War and Society in Habsburg Spain

ISBN-13: 9780860783282 / Angielski / Twarda / 1992 / 368 str.

I.A.A. Thompson

Opis

The historical study of war in the Spain of Philip II forms the starting point for the articles in this volume. They approach this not so much from a military angle, but as a problem of organization, procurement and finance. In a sense, the articles represent an assessment of the effectiveness of the Spanish government and so, given the apparent precocity of government growth in 16th-century Spain, they can also be seen as a critical commentary on the operational capabilities of the early-modern absolutist state. Six of the essays here focus on the Spanish Armada, in terms of its political and military objectives, but demonstrating how these were conditioned by basic systems limitations, not least in the procurement of suitable cannon. In the final articles Dr Thompson turns to the impact of war and its financing on the social structure, bearing in particular on the definition of nobility (and its sale), and on local democracy, and making full use, here as elsewhere, of the relatively unexplored local sources. Two of the papers here appear for the first time in English, whilst a third has been newly prepared for this volume. La etude historique de la guerre sous Philippe II, roi da Espagne, est A la base des articles contenus dans le present recueil. Ceci est aborde non tant sous la angle militaire, mais comme un probleme da organisation, da acquisition de materiel et de financement. En un certain sens, ces documents representent une evaluation de la efficacite du gouvernement espagnol et peuvent par consequent, etant donnee la apparente precocite de la croissance gouvernementale en Espagne au 16 siecle, A tre consideres comme un commentaire critique quant aux capacites operationnelles de la Etat absolu proto-moderne. Une demi douzaine des essais font la examen de la Armada espagnole, en terme da objectifs politiques et militaires, tout en demontrant comment ces derniers etaient conditionnes par des contraintes structurales, et non des moindres, en terme da obtention da artillerie adequate. Dans les derniers articles, le Dr Thompson se tourne vers la impact de la guerre et de son financement sur la ordre social, en sa appuyant plus particulierement sur la definition de la noblesse (et de la mise en vente de ses titres) et sur la democratie locale; la auteur fait plein usage, ici comme ailleurs, des sources locales jusqua A present relativement peu exploitees."

Recenzje

'...this volume of collected essays shows the same fine qualities evident in his first book: a clear style; challenging; new interpretations; and impressive use in argument of quantitative data and other empirical detail derived from a deep acquaintance with archive source material.' Mariner’s Mirror 'This collection of valuable reprints, some very technical, some of broad sweep, comes in three parts and represents some formidable scholarship. The range is great but the focus is steady...' History

Spis treści

Contents: Preface; The Battle of Lepanto 1571: the costs of victory; Taxation, military spending and the domestic economy in Castile in the later 16th century; The impact of war; Aspects of Spanish military and naval organization during the Ministry of Olivares; The appointment of the Duke of Medina Sidonia to the command of the Spanish Armada; Spanish Armada guns; Spanish Armada gun procurement and policy; The invincible Armada; The Spanish Armada: naval warfare between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic; Philip II: What if he had won?; A map of crime in 16th-century Spain; The Concejo Abierto of Alfaro in 1602: the struggle for local democracy in 17th-century Castile; The purchase of nobility in Castile, 1552-1700; Neo-noble nobility: concepts of hidalguia in early modern Castile; Hidalgo and pechero: the language of ’estates’ and ’classes’ in early-modern Castile; Index.

O autorze

I.A.A. Thompson