Why did the Spanish Empire collapse?
video description
The viceroyalty of New Spain and Peru were in fact given equal weight as states within the empire as the kingdoms in Spain itself. The same with Sicily as southern Italy was also a viceroyalty and sometimes viceroys were exchanged between the viceroyalties.
And its also not quite true, there was no immigration to the viceroyalties at this time. In fact Mexico in particular received a lot of Spanish immigration as well as French (2nd most common, Italian, Balkan, etc. The French in particular established many Mexican customs and influenced food and music, and even helped lead to the so called Pastry War of the early 1800s. Mexico City was a very polyglot place. So was Manila (the Philippines were administered through Mexico City.
In fact New Spain aka Mexico was the most powerful state in the Americas given that it was nearly 200 years older than the British colonies. It did have large settlements--actually cities. Puebla, Guanajuato, Leon, Zacatecas, Guadalajara, Valladolid (Morelia at present, Oaxaca, Veraruz, Acapulco, etc. They were in fact quite populated--Mexico City was the largest city in the Americas and larger than nearly all European cities save for Constantinople. The British colonies were colonies, while the Spanish territories were semiautonomous viceroyalties.
Peru, and the viceroyalties of Colombia/New Granada (which included Venezuela) also had important centers.
Peru supplied most of the silver to the Empire during the 1500s. Thereafter from the 1600s onwards New Spain (largely Mexico) supplied Spain with most of the silver the following 2 centuries. And it was from that silver that the Spanish real or piece of eight was created from, used as the worlds first reserve currency. In fact when the royal palace, the Alcazar burned down in Madrid in the mid 1700s, Mexico contributed a large portion of silver towards its reconstruction.
By the time the Empire was ending as Napolean invaded first Portugal (causing the Portuguese royal family to move to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, then Spain, the Spanish king chose to also move his court to Mexico City. However, his son helped lead an uprising, literally stopping him en route to the New World. Instead they captured him, then both were captured and held captive by Napolean.
My point in all of this is the viceroyalties were far from neglected. They were important cash cows, and also important centers of commerce, monetary policy (and minting, trade, diplomacy, culture, and bases for expansion of the Empire to other parts of the globe. By that point in fact Mexico had better living conditions than most of northern Europe.
The main reason the Empire fell apart boiled down to one thing--Napolean invading Spain. Was there discontent in the viceroyalties before? Yes, but its possible that with reforms the Spanish planned to carry out, the viceroyalties would have continued as part of the Empire.
Napoleans invasion catapulted the revolutionary movements of independence.\r\n
Date: 2023-12-16
Related videos
• TED-Ed
Comments and reviews: 29
-andrewsharpe7630
5: 10 I've been reading Imperial Spain by J. H. Eliot. Lax may not be the most appropriate word. Throughout Castilian history, during the Reconquista, the Spanish Monarchs did not have the state/ military power to centralize Iberia; much of the conquering was subcontratced out to nobles/companies, for hundreds of years these non-state subcontractors had legal rights to much more land and spoils compared to landowners in other countries. Apparently during the early stages of colonizing the New World an effort was made to not repeat that same mistake of letting regional nobles siphon all the income, but I guess the Crown wasn't entirely successful.
Eliot also speculates that too many Castilians would rather go to the New World to conquer/search for gold rather than farm/work, weakening the economy. I'l have to reread that part to see if he mentions all the taxes Charles put upon them, as that sounds like a bigger reason for economic decline in Iberia.
reply
5: 10 I've been reading Imperial Spain by J. H. Eliot. Lax may not be the most appropriate word. Throughout Castilian history, during the Reconquista, the Spanish Monarchs did not have the state/ military power to centralize Iberia; much of the conquering was subcontratced out to nobles/companies, for hundreds of years these non-state subcontractors had legal rights to much more land and spoils compared to landowners in other countries. Apparently during the early stages of colonizing the New World an effort was made to not repeat that same mistake of letting regional nobles siphon all the income, but I guess the Crown wasn't entirely successful.
