Philip of Anjou was appointment like king Charles II's inheritor. This notice was welcomed with indifference in England, Holland and Portugal until French king Louis XIV proclaims, in 1704, that both thrones can be compatible.

It is then, when these countries allied with Austria, to neutralize the Gallic aspiration, generalizing the conflict.

Madrid is the first Spanish city that watches the confrontation by a real decree, that forces it to give a "contribution" for military expenses.

Soldier at first of 18th century prepared to shoot a spark shotgun.
He takes above a small pouch and a wing of gunpowder, a long military frock coat with
wide hat, picked up with buttons, so that it doesn't hinder him the vision.

The madrilenians should contribute with one real (Spanish coin of 25 cents) by fanega of cultivate lands (1.59 acres); two real by fanega of vegetable garden, vineyard and olive grove; a five per cent on leasings and rents of houses, meadows, mills and pastures; one real by head of greater cattle and eight maravedíes (old Spanish coin) by head of smaller cattle.

The decree strengthens Philip's opponents momentarily, who fustrates an invading attempt in the Portuguese Alentejo, winning old fidelities by the victory.

However, the allied victories in Gibraltar, Aragon, Catalonia and Levant force to him to flee from Madrid in 1706, leaving it on hands of the Austrian archduke.

The pretender's stay in the city is not anything gratifying. Entered the 4 of August of that year, he has to flee two months later, after verifying the Madrilenian hostility, that closes doors and windows in his presence and acclaims Philip V, returned with French and Andalusianses reinforcements.

Austrian archduke Charles's landing in Barcelona

The war is unequal. In 1707, Philip V defeat in Almansa (Albacete), sending to the Court one hundred flags taken in the affray, that are deposited in the church of the Virgin of Atocha, recovering immediately afterwards Zaragoza and Valencia. But in 1710, all changed.

Philip V is defeated in the outskirts of Zaragoza and has to retire to Valladolid, leaving Madrid on hands of the archduke, who makes his entrance the 28 of September, after to have fixed his quarters in Canillejas, Villaverde, Ciempozuelos and The Pardo.

In this second occasion, the civic attitude stops to be passive because of the pretender's blame, that dictates a series of decrees received with evident hostility.

In one of them and under death penalty, it forces to the grandees of Spain and noblemen in favor of Philip V to go to Toledo. Also, in twenty-four hours, should travel whichever French remained in the Villa, although they belong to families settled down centuries back.

On the other hand, the madrilenians were forced to give their arms, specially those of fire. The same capital punishment prevails for those were being corresponded with, in favor of Philip V, those that speaks bad of the government or those that came from Valladolid.

The church is also forced to present inventory of its goods, auctioning a great part of them - patens, mostrances, large cups, ornaments -, obtaining with it to propagate the news that, combatting to the archduke, the crusade against the heretics is being impelled. The situation, for the Austrian, becomes tense.

The battle of Villaviciosa cleared the way for Philip's V definitive victory
in the so called War of Spanish Succession. (1700 - 1714)

Harassed by fighter forces that isolated Madrid, surrounded by a population that did not stopped to shout their sympaties by king Philip V, in spite of the execution threats and incapable at least to create a cavalry regiment - nor confiscating the precise animals by lack of volunteers that mounts them -, the 9 of November leave their ephemeral Court, hours before the Bourbon took it once and for all.

The battle of Villaviciosa of Tajuña (Guadalajara) sealed the warlike conflict that same year.

The allied casualties are heavy with more than 3.000 deads and 12.000 prisoners, losing 50 flags, 14 standards, 21 cannons, 2 mortars, almost all the equipment, recovering most of the jewels despoiled to the churches of Madrid and Toledo, restored without delay.

One year later, the archduke Carlos abandons his followers, embarking from Barcelona to take the Austrian imperial crown (September 27, 1711), leaving that city in a critical situation until its capture and sacking another month of September, that of 1714, in which loses its jurisdictions and it is subjected to those of Castile.

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