A History of Spain: founded on the Historia de España y de la civilización española of Rafael AltamiraChapman, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
History
A History of Spain: founded on the Historia de España y de la civilización española of Rafael Altamira
Chapman, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Spain -- Civilization; Spain -- History
The truce with the Dutch came to an end in 1621. Spínola urged that it
be continued, but Olivares gave orders for the resumption of
hostilities. No advantages of consequence were obtained by Spain, but
the Dutch were again successful in their career on the seas. The Thirty
Years’ War continued to involve Spain. France, though Catholic and
virtually ruled by a Catholic cardinal, Richelieu, was more intent on
the development of the French state than upon the religious question,
and aided the Protestants against their enemies. Richelieu did not bring
France into the war until 1635, but, in the meantime, through grants of
money and skilful diplomacy, he was able to make trouble for Spain in
Italy and in the Low Countries. When at length it seemed as if the
Catholic states might win, due largely to the effectiveness of the
Spanish infantry, France entered the war on the side of the Protestant
princes. Spanish troops continued to win battles, without profiting
greatly because of the incessant difficulties from lack of funds. In
1643 the French, under Condé, defeated the Spaniards at Rocroy. The
moral effect of this victory was tremendous, like the surrender of the
ancient Spartans at the Island of Sphacteria, for it was the first time
in some two centuries that the Spanish infantry had been defeated in
pitched battle under nearly equal conditions. Henceforth defeats were no
novelty. The tide had turned; Rocroy spelled Spain’s doom as a great
power. The treaties of Westphalia in 1648 affected Spain only so far as
concerned the war with the Protestant Netherlands. Dutch independence
was reaffirmed, and the colonies which the Dutch had won, mainly from
the Portuguese in the East Indies, were formally granted to them. The
Catholic Netherlands remained Spanish. The war with France went on until
1659. In 1652 Cromwell offered Spain an alliance against France, but the
price demanded was high; one of the conditions was that Spain should
permit Englishmen to trade with the Spanish colonies,--an entering wedge
for an English commercial supremacy which might easily be converted into
political acquisition. Spain declined and Cromwell joined France. The
English conquest of Jamaica in the ensuing war was the first great break
in the solidarity of the actually occupied Spanish domain, marking a
turning point in colonial history, as Rocroy had done in that of Europe.
By the treaty of 1659 Spain gave up the Roussillon and Cerdagne, thus
accepting the Pyrenees as the boundary between herself and France. Spain
also surrendered Sardinia and large parts both of the Catholic
Netherlands and of her former Burgundian possessions. The most fruitful
clause in the treaty was that providing for the marriage of the Spanish
princess, María Teresa, with Louis XIV of France. The former was to
renounce for herself and her heirs any rights she or they might
otherwise have to the Spanish throne, while a considerable dowry was to
be paid by Spain on her behalf.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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