UNIT 1.

18TH CENTURY-CRISIS OF THE OLD REGIME & FIRST

REVOLUTIONS. EUROPE & SPAIN.

1.1.CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OLD REGIME (OR):

Absolutism, traditional economy, old demography and
Estates’ society,
1.2- CHANGES IN 18TH CENTURY: Enlightenment,
politics, economy and society
1.3. SPAIN IN 18TH CENTURY. War of Spanish
Succession and
new organization of Bourbons
1.4. INDEPENDENCE OF USA.
1.5. FRENCH REVOLUTION & NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE.
1.6 SPANISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE &
CONSTITUTION OF 1812
1.7. ART: ROCOCO & NEOCLASSICISM. GOYA
 1.3.1 SPAIN. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION (1701-1714)
CAUSES: Charles II (last king of the House of Habsburg or Austria) died childless and had
established IN HIS TESTAMENT AS HEIR TO PHILIP OF ANJOU (his nephew
but part the Bourbon dynasty and grandson of Louis XIV of France).
Did any country support this testament: Yes, only the kingdoms of Castilla and Navarra

Which countries were opposed to this fact?

“The big Alliance”: Great Britain, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and
the Crown of Aragon (so it means that it was a civil war too) supported against Felipe
the Archduke Charles of Austria (not direct family of Carlos II but part of his dynasty)
and why? Because these countries were afraid to create a big empire in Europe: France +
Spain

How did the War of the Spanish

Succession end in Europe? In 1711 the
Archduke Charles of Austria was elected
emperor of the Holy Roman Empire,
which means another possibility of a big
empire. Then Felipe of Anjou offered an
agreement: he would resign the French
crown and give some territorial
compensations to the “Big Alliance. It
was accepted in the TREATY OF
UTRECHT (1713)
How did the War of the Spanish Succession end in Spain? Felipe V defeated the kingdom
of Aragon and established the Nueva Planta Decrees, which finished the rights and fueros
of this kingdom and established the same laws for the whole country
1.3.1 SPAIN. THE WAR OF SUCCESSION (1701-1714)
CONSEQUENCES OF
THE
SPANISH
WAR SUCESSION
OF SPANISH
SUCESSION
WAR
NUEVA
TREATY OF PLANTA
UTRECHT DECREES

Abolition of
Administrative
ECONOMICS Aragón's
TERRITORIA centralization
(GB) “fueros”
LS

Spain lost all Trade with

Territories in America
It allows to
Europe Trade of Slaves establish

Absolutism
GREAT
BRITAIN
1.3.1.CONSEQUENCES OF SPANISH SUCESSION WAR
1.3.1. THE NUEVA PLANTA DECREES: THE SUPRESSION OF THE OLD RIGHTS AND THE
UNIFICATION OF THE TWO COUNTRIES IN ONE

- Classification of the text. Type of text, theme,

author, recipient, space-time situation.
-Analysis. Main and secondary ideas. Brief
summary of content.
-Commentary. Background, development of the
historical moment that reflects the text.
-Conclusion: importance of the text and its
consequences
1.3.2.BOURBON MONARCHY IN SPAIN
FELIPE V (1701- 1746) ESTABLISHED THESE POLITICAL MEASURES
1- Domestic Policy:
-Territorial uniformity through the Decrees of Nueva Planta: annulment of institutions of the Crown of
Aragon and imposes the model of territorial administration of Castile to all Spain (provinces, capitanías,
audiencias, etc.)
-Imposition of absolutism, centralizing power through a central administration (use of Secretariats,
Council of Castile and loss of power of the Cortes).
2- Foreign policy
- Attempt to revise the Treaty of Utrecht to recover territories in Europe (participation in the European
wars)
-Alliance with France through the "Family Pacts“ (Bourbons). Example: against Great Britain in the
Independence of the United States

de Castilla

(Provincias)
 1.3.2.BOURBON KINGDOMS IN THE 18TH

Carlos III in an
Carlos III improved equestrian sculpture
FELIPE V- sons Fernando VI and Carlos III Madrid In Puerta del Sol
CARLOS III (1759-1788)- ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
representer:
REFORMS:
-Religious: reduced the power of the Inquisition,
prohibition of the Jesuits
-Economics: free trade with America, cultivation of
new lands (Sierra Morena), reduction of privileges of
the Mesta (livestock farming), creation of Royal
Factories, such as porcelain, glass, etc.
-Educational: promoted creation of schools and
Sociedades Económicas de Amigos del País
(promoted professional training)
-Public works in Madrid (sewage system, pavement,
light, works such as Puerta de Alcalá, etc
However, many of the reforms were not understood
and there was the Esquilache Riot (watch video)
1.3.4.Enlightened members in
Spain

The duchess of
Benavente and
Osuna made her
home place for
meeting
intellectuals and
directed la Junta
de Damas de
Honor y Mérito
(section of Soc.
Econ.) and was a
patron for the
education of
women. Also she
promoted the
“Capricho”s park
in Madrid
(Alameda de
Osuna)

Jovellanos