Felipe V y su tiempo: Congreso internacional celebrado en Zaragoza, 15 al 19 de Enero de 2001 (review)

For decades, eighteenth-century Spain and the Spanish kingdoms during the first half of the century in particular have received little scholarly attention. The eighteenth century had neither the allure of early modern imperial power, nor the appeal of impending modernity. Indeed, to many historians, the War of the Spanish Succession and Philip of Anjou´s succession was a vague interim after the Habsburg decline but before the full expression of the Enlightenment under Charles III. However, as a recent spate of new monographs and these volumes reveal, historians have breathed new life into eighteenth-century studies. In January 2001, many of Spain's best scholars gathered to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Bourbon dynasty's ascent to the Spanish throne. The result is a remarkable two-volume set of seventy-five essays that provide detailed, useful discussions of nearly all aspects of Spanish history and culture during the reign of Philip V (r.1700-1746).

Some essays provide broad overviews of the political, economic, and social contexts. For example, Elisa Torres Santana examines marginalized people, including gypsies, prostitutes, and slaves; José Manuel Pérez García lays out the changing demography of the period; and Manuel Lobo Cabrera provides a broad look at the Spanish economy. Other essays provide a glimpse into regional differences. As the conference was held in Zaragoza, the kingdom of Aragón is particularly well represented, but other regions including Galicia receive some attention as well. The most striking aspect of this collection is its topical and methodological range. In addition to political, economic, and social history, diplomatic history, literature, musicology, architecture, and ritual all receive interesting and up-to-date treatment.

In terms of the readership of this journal, seven of the seventy-five essays deal directly with religion or the Catholic Church. Historians of eighteenth-century Spain, like their counterparts in other parts of Europe, have demonstrated greater interest in Enlightenment ideas and increased secularization during the eighteenth century than what is often viewed as a stagnant or even declining Church. Nevertheless, this handful of articles offers much to the religious historian, and they provide the same variety of breadth and detail as the rest of the collection. Maximiliano Barrio Gozalo provides an excellent "state of the clergy." He includes statistical data and provides some basic analysis on an array of issues including the moral and intellectual state of the clergy and the effect of the ascent of the French dynasty on the Spanish church. Teófanes Egido takes up the impact of Gallicanism on the peninsula and whether the Spanish clergy formed a new relationship with the monarchy in the wake of Philip´s 1709 break with Rome. Ricardo García Cárcel argues that the Inquisition did not suffer any assumed decline during the eighteenth century. Rather, the tribunals pursued more than 3000 cases with heretical propositions, solicitation, superstition, and judaizing topping the list. Articles on religious discourse and the press in Barcelona and the Aragonese clergy's support of the Austrian candidate in the War of the Spanish Succession connect local issues to broader national concerns. Finally, an examination of Bishop Belluga of Cartagena's visitations ad limina and a piece on music in the Cathedral of Barbastro offer interesting views of the Church in its local context.

These volumes will prove to be very useful for all scholars of the period. As we work to better understand this transitional century, these clearly written, up-to-date discussions will be critical references for a wide array of studies.