Eliot also speculates that too many Castilians would rather go to the New World to conquer/search for gold rather than farm/work, weakening the economy. I'l have to reread that part to see if he mentions all the taxes Charles put upon them, as that sounds like a bigger reason for economic decline in Iberia.
reply
-brunol-p_g8800
0: 15 it was not one of the largest empire to ever exist, it was THE largest empire to ever exist-
And unlike other European overseas empire, Spain did it on its own, invented oceanic navigation, invented navigation instruments, mapped the world and the pacific, explored unexplored lands, found the north west passage, found Antarctica, found New Guinea, the New Hebrides, the Solomon-s, the passage in the Great Barrier Reef, the eastern and northern coasts of Australia, the Philippines, Micronesia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, etc. dominated the Pacific Ocean, which at the time was known as the Spanish lake, for more than 250 years, -.
when the Dutch, French, British, just copied and followed Spanish know how, charts and directions to -discover- news places
reply
0: 15 it was not one of the largest empire to ever exist, it was THE largest empire to ever exist-
And unlike other European overseas empire, Spain did it on its own, invented oceanic navigation, invented navigation instruments, mapped the world and the pacific, explored unexplored lands, found the north west passage, found Antarctica, found New Guinea, the New Hebrides, the Solomon-s, the passage in the Great Barrier Reef, the eastern and northern coasts of Australia, the Philippines, Micronesia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, etc. dominated the Pacific Ocean, which at the time was known as the Spanish lake, for more than 250 years, -.
when the Dutch, French, British, just copied and followed Spanish know how, charts and directions to -discover- news places
reply
-danlhendl
My friends you are not free thinkers nor even good debaters and you don't know the difference. If you would destroy me than do it for the real reason you would. dont turn it into a virtue or the main distraction. You are chronically and conviently blind. You are just regular people willfully and self interestedly doing real wrong as measured by the extent that you wouldn't want to be caught. And you would justify it to yourself (if you even bothered yourself to go that far) with whatever works
In my case that means devaluing me and my right to what you would really and truly destroy as much as the u can get away with.
You're not doing any good at all whatsoever.
the values that I'm standing up for are the only good thing
reply
My friends you are not free thinkers nor even good debaters and you don't know the difference. If you would destroy me than do it for the real reason you would. dont turn it into a virtue or the main distraction. You are chronically and conviently blind. You are just regular people willfully and self interestedly doing real wrong as measured by the extent that you wouldn't want to be caught. And you would justify it to yourself (if you even bothered yourself to go that far) with whatever works
In my case that means devaluing me and my right to what you would really and truly destroy as much as the u can get away with.
You're not doing any good at all whatsoever.
the values that I'm standing up for are the only good thing
reply
-user-il8qn9my8u
Those maps you show are way shorter than reality, Brasill was way smaller back them and Mexico was 40/ bigger, Lousiana was also Spanish at some point, O-lso was Sahara and a portion of now Moroco, not to mention Scicily, Soutern Italy, Flanders, parts of Germany, Netherlands, Normandy, Luxembourg, etc, some of this places remained Spanish for up to 400 years (Italy)and most over 250, onthe other hand not even India was British for 100 years, not to mention many regions of USA whicch were british only briefly, the whole Britsh empire never was british at the same time, India became british 10 years after USA became independent, big parts of Ondia were acquired just at the end of british rule.
reply
Those maps you show are way shorter than reality, Brasill was way smaller back them and Mexico was 40/ bigger, Lousiana was also Spanish at some point, O-lso was Sahara and a portion of now Moroco, not to mention Scicily, Soutern Italy, Flanders, parts of Germany, Netherlands, Normandy, Luxembourg, etc, some of this places remained Spanish for up to 400 years (Italy)and most over 250, onthe other hand not even India was British for 100 years, not to mention many regions of USA whicch were british only briefly, the whole Britsh empire never was british at the same time, India became british 10 years after USA became independent, big parts of Ondia were acquired just at the end of british rule.
