Spain's Transformation: War of Succession, Utrecht Treaty, and Bourbon Reforms

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714)

The War of the Spanish Succession began with the invasion of Spain by the armies of Great Britain and Austria, aiming to depose Philip V. Initially, Philip faced defeats in most battles.

Early Campaigns and Key Events

• In 1704, British forces attacked and conquered Gibraltar.
• Archduke Charles took Catalonia in 1705 and even entered Madrid, proclaiming himself the new king.
• However, in 1711, Emperor Joseph I of the Holy Roman Empire died, and his brother, Archduke Charles, became the new Emperor, Charles VI.
• Nations supporting Charles did not wish for a single monarch to hold both the Spanish and Holy Roman Imperial crowns, reminiscent of Charles V. Consequently, they began to withdraw their support.

The Battle of Almansa (1707)

At the Battle of Almansa in 1707, Franco-Spanish forces decisively defeated the English, Portuguese, and Dutch troops. The Bourbon colors were blue and white. The Duke of Marlborough (known as Mambrú in some traditions) commanded the Dutch, German, and Portuguese armies. His nephew, the Duke of Berwick, commanded the Spanish and French armies.

Shifting Alliances and Philip V's Recovery

In Spain, Philip V eventually managed to recover significant territory after the Battle of Almansa. However, Catalonia finally surrendered in 1714. By 1711, with Charles crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, his allies largely deserted him, paving the way for peace negotiations.

The Treaty of Utrecht (1713)

The Treaty of Peace of Utrecht, signed in 1713, marked the end of the war. Spain faced significant financial burdens and ceded numerous territories.

Key Provisions and Territorial Changes

1. Spain and France could never be united under a single crown.
2. Great Britain received Gibraltar, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Hudson Bay, and Minorca. It also gained the Asiento de Negros (monopoly on the slave trade to Spanish America) and the Navío de Permiso (right to send one ship per year to trade with Spanish America).
3. Austria acquired Milan, Naples, Sardinia, Sicily, and the Spanish Netherlands (modern-day Belgium and Luxembourg).
4. The Elector of Brandenburg, a German prince, was recognized as the King of Prussia for the first time.

The Decreto de Nueva Planta (1716)

The Decreto de Nueva Planta, enacted in 1716, represented a profound administrative reform in Spain.

Centralization and Unification of Spain

Following the example of Louis XIV of France, the Spanish Bourbon monarchs assumed absolute power, largely bypassing traditional parliaments (Cortes). To govern the country, monarchs relied on civil servants and professionals, akin to modern ministers, who were appointed directly by the king. Philip V unified most of Spain under a centralized legal and administrative system:

1. Abolition of the traditional privileges and Fueros in Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia. This led to political centralization, with Spain governed from Madrid under largely uniform laws. This reform also created the opportunity for a common domestic market within Spain and, for the first time, allowed all Spanish citizens to trade with the Americas (previously, only Castile held this right).
2. Despite the war's devastation, it paradoxically forged a more unitary Spanish state: with the exception of the Basque provinces and Navarre, Spain came under direct royal administration.
3. Division of the territory into provinces, each led by a governor with military powers and institutions for tax collection.
4. The Bourbons subsequently focused more attention on the American colonies. The navy was reorganized and strengthened to protect trade ships from foreign attacks.