Opposition facing Charles
Germania revolt 1519
Causes
The Germania were a Christian brotherhood, originally formed to protect the coast of Valencia from Muslim pirates
The Christian brotherhood resented the presence of local Muslims. they felt that the inquisition had been too lenient on them and felt that they took all the work by working for lower wages
Plague had broken out and members of the Germania were finding it difficult to get food
Many nobles left the city due to the plague. the church saw the plague as a punishment for immoral behaviour. Ordinary citizens felt that the most immoral of all, the nobility, had not suffered
Outcomes
It alarmed the nobles and so made them less sympathetic to the Communeros rebels
Nobility took firm action against the Germania e.g. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
Peris (leader of the revolt) was executed and many others were killed, fined, or had their property confiscated
Strong response from both king and nobility (e.g. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza killed 800 rebels in 1521) suggests Charles was a strong, effective and potentially 'absolute' monarch
power of local corregidores was strengthened
Cortes generally accepted all government proposals
Communeros revolt
Causes
Charles was essentially an absentee monarch for much of his reign - his foreigness made people anxious about where his loyalties lay and how much he actually knew about Spain and its people. this was only exacerbated by the fact that Charles spoke no Spanish at first and surrounded himself with foreign advisers.
Factions had begun to appear in the nobility based on long standing family feuds or linked to competition for office. Also resentment between
Also worries that Charles put his imperial duties first and that his responsibilities elsewhere would have to be funded by Spain leading to an increase in taxation. Fear that Spain's identity would be absorbed into a wider imperial identity
economic and fiscal grievances: for example demands for tax reforms and an abolition of subsidies voted in the Cortes. also a reduction of the alcabala to its 1499 level
Outcomes
Padilla's (leader of communeros) forces were crushed at the battle of Villalar in 1521. The battle was short and decisive: Padilla and other leaders were captured and executed, Toledo surrendered and the bishop of Zamora was captured and imprisoned (later to be hanged).
Casualties were surprisingly few - possibly around 200 rebels and 20 on the king's side
Nobility supported the king and helped to repress the revolt - for example Enriquez de Cabrera
Charles did make some changes: he replaced Chievres with Gattinara, agreed to learn Spanish and agreed to marry a Spanish bride. Also granted towns permission to collect taxes in 1534
Nobility realised they needed the king to protect their liberties and so the crushing of the revolt facilitated a closer relationship between king and nobility. For example many sought to gain favour with the king by fighting in the war against France. this was in part facilitated by Charles issuing a general pardon to the majority who had taken part in the revolt
Charles undertook no significant governmental reforms. he also secured the nobility in their social status and privileges but without granting them any significant increase in political power
Were the revolts a serious threat?
The revolt failed to stick to its original aim of protecting Spain from a foreign ruler - instead it developed into a general attack on the aristocracy, with different regions fighting for different things
Because of a lack of direction, Juana was unwilling to act as a figurehead for the rebellion. without her the revolt had no legality (rebels were supporting her claim to the throne)
The various states were uncoordinated being the revolt lacked any sense of unity
Juan de Padilla was a weak leader: he was a noble but he lacked absolute authority
The nobility
A probelm
Nobility had increased in number under Isabella and Ferdinand who had granted earldoms as a reward for service in wars
Some joined the communeros revolt - for example Juan de Padilla
Loyal/little opposition
Majority remained loyal during the revolts - e.g. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Enriquez de Cabrera
Growth of the lesser nobility - the 'hidalgos' due to policy of mayorazgo and the the ability to 'purchase' nobility. this created a new style of nobility who sought rank and privilege rather than responsibilites
Nobles no longer dominated government
In the New World, some nobles were semi-autonomous. e.g. Hernando de Cortes who was made governor of Mexico in 1523 (though Charles later became wary of his powers and in 1528 reduced him to captain general)
Continued to hold regional dominance, especially in rural areas. for the mass of peasants, government emanated not from the king, but from the local nobility. e.g. Duke of Medina Sidonia who had huge estates and his own port
Nobility recognised they need for the king to maintain their privileges so remained mostly loyal - no revolts after 1521
Religion/protestantism
Had been very successful in Europe - fears it would spread to Spain - major threat to Charles as a defender of the fath
Seville was the most susceptible because it was a centre for international trade. indeed there was a community there but it was very small, only around 130.
Protestantism in Spain was "strangled at birth"
Pyrenees acted as a natural barrier, isolating Spain from the rest of Europe and preventing the infiltration of foreign ideas
In 1521, Adrian of Utrecht banned all books written by Luther
Royal authority over the church was strong and Charles (and I+F) was very pious - set an example for the people
The whole of the Cazallos family was killed
of the approximate 105 protestants brought before the inquisition, only around 39 were Spanish born = never grasped Spanish roots
Essentially been eradicated by 1562