reply
knowledgia
LOL. imagine create a video of history and have wrong header. Doesnte exist any imperial crown, court or title called -spanish empire-, not even -spanish kingdom- (court, title or crown). There was a germanic one, and just 2 kings holded while being kings of castilla and aragon. And one of those kings didnt even speak spanish XD I love how mostly cronics of hispanic dinasty it is pure propaganda or pure anti propaganda (like the -exterminartion of america- when they have above 80% of indians and mixed while USA; canada or australia has less trhan 0. 7%, same with inquisition that burned 300 witches while german principates did with 16. 000. Spanish history has hate or love, rarely accuracy
reply
LOL. imagine create a video of history and have wrong header. Doesnte exist any imperial crown, court or title called -spanish empire-, not even -spanish kingdom- (court, title or crown). There was a germanic one, and just 2 kings holded while being kings of castilla and aragon. And one of those kings didnt even speak spanish XD I love how mostly cronics of hispanic dinasty it is pure propaganda or pure anti propaganda (like the -exterminartion of america- when they have above 80% of indians and mixed while USA; canada or australia has less trhan 0. 7%, same with inquisition that burned 300 witches while german principates did with 16. 000. Spanish history has hate or love, rarely accuracy
reply
-kyoto7323
12: 28 -The Spanish administration in Americas was inferior to the English adiministration- if the Spanish adimistration was inferior why then lasted longer than the British colonies in the 13 colonies? 12: 57 -Poor relations with native Americans- the spanish crown asimilated the locals to christianity and they build universities for them, the British didn't created relations between them and the natives, they just killed them all, that's why the spanish colonies was superior to the British ans lasted longer than the 13 colonies, because the Spanish empire didn't genocide them but asimilated them instead.
reply
12: 28 -The Spanish administration in Americas was inferior to the English adiministration- if the Spanish adimistration was inferior why then lasted longer than the British colonies in the 13 colonies? 12: 57 -Poor relations with native Americans- the spanish crown asimilated the locals to christianity and they build universities for them, the British didn't created relations between them and the natives, they just killed them all, that's why the spanish colonies was superior to the British ans lasted longer than the 13 colonies, because the Spanish empire didn't genocide them but asimilated them instead.
reply
-peteip2604
The Spanish was less successful due to being less successful in genocides on the native Americans, less successful in the African slave trade, less successful is stealing all the wealth from their colonies. The Spanish was less genius in stealing wealth from other countries, did not start an Opium war to force Opium on China to drain it from all it's wealth. The Spanish failed in size and scale like the British to plunder wealth from Africa, India and most of the world. The Spanish failed to build great colonies that became wealthy countries like Australia, Canada and the USA.
reply
The Spanish was less successful due to being less successful in genocides on the native Americans, less successful in the African slave trade, less successful is stealing all the wealth from their colonies. The Spanish was less genius in stealing wealth from other countries, did not start an Opium war to force Opium on China to drain it from all it's wealth. The Spanish failed in size and scale like the British to plunder wealth from Africa, India and most of the world. The Spanish failed to build great colonies that became wealthy countries like Australia, Canada and the USA.
reply
-1800levso
-The empire collapsed because, like all empires, it was destined to fall. By observing history, we can draw parallels to corporations, which also tend to exploit people. When individuals become oppressed and desperate, they often rise up in rebellion. As we continue to evolve into a more enlightened society, we see a pattern of all empires, including corporations, eventually facing their demise over time. -
reply
-The empire collapsed because, like all empires, it was destined to fall. By observing history, we can draw parallels to corporations, which also tend to exploit people. When individuals become oppressed and desperate, they often rise up in rebellion. As we continue to evolve into a more enlightened society, we see a pattern of all empires, including corporations, eventually facing their demise over time. -
reply
-SuiteCaseLaw
Actually the territories of Brazil were also part of the Spanish empire. It was only after Papal Bull Inter Caetera and the Treaty of Tordesillas awarded the Brazilian territories to Portugal (and Holland) when the reign of Phillip II once accumulated the reign of Spain, Portugal and Holland (Netherlands. Thus the reason why The Netherlands control Suriname and some Caribbean islands.
reply
Actually the territories of Brazil were also part of the Spanish empire. It was only after Papal Bull Inter Caetera and the Treaty of Tordesillas awarded the Brazilian territories to Portugal (and Holland) when the reign of Phillip II once accumulated the reign of Spain, Portugal and Holland (Netherlands. Thus the reason why The Netherlands control Suriname and some Caribbean islands.
