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Charles Handling of Government (Councils (Strengths (Advisory councils…
Charles Handling of Government
Councils
Strengths
Advisory councils advised Charles on most important matters concerning government and helped deal with decisions of other councils
Councils helped meet extensive demands of extensive empire- more efficient- had less nobility and more letrados
Council of Castile important- dealt with internal affairs- acted as court of law hearing appeals from lower courts and advised King on matters
Council of Finance- at first for management of Castile’s finances then all of Charles’s finances- most innovative and important of all councils
Council of Supreme & General inquisition- linked all kingdoms of Spain together- dealt with matters of heresy in all kingdoms of Spain
Weaknesses
Council of Finance oversaw collapse of Spain's finances due to Charles's refusal to curtail his foreign wars or personal expenditure- didn't know scale of debts as interest payments on royal debts not included in calculation of annual expenditure
Only to advise Charles and could not implement decisions without him
Charles did not unite councils into one coordinated unit- Aragon, Castile, Naples, Sicily, Netherlands and Germany councils remained separate- lack of collaboration
Secretaries
Strengths
Francisco De Les Cobos- most important secretary during Charles reign- improved quality of them and hired men from local gentry who had administrative training and experience rather than nobility- could rely on them for support in policies
Secretaries could issue royal decrees without agreement of the council- much patronage at their command
In Castile- secretaries responsible for preparing agendas for council meetings, royal documents were counter signed by them and when correspondence arrived they decided whether it should go to Charles or the courts- increased efficiency
Weaknesses
Secretary powers often caused resentment, particularly from members of the council
Secretaries could also be corrupt with men like Cobos gaining gifts and wealth from those seeking to see or gain favours from Charles
Cobos more interested in getting structures of government to work than innovation
Cortes
Strengths
Charles promised to respect laws of Castile and was granted 600,000 ducats by cortes of Castile
January 1519- Cortes of Aragon recognised Charles as king and voted him a grant of 200,000 ducats
Cortes of Catalonia eventually accepted Charles as king after a year and with reluctance granted Charles 200,000 ducats
Weaknesses
Charles had no time to visit Valencia, the third main Kingdom of Aragon due to being elected as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519- never fully recognised as King which caused unrest
Cortes of Castile in Valladolid in 1518- Charles ill advised and chose Burgundian councillor, Jean le Sauvage as president of Cortes-town representatives expressed resentment
Cortes of Valladolid 1523- Charles tried to gain money for expenses as Holy Roman Emperor-- representatives tried to sort grievances before granting money- did not suit Charles so he bribed representatives eventually gaining a vote which approved him the grant
Ruling
Strengths
Charles was a peripatetic ruler, travelling around his immense monarquia and governing while travelling
King remained source of all power, exercising a monarchical power in his own personal way
Charles' wife Isabella acted as regent during his absentees and governed with help of Archbishop of Toledo Cardinal Tavera
Weaknesses
Charles absentee ruler as he owned many possessions hence he couldn't stay in Spain which irritated the Spanish
Charles finances were low due to foreign affairs and the way Spain was governed
Corruption within government meant bribes were taken and some couldn't be trusted
Nobles
Strengths
After Comuneros revolt Charles tried to rebuild support amongst the nobility by reaffirming their exemption from taxes and employing them in key government roles in return for their loyal control of the localities- Duke of Alba head position on council of State
During the Comuneros revolt- nobles rallied around the crown alarmed by the social disorder that accompanied the uprising and their intervention was vital in the defeat of the revolt- victory at Villalar
Most nobles excluded from important councils which were instead staffed by Letrados giving them less control
Weaknesses
Charles allowed nobility to exercise considerable power in towns, including judicial authority through senorios
Charles attempts to tax nobles on food failed and nobles retained their exemption from taxation
Charles at first alienated the nobility by favouring Burgundians like Cheivres in central government and by granting titles, estates, and church positions to 'foreigners'