Spanish Habsburg Empire: Key History from 1492 to 1648

Charles II: His death (Felipe IV) was followed by a crisis that compromised the balance of power. His mother, Mariana of Austria, governed the regency until Charles reached the age of majority. Charles's reign was characterized by a severe economic crisis and military decline, and Spain was frequently defeated by the attacks of the French monarchy. It was the last of the Habsburgs and, not having an heir, left several palace interests in dispute. He bequeathed the throne to Philip of Anjou, a grandson of Louis XIV. This decision sparked the War of the Spanish Succession between a Spain-France bloc, which defended Philip, and a Holland-England-Austria bloc, whose candidate was Charles, Archduke of Austria.

Spanish Monarchy: This term refers to the period in Spanish history from Charles I to Charles II, when the hegemony of Spain in Europe and the Americas was most evident. Over this period the political system evolved into absolutism, with the Austrian or Habsburg dynasty playing the leading role. The model was organized around the Council of the monarch and representatives of each of the states that comprised the Spanish Empire, but each state or kingdom retained its own Cortes, fueros, and institutions, as well as its own laws.

Inquisition: A religious court of the Catholic Church whose mission was to fight against heresy, witchcraft, and crimes against the faith. Pope Gregory IX first established it, and in the Crown of Castile it was introduced by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, the Catholic Monarchs. It also established a parallel legal jurisdiction, administered by the Church and not subject to the courts and laws of the various Spanish kingdoms. It was a religious instrument that, though often political, was justified by the defense of the Catholic faith and applied to all censorship of publications considered dangerous. The order responsible for the tribunals was the Dominican religious order.

Sephardim: The descendants of Jews who lived on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) until 1492, and who remain culturally linked to the Hispanic world through language and tradition.

Casa de Contratación: An institution founded in 1503 by the Catholic Monarchs. Its function was to organize and control all operations related to commercial trade between the Indies (America) and Spain. The Casa de Contratación was based in Seville.

Capitulations of Santa Fe: The Catholic Monarchs signed an agreement in 1492 with Christopher Columbus, in which the Crown committed to financing his voyage to the lands of the Indies in exchange for his representation of the Crown and the right to receive the titles of Admiral, Viceroy, and Governor General.

Moriscos: Baptized Muslims in Spain who chose to remain in the kingdoms after the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs. A decree was issued in the name of King Boabdil of Granada guaranteeing the lives and property of the Muslims who chose to remain in Spain.

Treaty of Alcaçovas: A treaty signed between Alfonso V of Portugal and the Catholic Monarchs. It resolved disputes over the Portuguese and Castilian conquests in Africa and the Canary Islands. It takes its name because the agreement was first signed in Portuguese Alcaçovas and later ratified in Toledo the following year. Its most important consequence was that Princess Joan of Portugal, La Beltraneja, definitively lost her claim to the Castilian throne, and Isabella was recognized as the legitimate Castilian monarch.

Sack of Rome: The assault and sacking of the city of Rome by the armies in the service of Emperor Charles V which, under the command of Charles III of Bourbon, took place on May 6, 1527.

Tercios: The units of the Spanish army, formed by infantry, that were feared for their resistance in battle. They were the elite of the Spanish army and were among the first modern armies in Europe. The troops, who held their honor in high regard, were known for their aggressive nature and for their part in the legend of the Black Legend.

Mayorazgo: A type of property in which assets were bound to a family and could not be sold or divided. It consisted of separating certain assets that became inalienable within a family, usually based on primogeniture.

Battle of Lepanto: A naval battle fought on October 7, 1571, in the Gulf of Lepanto between the fleets of the Ottoman Empire and a coalition of Christian forces grouped in the Holy League.

Spanish Road: A land route established by Philip II to send Spanish troops and money to the war in the Low Countries. Strong winds, maritime transport difficulties, and bad weather in those seas often made sea routes slow and unreliable, so the Spanish Crown opened an alternative land route.

Corpus de Sangre (Corpus of Blood): A revolt of the people of Barcelona on June 7, 1640, carried out by a large group of harvesters, with the support of many reapers and Castilian soldiers, which ended badly for the rebels.

1492: Conquest of Granada, which ends the Reconquista, the expulsion of the Jews, and the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

1520: Revolt of the Castilian commoners. War or conflict of the Castilian communities. Contemporaneous with the movement of the Germanías.

1556: Beginning of the reign of Philip II.

1581: Union with Portugal. The Cortes recognized Philip II as King of Portugal and forced him to swear to uphold the privileges and liberties of that kingdom.

1609: Expulsion of the Moriscos during the reign of Philip III, promoted by his favorite, the Duke of Lerma. It resulted in the abandonment of agricultural lands in Valencia and Aragon.

1618 - 1648: Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants in Germany. The favorite of Philip IV supported the Emperor and, implicitly, the Catholics against the Protestants.

1640: During the reign of Philip IV and the Count-Duke of Olivares, the Union of Arms project and its consequences took place, including the revolts of Catalonia and Portugal.