On the Edge of the Empire.
Counter-Referomation and the Baroque
 September 11st
The Reapers' War

The wars between Spain and France inevitably took place in Catalonia. The presence and arbitrary nature of the Spanish troops stirred up the latent social and political conflict. 1640 marked the rupture between Catalonia and the Hispanic monarchy. The popular revolution, in which the peasants played the principal role, was followed by a political revolution, led by the institutions. These events are commemorated in the popular song Els Segadors (The Reapers), which is the source of Catalonia’s national anthem. The long war (1640-1659) came to an end with the loss of the counties of Rosselló and Cerdanya to the French crown.

The Popular Revolution
The Corpus of Blood
Political Revolution
The Battle of Montjuïc
The Treaty of the Pyrenees
The Conflict Continues
Economic Growth

1618. Beginning of the Thirty Years’ War.
1626. Disintegration of the Corts. Opposition to the “Unió d’Armes” (Union of Arms).
1639. The French occupy Salses and Opol.
1640. “Corpus de Sang” (Corpus of Blood, 7th June), a popular revolt against the cost of maintaining billeted soldiers.
Political revolution. Beginning of the Reapers’ War.
1640. Uprising and independence in Portugal.
1641. Louis XIII of France is proclaimed count of Barcelona.
1643. Louis XIV of France is proclaimed count of Barcelona.
1652. Castilian troops occupy Barcelona.
1659. Treaty of the Pyrenees.
1660. Louis XIV abolishes the Catalan constitutions in Rosselló and Cerdanya.
1667. Beginning of the revolt of the “Angelets de la terra” (revolt by the peasants in Rosselló against a salt tax).
1688. Revolt of the “Gorretes o barretines” (Revolt of the Berets, against the cost of maintaining billeted Castilian soldiers).
1697. The French occupy Barcelona and part of the principality. Vendôme pledges allegiance to the Catalan constitutions in the name of Louis XIV.
1697. The Peace of Ryswick. France agrees to the reintegration of the principality into the Hapsburg patrimony.
© Museu d'Història de Catalunya