Quadrumvirate: Power in the Caribbean – The Spanish Navy JHUMUNC 2017 1 The Spanish Navy Topic A: Internal Naval Structure and Colonial Cohesion Topic B: External Affairs and Colonial Expansion Committee Overview other important figures, most of whom have a personal familiarity with each other. A Over the past several decades the creative outlook and liberal use of crisis power of the Spanish crown has faded. notes is encouraged, though delegates will Their hold on colonial America has find their endeavors most successful if they loosened, while wars in Europe have drained receive support from other delegates. them of their resources. The golden age of Spain may have faded but is up to this committee to make sure that this decline Delegate Descriptions does not progress. The first step to stopping Regional Colonial Leaders this decline is naming the new King of Doctor Diego Ladron de Guevara (Viceroy Spain, Philip V. This new King will need of Peru aid rebuilding the Spanish empire and it is After studying theology at the this committee’s responsibility to help him. University of Alcala de Henares, and later King Philip has made it clear that the becoming a professor of law, Diego Ladron Spanish Empire has been at its strongest de Guevara has a reputation for being a when its Navy was the best in the world, pious and law-abiding man. Before his therefore a large number of delegates have appointment as Viceroy of Peru, he served connections to the Spanish Royal Navy and as bishop of Panama, Ayacucho, and Quito. maritime trade. Delegates will have to Guevara is also known to be hot-headed advise the King on how best to reorganize over personal disagreements with the Royal Navy, utilize Spain’s current colleagues; one such instance of “personal colonies, and possibly expand to new ones differences” led to him being jailed briefly along with any other ideas they have to in 1689. As Viceroy and one of the most reform Spain. experienced in dealings with privateers, he heavily favors taxation and regulation in Parliamentary Procedure order to protect against both the external pirate threat and the internal threat of slave As a small, specialized committee, uprisings. parliamentary procedure will be moderately relaxed, assuming that this does not impede Laureano de Torres y Ayala (Governor of the flow of debate. Delegates are prominent Cuba) Spanish naval officers, admirals and Previously the governor of La generals, along with esteemed royalty, and Florida, Torres y Ayala comes from a noble 2 family living in Madrid, Spain. He joined military, from Cadet to Captain. He was the Spanish army at a young age and briefly a prisoner of war in France, leading participated in the exploration of Florida to a great distrust of all non-Spaniards. In territories before becoming Governor and his time as Governor of Florida, he has participating in the construction of several withstood fires and attacks by Amerindians, settlements. After fighting for several years Greeks and English. Therefore, he greatly in the War of Spanish succession, he was values fortifications to colonial forts and appointed Governor of Cuba. He is increased immigration from Spain to the primarily concerned with economic New World to replace his losses in problems, such as preventing tobacco tax population. Martinez’s greatest rival and evasion. Ayala himself has had several run- enemy is Juan de Ayala y Escobar, his ins with the law, the most important of second-in-command who Martinez has which being a two-year imprisonment on already tried to imprison once for corruption charges. Since his acquittal and overcharging on food to the poor and hungry reinstatement, Ayala has dedicated himself population. to founding charities and economic development, but it is unclear whether he is truly innocent. Juan de Ayala y Escobar (Lieutenant Governor of Florida) Second to Martinez in the Floridian Fernando de Alencastre, 1st Duke of chain of command, Escobar spent many Linares (Viceroy/Captain-General of New years serving aboard merchant vessels in the Spain) Caribbean. His connections and familiarity Alencastre is a rich nobleman and with trade routes and harbors are helpful, but knight with close ties to the royal family. his ambition has led to untrustworthiness That said, he has a generous streak, using and corruption, including profiteering from money from his own funds to repair illegally obtained and overpriced food. Yet, earthquake damage and help the poor during Escobar is well connected with local troops times of famine. He has also spent large and merchants, making him seemingly amounts of money on warships for the coast unshakeable from his rising position of guard and muskets for the militia. One of his power. main goals is to increase trade with Peru, a task interrupted by the War of Spanish Primary Military/Naval Leaders Succession. In the past, he has used private ships to