reply
-mordechai-
It's a popular, incorrect belief among Jews that the Spanish Empire began its fall when they expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492. I would imagine that the expulsion of 300, 000 Muslims a century later would have a worse effect. I AM wondering what effect the expulsion of the Jews had on the Spanish economy, if any at all. If you can answer that, I'd be pleased.
reply
It's a popular, incorrect belief among Jews that the Spanish Empire began its fall when they expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492. I would imagine that the expulsion of 300, 000 Muslims a century later would have a worse effect. I AM wondering what effect the expulsion of the Jews had on the Spanish economy, if any at all. If you can answer that, I'd be pleased.
reply
-carlfrye1566
I love history vidoes like this because it proves Spain colonized and conquered the Native Americans in Texas up thru what is now rhe central/western US, and not The USA.
AOC still insists the US was/is the bad guy. and she speaks SPANISH, not the language of her Native Indian ancestors of Mexico.
She is not a bright person.
reply
I love history vidoes like this because it proves Spain colonized and conquered the Native Americans in Texas up thru what is now rhe central/western US, and not The USA.
AOC still insists the US was/is the bad guy. and she speaks SPANISH, not the language of her Native Indian ancestors of Mexico.
She is not a bright person.
reply
-mmoret6609
You all a bunch of rats. Spain played a decisive role in usa independence yet some years later they helped to destroy the people who gave them support for they freedom, but they managed to hide that and remove it from the history
Pd: A Peruvian indigenous is more American than you-ll ever be
reply
You all a bunch of rats. Spain played a decisive role in usa independence yet some years later they helped to destroy the people who gave them support for they freedom, but they managed to hide that and remove it from the history
Pd: A Peruvian indigenous is more American than you-ll ever be
reply
-jessemorfin1262
The reign of Isabel & Fernando was way more than -fairly admirable- they became the grandparents of Europe and the most important family, the Habsburgs respected their memory, and kept their Spanish traditions alive. Isabel and Fernando were living legends during their lifetimes.
reply
The reign of Isabel & Fernando was way more than -fairly admirable- they became the grandparents of Europe and the most important family, the Habsburgs respected their memory, and kept their Spanish traditions alive. Isabel and Fernando were living legends during their lifetimes.
reply
-siulgonzalez
The video is missing many important factors and questionable in some explanations but I like the economic approach, which is often forgotten.
Monopolies, taxes and a privileged unproductive class can erode any empire. We seem to have learned nothing from it.
reply
The video is missing many important factors and questionable in some explanations but I like the economic approach, which is often forgotten.
Monopolies, taxes and a privileged unproductive class can erode any empire. We seem to have learned nothing from it.
reply
-alienlatino2945
The Spanish Empire fell because they wanted to control an area twice the size of the United States while being a small country (They owned one-third of the USA at one point, and ALL of Brazil. Same reason why the U. S. is losing control all over the world.
reply
The Spanish Empire fell because they wanted to control an area twice the size of the United States while being a small country (They owned one-third of the USA at one point, and ALL of Brazil. Same reason why the U. S. is losing control all over the world.
reply
-useringeneral
Portuguese Empire was never part of Spain's. two crowns, different law. Spain drained Portugal's tresor, not the other way around. as well as navy. ruined. Downfall of Portugal began with Spain. and thanks to a succession crisis. Portugal was not annexed.
reply
Portuguese Empire was never part of Spain's. two crowns, different law. Spain drained Portugal's tresor, not the other way around. as well as navy. ruined. Downfall of Portugal began with Spain. and thanks to a succession crisis. Portugal was not annexed.
