Spanish Empire History: From Charles V to the 17th Century

Social Hierarchy: The Pyramid of Classes

• Monarchy
• Nobles, Clergy, and Bourgeoisie
• Third State
• Conversos and Moriscos

The Empire of Charles V

Charles V was the son of Juana I of Castile and Philip of Habsburg. He inherited a vast territory from his grandparents:

Maternal Inheritance (The Catholic Monarchs)

• Crown of Castile
• Crown of Aragon
• Kingdom of Navarre

Paternal Inheritance (Emperor Maximilian I)

• The Holy Roman Empire
• Netherlands
• Franche-Comté
• Luxembourg
• German territories of the Habsburgs

The Revolt of the Comuneros

The Revolt of the Comuneros was begun in Castile by the nobility and peasants. It occurred because the monarchy gave little importance to, and did not worry about, Castilian affairs.

The Empire of Philip II

Philip II inherited a massive empire and also became the King of Portugal. He established Castile as the center of power and built the monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Religious and Military Conflicts

As a staunch defender of the Counter-Reformation, Philip II faced several major conflicts:

• War with France: A conflict that Spain won.
• War with the Ottoman Empire: Fought to stop Ottoman expansion, culminating in the Battle of Lepanto (led by John of Austria).
• Netherlands: A revolt declared independence, leading to the Eighty Years' War and the eventual independence of the Dutch Republic.
• England: An attempt to invade England resulted in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Internal Challenges

• The Inquisition
• Persecution of the Moriscos in Granada
• Conflict in Aragon

Economic Crisis in the 17th Century

Demographic Crisis

The population in the peninsula decreased due to poor weather conditions, diseases, and epidemics. Other contributing factors included:

• Emigration to the Americas
• Expulsion of the Moriscos
• Decreased demand for products

Financial Collapse

Long European wars were extremely expensive, leading to several financial measures:

• Taxes were raised significantly.
• Copper coins were devalued.
• Nobility titles and government offices were sold.
• Silver was confiscated.

The crisis heavily affected the poor due to high taxes, while the general population lost economic power.

The Spanish Renaissance

Three Architectural Styles

• Plateresque: Gothic buildings featuring new decorative elements.
• Classical: Utilized classical elements; notable architects include Alonso de Covarrubias and Pedro Machuca.
• Herrerian: Characterized by straight lines, cubic volume, and an absence of decoration, as seen in El Escorial.

Sculpture and Painting

Notable sculptors of the era included Bartolomé Ordóñez, Alonso Berruguete, and Juan de Juni (who was influenced by Michelangelo).

Spanish paintings were characterized by deep religious faith and were influenced by Flemish and Italian Renaissance styles. El Greco is recognized as the greatest Renaissance painter of this period.

Impact of the Americas on the Spanish Economy

In the 16th century, many resources were wasted on war. However, the population in Spain grew from 5 million to 8 million, which caused a greater necessity for goods and food.

• Gold and silver flowed in from the Indies.
• Inflation occurred, and prices in Castile quadrupled.
• The nobility often wasted wealth on luxury items and artistic activities instead of investing in businesses.
• Merino sheep wool remained a product of excellence and quality.

Colonial Systems and Trade

Rich silver mines were discovered in the Americas. The Encomienda system was established, which forced indigenous people to work and pay taxes; in return, doctrinados taught them Catholicism and the Spanish language.

Trade was strictly controlled through the Casa de Contratación in Seville, eventually leading to the development of a mestizo society.