The+Spanish+Empire

**__ UNIT 10 THE SPANISH EMPIRE __** Charles V inherited a **vast** **empire** and became the most powerful ruler of his time. Charles was born in Flanders. When he came to Spain in 1516, he hardly spoke Spanish. He brought many Flemish noblemen with him and gave them the most important goverment posts. Moreover, he spent a lot of Castilian money on becoming Holy Roman Emperor. Because of these facts, the **revolt of the Comuneros broke out**. The cities, called comunidades de villa y tierra, started the Revolt of the Comuneros, and were initially supported by the nobles. At first, the rebels were successful. However, the king later came to an agreement with the Castilian nobles, and together they fought the rebels. The last battle was fought in Villalar in 1521, and the king was victorious. Padilla, Bravo and Maldonado, the leaders of the revolt, were executed. However, the revolt led to a change in Charles V’s approach to his kingdom. He paid more attention to Castile and also spent more time there. He appointed Castilian nobles to the highest government posts and they helped him in his military expeditions abroad. The empire of Charles V was made up of many different countries, with their own laws and institutions. The emperor did not have absolute power. The **Parliaments** of each kingdom were very powerful. The court was itinerant and each territory had a **viceroy** or **governor**, who ruled in the king’s name. Most of the king’s revenue came from taxes, although frequently the king had to ask for loans. Dissapointed by this failure, he abdicated. He divided his possessions: the Holy Roman Empire went to his brother Ferdinand, and the rest went to his son Philip. Philip II’s empire was the largest the world had ever known because he became also king of **Portugal** in 1580. His possessions extended throughout **Europe, Africa, Asia** and **America**. The king ruled all his territories from **Madrid**, where he installed his court. He considered Spain the centre of his monarchy. For this reason, it was called the **Hispanic Monarchy**. Philip II had two main objectives: to preserve his territories and to defend **Catholicism**. For these reasons there were many wars against powerful enemies: All these wars ruined the spanish economy, and Philip II was forced to declare **bankruptcy** several times. There were many expeditions of conquest in Central and South America. **Hernán Cortés** conquered the **Aztec Empire** and **Francisco Pizarro** conquered the **Inca Empire**. There were also expeditions of exploration. For example, Francisco de Orellana sailed down the Amazon River. The kings treated America as an extension of Spain, and applied the same laws. Charles V created the **Council of the Indies**. The new territory was divided into the **Viceroyalty of New Spain** and the **Viceroyalty of Peru**. Precious metals helped the kings to finance their empire. Trade with America was carried out through the **Casa de Contratación,** in Seville. When the 17th century began, Spanish Empire was the most powerful in the world. However, in a few decades, Spain lost its supremacy in Europe, and suffered a profound economic and social crisis. · ** Philip III ** succeeded his father in 1598. He left the **Duke of Lerma** in charge of government. Although pacifist foreign policy, the king declared bankruptcy again. In domestic policy, Philip III is remembered most for expelling the **Moriscos** in 1609, an authentic human tragedy, which ruined many regions. · ** Philip IV ** was crowned king in 1621. Like his father, he left his government responsabilities in his chief minister and favourite, the **Count-Duke of Olivares**. Count-Duke’s centralist policy caused various **revolts** in the Hispanic Monarchy, such as in **Catalonia** and in **Portugal**, which declared their independence. · ** Charles II ** inherited the throne in 1665, he was mentally and physically ill. This king was the last representant of the **Hapsburg dynasty** in Spain. After, the Spanish throne was occupied by a dynasty of French origin, **the House of Bourbon**. · ** Population decline. ** In the 17th century, the Spanish population declined for several reasons: bad harvests and outbreaks of the **plague**, the expulsion of the Moriscos, the frequent **wars** and the **emigration** to America. · ** Economic recession. ** During 17th century, agriculture, craftsmanship and trade suffered a severe crisis. In order to this situation, Spanish kings had to declare **bankruptcy**. · ** An impoverished, unproductive society. ** The values of European society encouraged an inactive life. The **nobles** who lived off rents from their lands were admired. The arrival of precious metals caused a great inflation and ruined industry and agriculture in Spain. A lot of people did no productive work, and lived from begging and crime. During the reign of **Louis XIV**, France became the most powerful country in Europe. His **foreign policy** was aimed at increasing France’s power in two ways: extending its frontiers and creating a colonial Empire. The reign of Louis XIV was the clearest example of an **absolute monarchy**. The king increased his power at the expense of the nobles, the Church and Parliament. The **United Provinces** and **England** controlled trade, replacing Spain and Portugal. They created large **trading companies** in Asia and America. Both countries were **parliamentary** states. However, the United Provinces were a **republic** and England, after two revolutions, limited the power of the king over Parliament. The bourgeoisie, due to the growth of trade, had considerable economic and political power.
 * SOCIAL STUDIES. Summaries in English **
 * THE REIGN OF CHARLES V **
 * From his maternal grandparents, the Catholic Monarchs, he inherited all Spain’s possessions: the Crowns of Castile and Aragón, and territories in America, Italy, the Mediterranean and Africa. As **king of Spain**, he was called **Charles I**.
 * From his paternal grandparents, he inherited the title of Holy Roman Emperor, together with family land in Germany, the Low Countries and France. As Emperor, he was called **Charles V**.
 * THE REVOLT OF THE COMUNEROS **
 * THE GOVERNMENT OF A VAST EMPIRE **
 * PROBLEMS IN THE EMPIRE **
 * France ** was his main rival for supremacy in Europe but the Empire had other problems, such as the **Ottoman Turks** (a constant threat in the Mediterranean and in the eastern border) and especially the rebellion of the **German Protestant princes**.
 * THE REIGN OF PHILIP II **
 * PHILIP II’S POLICIES AND MAIN PROBLEMS **
 * ** France. ** Although Philip II defeated the French at the start of his reign, the conflict started up again towards the end.
 * ** The Turkish Empire ** . He formed an alliance with Venice and the Pope and managed to defeat the Turks at the **Battle of Lepanto** in 1571.
 * ** The Low Countries ** . Calvinism had spread to the Low Countries. In 1566, the northern provinces declared their independence under the name of the **United Provinces**.
 * ** England ** . Relations with this country deteriorated when **Elizabeth I** became Queen. English support for the rebels in the Low Countries led Philip II to send the **Invincible Armada**, which was defeated in 1588.
 * EXPEDITIONS AND ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD **
 * CRISIS IN SPAIN **
 * Foreign policy ** was different from that of the previous reign because he started the war against the Flemish rebels again. Philip was also leader of the Catholic faction in the **Thirty Years’ War,** a religious and political conflict which affected much of Europe between 1618 and 1648. The **Treaty of Westphalia** (1648) recognised the independence of the United Provinces and signified the loss of Spanish supremacy in Europe at the expense of France.
 * REASONS OF THE SPANISH CRISIS **
 * EUROPE IN THE 17th CENTURY **