reply
-mariocisneros911
WE, THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN AN EMPIRE FOR JUST 100 YEARS. THEY 300 YEARS. ENGLAND AFTER 1750, 200 YEARS. . none other in Europe lasted that long. ASIA, I THINK had longer empires. SO WHY DOES YOUR WEBSITE BELITTLE THEM? And Rome 400- 500 years
reply
WE, THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN AN EMPIRE FOR JUST 100 YEARS. THEY 300 YEARS. ENGLAND AFTER 1750, 200 YEARS. . none other in Europe lasted that long. ASIA, I THINK had longer empires. SO WHY DOES YOUR WEBSITE BELITTLE THEM? And Rome 400- 500 years
reply
-Joez2015
The original ilegal inmigrants-brought illness and destroyed cultures-they took the gold and left corruption and underdevelopment, ohh yea, some buildings and bureaucracy -and there still trying to destroy themselves, good job Spaniards
reply
The original ilegal inmigrants-brought illness and destroyed cultures-they took the gold and left corruption and underdevelopment, ohh yea, some buildings and bureaucracy -and there still trying to destroy themselves, good job Spaniards
reply
knowledgia
Ultimately the Spanish empire collapsed due to economic inflationary pressures which directly led to a crises within the political leadership class at the very sometime another great power was rising- France as well as England, too.
reply
Ultimately the Spanish empire collapsed due to economic inflationary pressures which directly led to a crises within the political leadership class at the very sometime another great power was rising- France as well as England, too.
reply
-Joker-no1uh
I love the territorial claims of some maps. How did Spain control even just Texas when the Comanche controlled most of it and Spain was never able to defeat them? Just because you explore territory doesn't mean you control it
reply
I love the territorial claims of some maps. How did Spain control even just Texas when the Comanche controlled most of it and Spain was never able to defeat them? Just because you explore territory doesn't mean you control it
reply
-perico400
The English invasions in 1805 and 1806 were because they were poor and the 40 tons of silver coins stolen by England, the silver of the viceroyalties and its subsequent indebtedness financed the English industrial revolution
reply
The English invasions in 1805 and 1806 were because they were poor and the 40 tons of silver coins stolen by England, the silver of the viceroyalties and its subsequent indebtedness financed the English industrial revolution
reply
knowledgia
Global superpower.
Yeah? Name one of their victories against the Royal Navy.
-Sun never set- was the British Empire, because it covered every time zone across the world.
reply
Global superpower.
Yeah? Name one of their victories against the Royal Navy.
-Sun never set- was the British Empire, because it covered every time zone across the world.
reply
-casonortiz6131
-An empire for which the sun never sets-
Really? And this whole time I thought that quote referenced the British and her
vast overseas dominions. lesson learnt! --
reply
-An empire for which the sun never sets-
Really? And this whole time I thought that quote referenced the British and her
vast overseas dominions. lesson learnt! --
reply
-louisdelaroca5598
Spanish the number 1 European language on the planet with over 700 million on the planet. California, New Mexico, and Texas over half Latino. Still winning losers.
reply
Spanish the number 1 European language on the planet with over 700 million on the planet. California, New Mexico, and Texas over half Latino. Still winning losers.
reply
knowledgia
Informative little documentary but need a correction, Charles V never 'seized the throne', he was the natural and legitimate heir of both Castile and Aragon kingdoms.
reply
Informative little documentary but need a correction, Charles V never 'seized the throne', he was the natural and legitimate heir of both Castile and Aragon kingdoms.
reply
knowledgia
So revolutionaries backed up and influenced by Freemasons with british and french lodges behind them didn't exist, right. typical black legend propaganda.
reply
So revolutionaries backed up and influenced by Freemasons with british and french lodges behind them didn't exist, right. typical black legend propaganda.
reply
-nickstevens3139
Why did the Spanish Empire in the Americas fragment into so many countries compared to the British Empire where there was little or no fragmentation?
reply
Why did the Spanish Empire in the Americas fragment into so many countries compared to the British Empire where there was little or no fragmentation?
reply
knowledgia
Poor relations with Native Americans? British and French colonizers destroyed them altogether, whoever wrote this documentary sucks as an investigator.
reply
Poor relations with Native Americans? British and French colonizers destroyed them altogether, whoever wrote this documentary sucks as an investigator.
reply
-martyrx3436
-The Empire Where the Sun Never Sets- was the British Empire, not Spanish-. How do you make that big of a mistake less than a minute into the video-
reply
-The Empire Where the Sun Never Sets- was the British Empire, not Spanish-. How do you make that big of a mistake less than a minute into the video-
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
