Habsburg Spain

Habsburg Spain, also known as the Catholic Monarchy, was the period of Spanish history and the Spanish Empire from 1516 to 1700 when it was ruled by kings from the House of Habsburg. During this time, the Spanish Empire reached the height of its power and influence. Spain controlled many lands, including parts of Pan-America and the West Indies, European areas like the Low Countries, Italian territories, Portugal, and parts of France, as well as the Philippines and other areas in Southeast Asia.

This time in Spanish history is often called the "Age of Expansion". The Habsburg rulers were sometimes known as the "House of Austria," but historians use the name Habsburg for convenience.

The union of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1469 brought together the main parts of Spain. This led to Spain becoming fully united after the Reconquista ended with the conquest of Granada in 1492 and the taking of Navarre between 1512 and 1529. Pope Alexander VI gave them the title of "Catholic Monarchs of Spain" in 1494. Under the Habsburgs, Spain stayed a leading political and military power in Europe and the world for much of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Habsburg period also marked the Spanish Golden Age for arts and learning. Many famous writers, artists, and thinkers lived during this time, such as Teresa of Ávila, Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Miguel de Cervantes, Francisco de Quevedo, Diego Velázquez, El Greco, Domingo de Soto, Francisco Suárez, and Francisco de Vitoria. When Charles II, the last Habsburg king, died in 1700, it led to the War of the Spanish Succession, and Philip V from the Bourbon dynasty became the new king.

History

See also: History of Spain

The period of Habsburg Spain, also known as the Catholic Monarchy, lasted from 1516 to 1700. During this time, Spain was ruled by kings from the House of Habsburg and saw its empire grow to be one of the most powerful in the world. Spain controlled many territories, including parts of the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

In the early years, Spain began to build its empire. Leaders like Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile started expanding Spain's influence. Later, under Charles V, Spain became even more powerful, controlling large areas in Europe and the Americas. Charles V was also the Holy Roman Emperor, making him one of the most important rulers of his time.

Spain continued to grow under Philip II, who faced many challenges, including wars with other European countries and issues with rebellious provinces. Despite these difficulties, Spain remained a major power. The empire faced more challenges in the 17th century, with financial problems, wars, and internal conflicts weakening its position. By the end of the Habsburg rule in Spain, the empire had started to decline, setting the stage for future changes in European power dynamics.

Religion and the Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition started under the Catholic Monarchs and continued under the Habsburg rulers until the 19th century. It became a strong part of the Spanish government under Charles I.

Philip II made strong religious rules a key part of his rule. He tried very hard to keep Spain Catholic, stopping any other religious ideas like Lutheran and Calvinist beliefs. He also tried to choose popes who would support Spain.

Two important people helped shape Spain's religious life: Theresa of Avila and Ignatius Loyola. Theresa focused on deep religious practices, while Ignatius started the Jesuit Order, which helped education and learning across Europe.

The Moriscos, people of Muslim background who had been forced to become Christian, faced strict rules and were eventually expelled from Spain in 1609. This hurt the economy, especially in places like Aragon and the Kingdom of Valencia.

Administration and bureaucracy

Spain received lots of gold from new lands they discovered, which helped pay for wars in Europe. Later, they found rich silver mines, especially at places like Potosí and Zacatecas. They taxed this silver, taking one-fifth for the government. All the silver had to go through a special office in Seville, overseen by a group called the Council of the Indies.

As Spain grew, so did its debts, partly because of all the silver coming in. This led to financial troubles over time. Sadly, many native people were treated very badly, though some people spoke up for them.

To protect their treasure ships from pirates, Spain started using big groups of ships called treasure fleets that traveled together. This worked well most of the time. Spain also had to defend its faraway places, which was very hard to do.

Spain’s leaders mostly focused on Europe, so they let local leaders in the new lands make many of their own rules. This sometimes caused problems because each place had its own taxes and rules. Over time, the government became slow and full of corruption.

Economy

Spain faced tough times from famines and diseases in the 1300s and 1400s. By 1500, things began to improve, and many people moved to cities to work as shipbuilders and merchants. The 1500s were a time of growth for Spain, with more people, better farming, and growing trade. Cities like Seville, Burgos, Segovia, Cuenca, and Toledo became busy places with lots of new jobs.

However, as the 1500s went on, prices for things like wool and grain went up a lot because of silver and gold coming from the New World. This made life harder for ordinary people. Many villages lost their homes as people moved to cities, and Spain's many wars used up a lot of money. By the time of Louis XIV, France had grown much bigger than Spain.

Art and culture

Main article: Spanish Golden Age

The Spanish Golden Age was a wonderful time for art and writing in Spain, lasting from about 1550 to 1650. Famous people from this time include El Greco, a painter from Greece, and Diego Velázquez, whose paintings inspired many artists much later. Two great writers were Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote the famous story Don Quixote de la Mancha, and Pedro Calderón de la Barca. This period was also full of smart thinkers from the School of Salamanca, whose ideas were important all over Europe.

Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso

Main article: Royal reform of the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso

In 1666, the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso at the University of Alcalá changed under a plan by King Philip IV. New rules were made to organize how the school was run and who could teach there.