trade when the Spanish government Andres de Pez y Malzarraga failed. The Council of the Indies has rejected Andres de Pez comes from a family his attempts to create this kind of trade in tradition of Naval service and has spent the past, suggesting that Alencastre himself decades in the Spanish Navy. His father and might be profiting from the trade. brother, also naval officers, were killed by Nevertheless, the Viceroy continues to be the French in an 1876 battle, after which he one of the greatest contributors to the became a company commander in the church, the poor, and scholarly pursuits. Caribbean, protecting Spanish ships so effectively that he earned a reputation for Francisco de Corcoles y Martinez outstanding bravery and efficiency, also (Governor of Florida) sustaining several wounds. He has explored Martinez joined the Royal Army in and mapped much of the northern Gulf of his youth, and has progressed very far in the Mexico, convincing the War Council to 3 colonize Pensacola, Florida. He served as Don Juan Esteban de Ubilla captain general of the Indies Fleet until 1710 Esteban de Ubilla is the current and is the leading candidate to take captain of the New Spain Fleet, also known command of the reorganized Navy as one of as the Spanish Treasure Fleet. The fleet set the wisest and most experienced on the sail in 1712 by orders of King Phillip V, due council. to Spain’s state of near bankruptcy. This captain is tasked with sailing eight ships to Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta the Americas and accruing as much treasure Blas de Lezo started his career in the as possible. He is under a lot of pressure French navy in 1701, fighting in the Franco- from the King, as he is one of the most Spanish fleet against Great Britain. He lost important players in saving the Spanish his left leg below the knee early in the war, economy. followed by his left eye and, most recently, the use of his right arm. Though still a relatively young man, Lezo has garnered a Francisco Castillo Fajardo reputation as a war hero and skilled in Fajardo has a sturdy military record strategy, despite nicknames such as ‘Pegleg’ in the Spanish military, having defended and ‘Halfman’. He has joined this council to Cadiz and conquered Castelo de Vide and provide his leadership and expertise, and is Marvao early in the war. He harbors a one of the top candidates to lead the Spanish particularly strong grudge against the British Navy going forward. Another leading and Dutch, who he fought many times in the candidate, Andres de Pez, was the War, and opposes all notions of cooperation commanding officer in the battle when Blas with them now that the war is over. de Lezo lost his eye; the relationship between the two is therefore understandably Alberto Octavio Tserclaes de Tilly complex. Tilly is a Spanish General of Flemish origin, who served on King Philip V’s side Antonio de Benavides in the Portuguese campaign of the War. He Another up-and-comer in the is best known, however for foiling a Spanish military, Benavides is rumored to conspiracy by the Captain General of have saved the life of King Philip V himself Catalonia, who tried to switch sides against while serving in the Spanish War of Philip. Philip V rewarded Octavio with the Succession. He is reportedly very close to title Grandee of Spain. He has had several the king, having accompanied the monarch administrative roles in the past eight years, on many royal hunting parties even before making him another strong candidate for Benavides helped Philip V escape enemy leadership of the council. fire in 1710, at great personal risk. Rafael Casanova i Comes Furthermore, he has proven to be an upright As the siege of Barcelona has ended, and ethical leader since his first post in so has Rafael Casanova’s position as the Havana, Cuba, and is an exceptional highest political and military authority in marksman. Philip V is looking forward to Catalonia, supporters of Charles against repaying Benavides’s loyalty, which will Philip in the War of Spanish Succession. come in handy during the power struggle Although Philip has largely opted to pacify ahead, especially considering Antonio’s Catalonia through force, Philip recognizes interest in reforming and developing the Rafael’s value as a politician and officer, Floridian colony. and has given him a position in the council 4 in hopes of gaining support for Catalan British and Dutch have tried to copy some of incorporation into Spain. Casanova is his designs, much to his distaste. Castaneta therefore a wildcard on the council, a former did fight before the War of Succession, and enemy combatant who may want to is looking to get back into the military ranks, undermine council proceedings, but also a although many have pressured him to stick skilled soldier and demagogue who may be to shipbuilding able to solve some of the problems plaguing the Navy.