Spain under the Bourbons, 1700–1833: A collection of documents

Front Matter....Pages i-xxxix
Will of Carlos II 1700....Pages 1-4
Proclamation of Felipe V. An Account of 16 November Missing the Phrase ‘Il N’y a Plus de Pyrenees’ 1700....Pages 4-5
There Follows the Text of the Letter in Which Louis XIV Accepts the Spanish Crown on Behalf of His Grandson 1700....Pages 5-7
The new King leaves Paris 1700....Pages 8-9
Felipe V Swears to Observe the Ancient Laws of the Spanish Realm and Is Accepted as King 1701....Pages 10-17
European Reaction to Carlos II’s Will. The Empire, England and the Low Countries Join Forces to Combat the Excessive might of a United France and Spain 1701....Pages 17-18
Felipe V declares war on the Allies 1704....Pages 19-21
Imperial version of the attack on Gibraltar and its fall 1704....Pages 21-25
Barcelona rises for Archduke Charles — and with him at its head staves off the first siege by the Bourbons. An Imperial account of the action 1706....Pages 26-34
Official Account of the Battle of Almansa Addressed by Felipe V to the University of Salamanca, Stressing the Religious Nature of the War 1707....Pages 34-35
Felipe V abolishes Aragonese and Valencian Privileges 1707....Pages 35-36
French Defeats in Flanders Have Repercussions on the Spanish War-Effort. They Produce a Sharp Reaction in the Imperial Camp, and after Taking Zaragoza, the Archduke Enters Madrid. An Imperial Account of These Actions 1710....Pages 37-38
Another Version of the Archduke’s Reception in Madrid. The Author, a Supporter of Felipe, Emphasises the Coldness of the Population towards Him and the Anti-Catholic Nature of the Allied Troops 1710....Pages 39-45
Britain Makes Her Position Clear: There is Only One Obstacle To Her Agreeing to a Peace Settlement; Her Fear that the Crowns of France and Spain might be United. Felipe V Decides to Sweep This Obstacle Away and Renounce All His Rights to the French Throne 1712....Pages 45-48
Peace-Treaty of Utrecht. England shall Keep Gibraltar and Minorca as well as Her Trading Rights in the West Indies 1713....Pages 48-52
Barcelona, Abandoned by Both Friends and Allies, Stands Alone Against Felipe V 1713....Pages 52-53
And now, Finally, Peace with Holland. Note the Important Trade-Agreements Contained in this Treaty 1714....Pages 53-57
Fall of Barcelona 1714....Pages 58-59
Creation of the Spanish Royal Academy 1715....Pages 59-60
The Sicilian Expedition 1718....Pages 60-61
The English have not declared war, but their Admiral, Byng, attacks the Spanish fleet and takes it by surprise. The incident, narrated by an Italian of the Austrian persuasion....Pages 61-62
Spanish Protest. Declaration of War 1718....Pages 62-65
The British Declaration of War on Spain 1718....Pages 65-68
The Coalition becomes threatening. Felipe V decides to dispense with his policies of aggression and with their prime advocate, Alberoni 1720....Pages 68-68
Articles of the Quadripartite Treaty of Alliance, pertaining to Spain 1720....Pages 69-70
The Two Great Rivals of The War of Succession mutually abdicate — The frontiers of Europe are established 1720....Pages 71-78
Treaty of alliance agreed between Spain, France and Great Britain 1721....Pages 78-79
An ‘Auto de fe’ in Spain in the eighteenth century 1724....Pages 79-83
Felipe V abdicates in favour of his son, Luis 1724....Pages 83-84
Luis I dies. The theologians give their considered judgement on whether Felipe V may return to the Throne 1724....Pages 84-85
Felipe V announces the death of Luis I and His own return to the Throne 1724....Pages 85-86
Treaty of Vienna 1725....Pages 86-90
Preparations for the expedition to Oran 1732....Pages 90-91
The Capture of Oran and Mers-El-Kebir 1732....Pages 91-97
Treaty of El Escorial, between Spain and France, sometimes known as the First Family Pact. 7 November 1733....Pages 97-98
Spain joins forces with France in the War of Polish Succession. Their object: Italy. Their fear: that Great Britain might enter the arena 1733....Pages 99-99
The Kings’ dream is realised, which demonstrates that their abilities are greater than is generally supposed: Carlos of Bourbon becomes King of Sicily and of Naples 1734....Pages 100-100
The British attack on the Caribbean port of Cartagena 1741....Pages 100-106
Treaty of alliance between Spain and France signed at Fontainebleau and known as The Second Family Treaty (25 October) 1743....Pages 106-109
Peace. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle 1748....Pages 109-113
The Concordat between Spain and Benedict XIV 1753....Pages 113-121
The Campaign against the Jesuits reaches Spain. The Pope throws the weight of His authority against it, thereby contradicting the claims of the enemies of the Society1759....Pages 121-121
Prelude to the war with Great Britain. Preparation of Public Opinion 1761....Pages 122-122
Cleaning of the City of Madrid and New Legislation concerning its upkeep: sidewalks, gutters, cess-pits, cobbles and the banning of pigs 1761....Pages 123-125
