The Spanish Monarchy of Philip II and Colonial America
The Spanish Monarchy Under Philip II
The empire of Philip II was the most powerful of its day. It comprised Spain, the Netherlands, much of Italy, other territories in Central Europe, the Castilian empire in America, and many possessions in North Africa and the Far East.
In addition, Philip II was the son of a Portuguese princess. In 1580, the King of Portugal died without heirs, and Philip II claimed his rights to the Portuguese crown, which he won that year. Portugal's possessions stretched across Africa, Asia, and Brazil. The King ruled all his possessions from Madrid, giving his vast domain the name: the Spanish Monarchy.
The Process of Colonization
After defeating the Indigenous Peoples, Europeans took possession of new lands, founded towns, planted new crops, opened roads, and created new institutions of government. This process is known as colonization.
Land Distribution and Settlement
The best land was allocated to the bankers, mostly Genoese, who had advanced the money necessary to arm the shipments. Subsequently, the conquerors and the settlers themselves—Castilians, Andalusians, Portuguese, and others from the Peninsula—who came to the islands after the conquest benefited.
The councils that governed the islands also held large areas of forests and meadows for livestock. Some Aboriginal people who had supported the conquerors received smaller parcels.
Economic Exploitation of the Colonies
The most important mines were those of Zacatecas (Mexico) and Potosí (in modern-day Bolivia). The exploitation of these mines was organized by the State, which claimed a percentage of the metal extracted (often referred to as the Royal Fifth).
Large cattle ranches and agricultural estates were also established in America. The Spanish introduced several key crops:
- Wheat, barley, grapes, olives, and sugar cane.
Conversely, many American crops were brought back to Europe, including:
- Tomatoes, corn, snuff (tobacco), potatoes, and cocoa.
Trade with America was a royal monopoly and was conducted through the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación), which was based in Seville.
The Structure of American Colonial Society
Colonial society was rigidly stratified:
The Spanish (Peninsulares and Criollos)
The Spanish occupied the top position in colonial society. They served as government officials, owned land, and controlled trade.
The Mestizos
The Mestizos were the offspring of a Spaniard and an Indigenous woman, occupying an intermediate place between the white minority and the Indigenous majority.
The Indigenous Population
The Indigenous Peoples engaged in manual labor, mainly farm work. They suffered many abuses, even though the Laws of the Indies were created to protect them. However, these laws were often breached.
Blacks (Slaves)
Blacks suffered the worst situation: they were slaves with no rights and no law to protect them. They were brought from Africa to perform hard and arduous tasks, and were considered possessions of those who had bought them.