The arrival of the Bourbon dynasty to power in Spain was accompanied by an extensive programme of military reforms. Among these, the need to reform the fleet was imperative. In this regard, the efforts of José Patiño were particularly noteworthy. The need for a powerful fleet was also consubstantial with the monarchy’s strategy of recovering some of the territories lost as a result of the treaties signed in 1700, which dismembered Hispanic territorial unity. In order to achieve this objective, the monarchy resorted to forced contracts with the private owners of merchant ships that crossed the Mediterranean and specifically its ports. In this sense, they were obliged to take their ships to strategic ports such as Cartagena, Barcelona and Alicante (with the penalty of 2,000 pesos if they did not do so) where they were placed under the orders of the competent military. English ships were the most predominant given their active trade with the Mediterranean, with French ships in second place. According to Armando Alberola Roma, this type of measure became necessary due to the delicate situation of the Spanish navy and was an effective way of transferring troops and supplies to the Italian territories they wanted to take over, such as Sicily and Corsica. This experience would later enable Philip V to assemble an extraordinary fleet to take the city of Oran in 1732.
Collection: Statistics
Project: 3. Rural world and urban world in the formation of the European identity., 9. Travels and travelers: economic, social and cultural connections.
Chronology: XVIII
Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University
Link: http://rua.ua.es/dspace/handle/10045/4638
Resource type: Statistics
Format: Table
Source: AHPA. Protocolos notariales de Francisco Andújar y Antonio García
Language: Spanish
Date: 1991
Owner: Djebril Bouzidi (Modernalia)
Identifier: AHPA. Protocolos notariales de Francisco Andújar y Antonio García
Copyright: © Armando Alberola Roma y © Revista de Historia Moderna
Abstract: Table showing the vessels requisitioned by the Spanish monarchy from foreign merchants in order to carry out the Sicilian expedition of 1718
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