Why the Catalans always feel different

Flag of Catalonia: The Estelada (right) is almost identical to the Senyera (left) , but it is unofficial and has the addition of a blue triangle with a white star. The concept of the star is based on the flags that were seen in Cuba during its fight for independence from Spain. The star means this flag is therefore used as a political statement of independence from Spain.

Although the Phoenicians probably traded in the area, Barcelona was a Roman town. It was sacked – as usual – by the Visigoths, and became the capital of Hispania (what the Romans called the Iberian Peninsula).

The town was later conquered by the Moors, but subsequently taken by the Frank Charlemagne’s son Louis, who made the area a buffer zone between Christianity to the north and Arab Muslim 'Moorish' rule to the south. The Franks created the 'County of Barcelona' within the buffer.

The Moors (specifically Almanzor) sacked the town in 985, killing or enslaving most of the population. Later, as we have seen, the County of Barcelona merged with the Kingdom or Aragon to form the 'Crown of Aragon'.

Barcelona was a key base for launching the expansion of the Crown throughout the western Mediterranean. Interestingly, it was the Crown’s leading slave centre, with slaves sourced from the Balkans, north Africa (known as the Maghreb or Barbary Coast) and even sub-Saharan Africa.

The Catalan-Aragonese expansion, (C) The Map Archive.

After the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, the centre of power in the new Spain moved to Madrid. The Mediterranean resources, controlled by Barcelona, were dwarfed relative to those acquired from the Americas by Madrid. The Ottoman control of the markets of the eastern Mediterranean also hurt trade with Barcelona. Partly in consequence of this power shift, Catalonian separatism started in the 17th century.

During the War of the Spanish Succession* (early 18th century), Spain had pro-Habsburg and pro-Bourbon factions. The British were part of the Hapsburg-led Grand Alliance, that was fighting the Bourbon Franco-Spanish union.

Treaty or Utrecht, where Britain demanded that Spain preserve the historic Catalan rights.

The British took Barcelona in 1705, and consequently Catalonia came out for the Habsburgs. However, the city was besieged in 1713 and fell to the Bourbons in 1714. The Bourbon King, Charles V of Spain, effectively ended the 'Principality of Catalonia' and suppressed the Catalans, and their language. It was the British who, as part of the 'Treaty or Utrecht', demanded that Spain preserve the historic Catalan rights.

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), Barcelona, and Catalonia in general, sided with the Republicans against the Monarchists/Nationalists (who were eventually led by Franco). The city fell to the Nationalists in 1939, and many Republicans fled to the French border into Roussillon, including Port-Vendres. Franco abolished the ancient autonomous Catalan institutions and again suppressed the Catalan language (although these rights were later re-established.)

All this history, I suppose, goes into the melting pot of why Catalonia continues to seek independence from Spain. I spoke briefly to Mike G about it. I may have mis-understood this, but he said that there has been a lot of immigration into the area, from the time of the Franco era with the industrialisation and jobs. The immigrant population seems to be slightly more patriotic to the Catalonian cause, than the older local inhabitants.

*War of the Spanish Succession

[DN - This is complicated stuff for me, so I may have oversimplified it rather, but here goes...]

In the late 17th century Europe was largely ruled by two dynasties: the Habsburgs (of which Spain was a part); and the Bourbons, which was effectively the French.

In 1700, Phillip II of Spain (the last of the Spanish Hapsburgs) died heirless. This caused a European-wide power struggle. Spain with its empire was a very valuable asset, and included the Spanish Netherlands, and large parts of Italy. It mattered a lot who inherited it.

Phillip II’s nearest heirs were:

• firstly a Bourbon (Philp of Anjou); and

• secondly a Habsburg (the Austrian, Archduke Charles, Holy Roman Emperor).

  
  

Philip of Anjou accepted the title, and became the first Bourbon ruler of Spain. But, this powerful merger between France and Spain unsettled its neighbours.

They formed a Grand Alliance, comprising principally:

• the Holy Roman Empire (Austrian side of the Habsburg dynasty);

• Great Britain; and

  
  

• the non-Spanish Netherlands, amongst others.

  
  

It ultimately led to, what I would describe as, the first true World War, because battles were also fought over the various empires in North America, Asia and north Africa.

To cut a very long story short, fortunes ebbed and flowed and ended in a stalemate and the signing of the 'Treaty of Utrecht' (1713). As a result of the treaty, Philip (of Anjou) was confirmed king of Spain, on the condition that Spain remained permanently separate from France. Spain had to cede much territory, including parts of Italy and the Netherlands.

It ceded Gibraltar and Menorca to Great Britain (which had captured them during the war), and also gave Great Britain significant trade concessions in the Spanish Americas. Consequently, Great Britain replaced the Dutch as the leading maritime and commercial European power...