantly agrarian, dominated by rural activities. Influenced by Enlightenment ideas, criticisms grew against the privileges held by the powerful sheep-herders' guild, the Mesta, signaling its eventual decline. Farmers (agricultores) were among the beneficiaries of changing policies. Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, a key figure of the Spanish Enlightenment, published his influential Report on the Agrarian Law (Informe sobre la Ley Agraria), advocating for agricultural reform.
Craft activities received a boost as some traditional guild (gremiales) barriers were removed, promoting greater economic freedom. The long-standing social stigma associated with manual trades (oficios mecánicos) began to diminish. Politically, this era is known as Enlightened Despotism (Despotismo Ilustrado), a form of absolute monarchy where rulers implemented administrative, economic, and cultural reforms inspired by Enlightenment principles, aiming to strengthen the state and improve subjects' lives, albeit without fundamentally altering the power structure.