Don Luis de Haro: un privat en temps turbulents per a la Monarquía Hispànica

Abstract

In 1643 the phenomenon of kings favourite would undergo an essential change when Don Luis de Haro became the favourite of King Philip IV of Spain. The personal and interventionist kind of rule characterised by the Duke of Lerma and the Count-Duke of Olivares came to an end and Philip IV of Spain regained control of the government. Nonetheless, the King chose a trustworthy nobleman who could gradually manage certain political issues. The role of Don Luis de Haro and his position as the Kings favourite had a fundamental prominence during a period of deep social and economic crisis. The Hispanic Monarchy was attempting to maintain its European supremacy and was constantly at war and as a result the search for new resources was of key importance. To sum up, the problems of the Crown were the same as they had been during the entire century. This essay has three objectives: firstly, it analyses the political status held by Don Luis de Haro as favourite of Philip IV of Spain; secondly, it shows the strategy that the Kings favourite developed in order to defend the Austrian branch of the dynasty against France; and thirdly, it describes how Don Luis de Haro sought to maintain the integrity of the territories of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty, especially those within the Peninsula, such as Portugal or Catalonia.