1. Characteristics of the New Monarchies
They offered the institution of monarchy as a guarantee of law and order.
As a result they had to organize their hierarchy, court system and finances
They proclaimed that hereditary monarchy was the legitimate form of public power
All should accept this without resistance.
New Middle Class supported them because they were tired of feuding nobles

2. Characteristics of the New Monarchies
Feudal, inherited, customary or “common” low broke down
The kings would MAKE law, enact it by his own authority, regardless of previous custom or historic liberties
1) What pleases the prince has the force of law!- Absolute

3. Absolute Monarchies England  stability under the Tudors
France  consolidation of power.
Spain  unification by marriage.
HR Empire  different model: the cost of decentralization.

4. Crossroads of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
Spain
Crossroads of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

5. Reminder: Spain conquered by Muslim Invaders
In the early 700’s AD
Muslim invaders called Moors- from North Africa

6. Reconquista
Almost immediately, Christian kings began taking back territory in the Iberian Peninsula.

7. Reconquista
The Moors maintained only the southern tip of the peninsula- the kingdom of Granada
The Alhambra- palace of the Moorish kingdom of Granada

9. The Catholic Monarchs Spanish Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand
Very devout Catholic rulers

10. Isabella Queen of Castile, the largest Christian kingdom
Known for beauty and intelligence
Helped the king organize wars and even joined him on campaign

11. Reconquista
Almost immediately, Christian kings began taking back territory in the Iberian Peninsula.

12. Ferdinand II King of Aragon
Married Isabella and together united most of Spain under one crown
Fierce warrior

13. War against the Moors
Between 1482 and 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand waged the Granada War to conquer all of Spain and unite it as one Christian kingdom
In 1492, they succeeded in defeating the last Moorish King, Boabdil

14. Expelling the Moors
At first the Catholic Monarchs allowed the Moors to worship and govern themselves
After a few years they began requiring the Moors to convert to Christianity
Many Moors fled to North Africa (called Morisco)

15. Paying for the war
The Granada War was very expensive (it lasted 10 years)
Much of it was paid for by confiscating the property of Spanish Jews

16. Jews in Spain Jews in Spain held considerable power
Jews in the courts of all the kings of Spain and Portugal
In fact, Ferdinand and Isabella’s marriage was arranged by a mutual Jewish friend.
Many early bankers were Jewish because Christians were prohibited from usury (charging interest on loans).
But banks are critical, without them businesses can’t get started.
These same bankers helped finance the war against the Moors

17. Anti-semitism
Still, Jews were hated by many. (This is called anti-Semitism).
Jews were often the scapegoat in the Middle Ages
FYI: This is where the term ghetto comes from. It’s an Italian word meaning “slag”- as in industrial waste. Jews were forced to live in the dirty, industrial parts of cities.

18. Conversos
Many of the most powerful and wealthy people in Spain were conversos, Jews whose family had converted to Christianity

19. The Spanish inquisition
The Inquisition was launched to purify Spanish society, especially of conversos who they believed were returning to their Jewish faith
This lapse of faith was believed to be heresy

20. Proving a lapse of faith
Any traditionally “Jewish” rituals or behaviors could be considered a lapse of faith.
Examples:
not eating pork
Not working Friday night-Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath, Christian Sabbath is Sunday)
Eating traditionally Jewish food (Kosher)

21. Inquisition Torture

22. Auto de fe

23. Spain a unified Catholic country
The Inquisition and expelling of the Jews and Moors was so successful, that by the 1500’s, Spain was almost completely Catholic
In the process, Isabella and Ferdinand became the most powerful kings in Europe

24. Holy Roman Emperor

25. The Hapsburgs
The Hapsburgs were one of the most powerful ruling families
Charles the V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, split his empire into two parts
Ferdinand (His brother) – Central Europe, Austria
Philip II ( His son)– Spain, the Netherlands, southern Italy, and Spain’s overseas empires

27. Spain and Phillip II
Spain was the leading power of western Europe at the start of the 1500s
Phillip II
Saw himself as the defender of Catholicism
Worked to increase Hapsburg (his family) power
Cautious, hard-working, and suspicious of others

28. Phillip II and Religion
Phillip was concerned over the religious loyalty of different groups in Spain
Protestants – not Catholic
Marranos – Jewish converts to Christianity
Moriscos – Muslim converts to Christianity
He supported the Inquisition in Spain – program by the Catholic church to enforce Catholicism throughout Spain
Torture
Execution

29. Spanish Decline Over time, the Spanish empire declined from its glory
Economy
Borrowed large amounts of money to support wars, such as against the Dutch
Gold and silver from the New World first made the country rich, then inflated the currency
Video
The king was trying to control and manage an empire that stretched around the globe

30. Understanding Spanish economy
Basic Castillian tax was basically a 10% sales tax
Most towns calculated this 10% when they were initially founded and wrote it in as a fixed amount
Uneven tax burden (more on poor than rich)
Also more on agriculture than industry
Juro- interest bearing bond
The interest was often paid in more juro’s
By 1607 the government had a debt of almost 23 million ducats and had assigned away all its revenue for four years ahead. By 1644 the crown's income was pledged to 1648

31. Spanish Decline, continued
The Spanish and Portuguese also expelled Muslims and Jews from the country
Many Muslims and Jews were artisans, merchants, bankers, etc., so they took their knowledge, skills, and money with them – “brain drain.”
The new leadership after Philip was generally incompetent in running the empire effectively

32. Summary So, in the golden age of Spain
Spain was ruled by the Hapsburg empire, a ruling family that ruled throughout Europe
Spain tried to exert influence and control over other countries, such as the Netherlands and England
Many factors, such as loss of the Netherlands, the defeat by England, the decline of the Spanish economy, and poor leadership following Philip the II led to Spain’s decline