War of Spanish Succession: Causes, Conduct, and Consequences

Charles II and the Issue of Succession

Causes of the War of Spanish Succession

Charles II succeeded his father, Philip IV, in 1665. By 1675, the government was still in the hands of favorites. As of 1680, the first Duke of Medinaceli and the Count of Oropesa, who were regenerationists, developed political, economic, administrative, and religious reforms. An obstacle to the recovery of Spain was the ongoing conflict with Louis XIV of France. There were four wars with France during this period.

The lack of an heir to Charles II led to two major candidates for the Spanish throne: Philip of Anjou and Charles of Austria. The Castilians favored the French succession, while the Crown of Aragon, especially Catalonia, supported Charles. Charles II ultimately named Philip of Anjou as his heir, on the condition that he would not inherit the throne of France. This decision led to the formation of a grand anti-French alliance and triggered the War of Spanish Succession in 1702.

Conduct of the War

Internationally, the war was essentially a conflict of all against France. Within Spain, it became a civil war between supporters of Philip V and Charles. In 1705, an allied army landed on the coasts of Valencia and Catalonia. This event encouraged these two kingdoms to rebel against Philip V, and a year later, the kingdoms of Aragon and Majorca followed suit.

Reasons for the Rebellion

• Fear of a centralist policy under Philip V.
• Philip V was attacked by British and pro-Austrian armies.

The Spanish army, loyal to Philip V, defeated the allied troops at the Battle of Almansa. From this point on, the war began to favor the Bourbon interests. The occupation of Valencia and Aragon was accompanied by the cancellation of their charters.

The end of the War of Succession was marked by the death of Leopold I, who was succeeded by Archduke Charles. This changed the situation significantly. Peace talks concluded with the Treaty of Utrecht and the Rastatt Agreements. However, in Spain, the war continued until 1714, when Bourbon troops finally took Barcelona.

Consequences of the War

The war resulted in a new political map of Europe. The Bourbons of France and Spain renounced a union of their crowns. The major beneficiaries were Austria, which acquired most of the Spanish territories in Europe, and Britain, which gained territorial acquisitions such as Gibraltar and Minorca, as well as entry into the Spanish American market.

Spain was the great loser, ceding almost all of its European possessions. This marked the decline of Spain as a major continental power. A centralized and uniform absolutist model, following the Spanish and French examples, was implemented. The fueros (privileges and immunities) of the former Hispanic kingdoms were abolished.