Spain 1500s-1700s Ellie, Melissa, Emily

Spain Introduction The 16 th and 17 th centuries in Spain were known as the cultural golden age Spanish troops engaged in combat with the French, Flemish, English, Pope and Ottoman Empire. Too much fighting, and not enough Spanish soldiers In the late 17th century, Spain went into a gradual decline, in which it surrendered a number of small territories to France

King Philip II and Spanish Silver  King Philip II and Spanish Silver  In 1545, the Spanish found a great amount of silver. This was the true source of their wealth but also led to overpricing and inflation.  Spain endured a population increase during the 1500s, causing more demands for food and goods. The economy began to suffer when they could not meet these demands.  King Philip II and his successors wore off the state debt, but left a weak economy.  The population gradually lessened after the 1600s and prices and the economy stabilized.

King Philip V  Lifespan: 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746 (aged 62)  Founder of Bourbon dynasty  Reigned twice  16 November 1700 – 14 January 1724 (abdicated)  6 September 1724 – 9 July 1746  Phillip and Charles II had a legal right to the Spanish throne but King Phillip had better claim. However, Phillip’s grandmother had renounced the Spanish throne for herself and her descendants as part of her marriage contract. It was later agreed Phillip should get it.  Louis XIV refused to exclude Philip from the line of succession to the French… led to the War of the Spanish Succession  At one point in 1712 Philip was offered the choice of renouncing the throne of Spain so that he could be made heir of France, but he refused.

King Charles III  Under his rule, the government functioned with honesty and efficiency.  He reduced taxes in order to encourage private enterprise  Followed absolutism  Religious toleration, freedom of speech, press and right to hold private property  Embraced ideas by being rational

Conclusion Spain’s golden ages led to many new forms of culture. During this time, the economy was forced to adjust multiple times. Each ruler had to endure a economic change with taxes, prices and military issues. Spain’s power and wealth eventually collapsed in the late 17 th century.

Citations  "Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 02 Oct  "InfoBarrel - Crowdsourcing Information | Make Extra Money Writing." InfoBarrel - Crowdsourcing Information | Make Extra Money Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct ”  Lynch, John. "Charles III." Encyclopedia Britannica, Web. 4 Oct