Communiqués from Fuentes in London. Great Britain, having defeated France in the Americas, now entertains even grander aspirations and makes illegal acquisitions. The Spanish Ambassador thinks war inevitable 1761....Pages 125-126
Text of the Third Family Pact (4 February) 1762....Pages 126-131
Peace reigns. The Conquests in Portugal and the capture of Sacramento compensate in part for the loss of Habana and Manila. Permanent treaty agreed between Our Lord the King and His Most Christian Majesty, on the one hand, and his Britannic Majesty on the other, Paris, 10th of February 1763; to which treaty His Most Faithful Majesty acquiesced that same day 1763....Pages 132-134
The Order to reduce the size of capes and hats worn at Court which was to lead to the ‘Esquilache revolt’ 1766....Pages 134-135
Shocked by the disturbances in Madrid occasioned by Esquilache’s law about the cape and hat, Carlos III bows to the popular will 1766....Pages 135-136
The rebellion at Zaragoza, which was provoked by economic causes, is calmed down by labourers with the almost complete lack of involvement on the part of the authorities, who were taken by surprise 1766....Pages 136-138
After the enforced downfall of Esquilache, a call for an energetic politician: The Count of Aranda 1766....Pages 138-138
Expulsion of the Society of Jesus 1766....Pages 138-144
Peace-treaty with Morocco 1767....Pages 144-148
An attempt to solve the African question. An abortive assault on Algiers 1775....Pages 148-150
First moves towards assisting the rebels in North America in their struggle against Great Britain 1776....Pages 150-151
Letter of Introduction from the North-American Delegation to Aranda 1776....Pages 152-152
Representations of Arthur Lee to the Spanish Court, setting out the reasons for the American Revolution 1777....Pages 152-155
Letter from Franklin to Aranda, proposing an alliance against Great Britain 1777....Pages 155-156
Preliminary Treaty between His Catholic Majesty and Her Most Faithful Majesty concerning the boundaries of their respective possessions in South America. The Treaty ratified by His Majesty in San Lorenzo el Real on 11th October 1777....Pages 157-158
The town of Pensacola, Florida, surrenders to the Spanish under Don Bernardo de Gálvez 1781....Pages 159-160
An eye-witness account of the capture of Minorca and of the taking of the castle at Mahón 1781....Pages 160-162
Diary of Aranda: discussions with the recently independent colonies on the question of borders 1782....Pages 163-165
Articles of Peace and Trade Agreement between His Catholic Majesty and the Ottoman Porte, ratified by His Majesty on 24th December 1782....Pages 165-166
The Decree of Carlos III, removing all stigmas attaching both to work and those who perform it, underlines great social changes. The traditional idea of the Caballero is swept away 1783....Pages 166-167
Conclusive Peace-Treaty between His Catholic Majesty and His Britannic Majesty, signed at Versailles on the 3rd of September 1783 1783....Pages 167-167
Since the punishment meted out the previous year proved insufficient, the Spanish fleet now appears before Algiers. This time Spain has brought allies with Her (Sicilians, Portuguese and some Knights of Malta), but in spite of their help, this year the attempt proves more difficult and the results less effective (12th to 20th July). They make six assaults before eventually withdrawing 1784....Pages 168-168
Peace-Treaty and Alliance between His Catholic Majesty and the Dey and Province of Algiers, agreed on 14th June 1786....Pages 169-170
The Nootka incident. Treaty between His Catholic Majesty and His Majesty, the King of England, settling various points arising over fishing and shipping rights, and trade, in the Pacific Ocean and the South Seas. San Lorenzo el Real, 28th October 1790....Pages 171-172
The Death of Louis XVI and public pressure lead to the declaration of war on France (23rd March) 1793....Pages 172-175
Conclusive Peace-Treaty between His Catholic Majesty and the French Republic, signed at Basel 1795....Pages 175-176
The French Directory attempts to turn Carlos IV’s obsession with dynastic matters to their own political and economic advantage. This is how they brief their Minister of Foreign Affairs 1796....Pages 177-177
Treaty of Alliance between His Catholic Majesty and the French Republic, signed at San Ildefonso on 18th August, and treating of matters both offensive and defensive 1796....Pages 178-179
The close alliance between Spain and France inevitably brings War with England in its wake. This was so much a sine qua non of the Treaty that even the traditional list of outrages committed by the British Nation has the hollow ring of exaggeration about it 1796....Pages 180-181
Rout of the Spanish off Cape St Vincent. Reading between the lines of the excuses he offers, one can see quite clearly that, in comparison with the polished technique of the British, the Spanish were quite inexperienced in handling the fleet. Losses: six ships of the line 1797....Pages 181-184
