Ferdinand VI
Ferdinand VI was king of Spain from 1746 to 1759. His reign pursued European neutrality, fiscal and administrative reform, and naval reconstruction.
Spanish neutrality in the Seven Years' War: Spain’s policy of staying out of the Seven Years’ War while Ferdinand VI ruled. Ferdinand’s neutrality kept Spain outside the conflict that engulfed much of Europe.
José de Carvajal y Lancaster: A Spanish statesman who served as Ferdinand VI’s chief minister for foreign affairs and helped direct his neutral policy. Carvajal managed diplomacy that kept Spain clear of major European wars.
Barbara of Portugal: Queen of Spain from 1746 to 1758 and Ferdinand VI’s wife, known for her influence at court and support for music. Barbara shared Ferdinand’s court and shaped its cultural and political environment.
House of Bourbon: A European royal dynasty that ruled France and several other states, including Spain from 1700. Ferdinand belonged to the Spanish branch of the Bourbon dynasty.
Spanish Navy: The maritime military service of Spain, responsible for naval warfare, defense, and overseas connections. Ferdinand’s government rebuilt the fleet as an instrument of national defense and imperial power.
Ensenada reform program: A set of fiscal, administrative, military, and naval measures promoted by Zenón de Somodevilla under Ferdinand VI. It joined revenue gathering and state reorganization to the rebuilding of Spain’s armed forces.
Ricardo Wall: An Irish-born Spanish diplomat and statesman who became a leading minister under Ferdinand VI. Wall rose in influence after Carvajal’s death and helped maintain the king’s foreign policy.
War of the Spanish Succession: A European conflict from 1701 to 1714 over who would succeed the childless Charles II of Spain. The war secured the Spanish throne for Ferdinand’s Bourbon family.
Marqués de la Ensenada: Zenón de Somodevilla, a Spanish statesman and chief minister who directed major fiscal, naval, and administrative reforms. Ensenada was the leading architect of the reforms pursued under Ferdinand.
Royal Treasury of Spain: The institutions and revenues through which the Spanish monarchy financed its government and military. Ferdinand’s reforms sought more predictable income for the Crown and its naval program.