Composite Monarchy - Spain

Spain

Early modern Spain was an example of a composite monarchy based on the aeque principali approach. The Spanish approach involved separate administrative and taxation arrangements for each territory. Composite monarchy in Spain started with the reconquista and the unification of Aragon and Castile in the late fifteenth century.

Throughout much of the early modern period, each region of Spain retained its own freedoms (fueros), and this included administrative and governance arrangements. Modes of taxation are an excellent example of the differing arrangements in Spanish composite monarchy. The system of taxation in Spain varied depending on the region, and sometimes even within regions there were sometimes special tax arrangements. The differing tax arrangements led to a reliance on the revenues from Castile as opposed to other areas of Spain. While all of Spain was united under the same ruler, each territory was often treated very differently and was ruled by the King and central administrators in line with local customs and power structures. King had more freedom to legislate in Catalonia than in Aragon. Elites in Aragon and the Council that represented them were viewed as more powerful than elites in Catalina. In the case of the petitions against hoarding, the King ignored the request to oppose the hoarding of Grain in the case of Catalonia, while he accepted the request to oppose hoarding of grain in Aragon. This demonstrates a different approach to governing each of the composite territories. Monarchical rule in early modern Spain was a balancing act, as the monarch attempted to preserve unity and loyalty among each part which required placating local interests. The approach toward governing each of the Spanish territories was to negotiate to determine the needs of different societal groups within the territory and then to govern based on the consensus achieved. Composite rule in Spain involved consultation and negotiation between central state officials and each territory individually, often resulting in different agreements and laws for each territory. The composite and diverse nature of monarchical rule in Spain also included the diversity of social classes and the bargaining power that they had versus the central government. Diversity of social classes further complicated Spanish composite rule. The central government had to take not only peculiarities in regional customs and institutions but also regional variations in social structure and the interests of the social structure. In the case of the practice of hoarding in Barcelona, the interests of the Guilds and artisan estate differed from the interests of the clergy and nobility. These differing interests also required resolution from the King and his central administrators.