Britain is still mistress of the waves. Her fleet shells Cádiz. The strange kind of bomb-ketch or bomb-barge they have with them has to have the protection of an escort. All this in July. Nelson saves a Spaniard’s life 1797....Pages 184-185
Representation to Carlos IV on the nature of the Holy Office by G. M. de Jovellanos 1798....Pages 185-188
Treaty of San Ildefonso 1800....Pages 188-189
War with Portugal. Spain and France sign the Convention prior to the ultimatum 1801....Pages 189-190
Peace of Amiens 1802....Pages 191-192
Treaty of Neutrality between Spain and France 1803....Pages 192-193
The battle of Trafalgar. The ‘battle log’ received and published in Madrid 1805....Pages 193-195
Letter from Fernando, Prince of Asturias, to the Emperor Napoleon 1807....Pages 196-197
Treaty of Fontainebleau 1807....Pages 198-198
Carlos IV explains the imprisonment of his son to the nation 1807....Pages 199-199
King Carlos pardons his son 1807....Pages 200-200
Carlos IV tries to calm Spanish distrust of Napoleon’s army 1808....Pages 201-201
Proclamation of 19th March. Imprisonment of Godoy 1808....Pages 202-202
Abdication of Carlos IV 1808....Pages 202-203
Letter from Napoleon to his brother Louis dated 27th March, offering him the throne of Spain 1808....Pages 203-203
Letter from the Emperor of the French to Fernando 1808....Pages 204-205
The Second of May 1808....Pages 206-207
Resignation of Fernando VII 1808....Pages 207-207
Treaty between Carlos IV and the Emperor of the French 1808....Pages 207-208
Resignation of Carlos IV 1808....Pages 208-209
Proclamation of the General Council of the Principality of Asturias, 24th May 1808....Pages 209-210
Proclamation of the General Council to the King of Great Britain 1808....Pages 210-211
Proclamation of Napoleon to the Spanish 1808....Pages 211-212
Decree of Napoleon conferring the Spanish Throne on his brother, Joseph 1808....Pages 212-213
Seville declares war 1808....Pages 213-214
Proclamation of Joseph I on entering Spain 1808....Pages 215-215
Bailén. Terms of surrender agreed between the Spanish and French armies 1808....Pages 216-217
The First Manifesto of the Supreme Council of State to the Spanish Nation 1808....Pages 217-225
Joseph complains to the Emperor 1809....Pages 226-226
Surrender of Zaragoza 1809....Pages 226-227
Jovellanos’ reply to General Sebastiani 1809....Pages 227-229
The first session of the parliament of the Supreme Council. Royal decree of His Majesty 1809....Pages 229-230
Communiqués on the Battle of Talavera 1809....Pages 231-232
The first surge of Mexican Independence 1810....Pages 232-233
Marshal Soult opens the war to the death, 9th May 1810....Pages 233-233
Marshal Soult opens the war to the death, 9th May 1810....Pages 233-234
Proclamation of 20 April of the Council of Caracas to the ‘inhabitants of the United States of Venezuela’ 1810....Pages 234-235
Declaration of independence by the Congress of Venezuela 1811....Pages 235-236
First news of the Argentinian Revolution 1811....Pages 237-237
Political constitution of the Spanish Monarchy 1812....Pages 238-241
Wellington, Commander-in-Chief 1812....Pages 241-242
Abolition of the Inquisition 1813....Pages 242-243
Decree of Valencia (4 May) annulling the previous liberal one of the Cadiz Parliament 1814....Pages 243-246
Declaration of the Assembly of Angostura convened by Bolivar on 20 November in the knowledge that Spain was seeking the help of the European Powers 1816....Pages 246-246
Act of Independence of Chile 1818....Pages 247-248
Liberal revolution. First proclamation of the army of Cádiz 1820....Pages 248-249
Declaration of the King to the Nation 1820....Pages 249-250
Declaration of the Provisional Council 1820....Pages 250-251
Declaration of the King to the Americas 1820....Pages 251-252
The Provisional Council to the people 1820....Pages 253-254
The assault on Madrid 1822....Pages 254-256
Resolution of the Congress of Verona 1822....Pages 256-257
European Intervention. With the disapproval of Britain, the four powers agree to send an ultimatum to Spain through instructions to their respective ambassadors. As an example, here follows that from Metternich 1822....Pages 257-258
Reply of the Constitutional Government to the signatories of the Convention of Verona 1823....Pages 258-259
Fernando VII declares the acts of the liberal Government to be null and void 1823....Pages 259-260
Letter of Quintana to that English sympathiser with liberalism in Spain, Lord Holland 1823....Pages 261-275
The last footholds on the American continent are lost 1826....Pages 275-276
Decree of ratification of 29 March on the succession to the throne 1830....Pages 276-278
Declaration of Don Fernando VII on 31 December on the succession to the throne 1832....Pages 278-279
Letter of protest of Prince Carlos 1833....Pages 280-281
Letter of Fernando VII to his brother Carlos, condemning him to exile 1833....Pages 281-281
Back Matter....Pages 282-295