16 Facts About Bourbon Reforms

1.

Bourbon Reforms consisted of political and economic changes promulgated by the Spanish Crown under various kings of the House of Bourbon, since 1700, mainly in the 18th century.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,934
2.

Bourbon Reforms resulted in significant restructuring of administrative structure and personnel.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,935
3.

When looking at the material effects of how the Bourbon Reforms aimed to change the relationship between the Spanish American colonies and the Crown, it can be said that the reforms functionally aimed to transform juridically semi-autonomous groups into proper colonies.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,936
4.

Furthermore, the Bourbon Reforms were intended to limit the power of Criollos and re-establish peninsular supremacy over the colonies.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,937
5.

Bourbon Reforms achieved mixed results administratively but succeeded in alienating the local elites of the Americas and eventually led to the independence of all overseas dominions of the Spanish crown.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,938
6.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of Spanish Succession and placed Philip V securely on the Spanish throne, the new Bourbon Reforms dynasty was forced to make several concessions to outside powers.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,939
7.

New Bourbon Reforms kings kept close ties with France and used many Frenchmen as advisors.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,940
8.

Bourbon Reforms compared the colonial systems of Britain and France with that of Spain, as the first two nations reaped far greater benefits than Spain.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,941
9.

Bourbon Reforms advocated reforming Spain's economic relations with its overseas territories to a system more like the mercantilism of France's Jean-Baptiste Colbert .

FactSnippet No. 1,210,942
10.

Bourbon Reforms transitioned Spain's economic policy to be increasingly mercantilist, an economic policy in which countries maximize their exports and minimize their imports to secure greater portion of wealth from a fixed amount in the world.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,943
11.

An important goal of the Bourbon Reforms was to increase legal, registered trade with Spanish America in order to collect more tax revenue for the Crown, an aim that was frequently undercut both by the prevalence of contraband and the increasing presence of foreign merchants.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,944
12.

Bourbon Reforms wanted to end the Spanish Crown's financial dependence on this monopoly.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,945
13.

Bourbon Reforms caused many religious tensions as well as social tensions.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,946
14.

Many historians believe that the Bourbon Reforms would bring forth self-confidence for American-born Spaniards.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,947
15.

Bourbon Reforms'storian Charles Gibson stated that the expulsion of the Jesuits was a "sudden and devastating move" by the Spanish Crown to assert royal control.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,948
16.

However, it is necessary to be wary of reading this history as a linear process in which the Bourbon reforms created an unrest that just grew and grew until finally tensions finally snapped and revolts ignited through Spanish America.

FactSnippet No. 1,210,949