The Spanish Atlantic World in the Eighteenth Century: War and the Bourbon Reforms, 1713–1796

Description

This volume elucidates Bourbon colonial policy with emphasis on Madrid's efforts to reform and modernize its American holdings. Set in an Atlantic world context, the book highlights the interplay between Spain and America as the Spanish empire struggled for survival amid the fierce international competition that dominated the eighteenth century. The authors use extensive research in the repositories of Spain and America, as well as innovative consultation of the French Foreign Affairs archive, to bring into focus the poorly understood reformist efforts of the early Bourbons, which laid the foundation for the better-known agenda of Charles III. As the book unfolds, the narrative puts flesh on the men and women who, for better or worse, influenced colonial governance. It is the story of power, ambition, and idealism at the highest levels. 9781107043572_frontmatter Contents Introduction: War and Reform in Spain and Its Atlantic Empire 1. Alberoni and the First Stirrings of Reform, 1713–1721 2. Alberoni and Colonial Innovation 3. José Patiño and the Revival of Reform, 1726–1736 4. War and Reform, 1736–1749 5. Clerical Reform and the Secularization of the Doctrinas de Indios 6. The Downfall of Ensenada and the Pause, 1750–1763 7. The First Phase of Reform under Charles III, 1763–1767 8. The Reorganization of Spain’s Atlantic Empire, 1767–1783 9. Adjustments and Refinements in the Reformist Agenda, 1783–1796 Conclusion: War and Reform in the Spanish Atlantic World Timeline for the Spanish Atlantic World in the Eighteenth Century Bibliography Index Plate section