To the first time visitor to Cervera , and you don't know the history of the city, it may surprise you how this small town ended up becoming a university campus.
Before starting the topic in depth, I would like to clarify that my intention is to relate the facts by which Cervera manages to have said University. I am aware of the relevance of the events that occurred during the war of succession. But I do not intend to judge current affairs, nor enter the political debates on the consequences of said war in Catalonia.
The succession problem.
The story began with the death of Carlos II in the year 1700, the ailing king of Spain, who died without issue. Therefore, the line of succession of the Spanish Habsburgs was deserted for the first time since 1516.
Three will be the candidates to occupy the Spanish throne. In the first place the Archduke of Austria Carlos III descended from Felipe III in the Austrian part. In second place, the favourite, José Fernando de Austria, grandson of Margarita de Austria, this sister of Carlos II. Although his sudden death in 1699 caused the next on the list to come to the throne. The one designated by Carlos II as his successor was Philip of Anjou, grandson of the King of France, Louis XIV. After the death of Carlos II he will be crowned as Felipe V.
The main reason that led Charles II to appoint Philip of Anjou was not to see Spain divided, since this was what his main rivals wanted.
War of international succession.
The opportunity for France to intervene in Spain had been achieved. Although obviously on the other hand it unleashed tensions in Europe, which could not consent to the union of two powers. Two sides will launch to intervene to win the cake of Spain and her colonies in the world. On the one hand the supporters of the Bourbon Felipe V in this case, France, Naples, Bavaria and Spain. On the other hand, the supporters of the Archduke of Austria, England, Portugal, United Provinces, Savoy, Prussia and Austria itself.
War of succession in Spain, a true civil war.
It is the most complex part of the story I intend to tell. As I have already said, it turned into a real civil war. Broadly speaking, we can say that he faced the ancient kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, those that the Catholic Monarchs had united through their marriage two centuries before. But it was actually more complex.
On the one hand, Castile mostly supported the Bourbon Felipe V, although with some reluctance. On the other hand, Aragón sided with the Archduke of Austria, and it should also be emphasized that the internal division was much greater in this area. The greatest support for the Archduke came from the bourgeoisie, and the main reasons were two:fear of the French after their occupation between 1694-1697 and the possibility of losing economic relations with England and the United Provinces. While support for Bourbon from the Crown of Aragon came from the nobility.
In this context, the University of Cervera was born.
The war lasted de facto until the beginning of 1715, although on paper peace was not signed until 1725 in Vienna. In the context of said war, the Nueva Planta Decrees of King Felipe V were born. . Although the most notorious were the elimination of the institutions of the former Crown of Aragon, others alluded to the construction of our protagonistthe University of Cervera .
At this point it is necessary to emphasize that they have run, as they say; "rivers of ink", and in addition to all colors. Although the only thing that seems to be clear is the arrival of two representatives of Cervera in Madrid, with the demand under the arm of war reparations. After which they returned with the concession for the construction of the University of Cervera.
It has been written, I have investigated the reasons for this concession by great historians. Some completely postulate that it was a gift to the city, thanks to the support of the population of Cervera during the War of Succession to Felipe V. On the other hand, others, especially since the events of this 21st century, intend to demonstrate that such support never existed. Behind which there may be a need to clear the name of the city of Cervera.
At this point of confrontation of positions, I prefer the research carried out by the team of Joaquín Prats , Professor of Didactics of History at the University of Barcelona. It is convenient to emphasize that they are exposed in his book: The University of Cervera and the Bourbon reformism .
According to these investigations, there were several reasons. The main one was the need to give a boost to university institutions, in clear decline not only in Catalonia but generally in all the territories of the Spanish Crown. This decadence was intended to end by strengthening a specific center, added to the closure of the rest of the university centers, with the evident strengthening of the new one by avoiding competition. This would be one of the reasons for the birth of the Cervera proposal. On the other hand, it is necessary to emphasize that the ideal place to implement this new conception of the largest University was Catalonia, due to the weakness of the institutions after the defeat in the War of Succession.
One of the two courtyards of the University of Cervera
In addition to the above, Cervera had several of the needs described to house an institution like this. Definitely, not being too big a place, without military institutions, easy control of the students, arranged in the geographical center and well connected, were the characteristics that brought the University to Cervera. It is likely that the affinity of the city with Philip V did the rest.
Brief history of the University of Cervera.
It was built between 1718 and 1740. It began with a Baroque style and ended with the appearance of Neoclassicism. His most illustrious students were Narciso Monturiol who, together with Isaac Peral, set the submarine in motion. Or Juan Prim one of the most prominent Spanish politicians of the nineteenth century. The main courses taught were Law, Humanities, Theology, Medicine and Philosophy. All this until 1840, the year when he moved definitively to Barcelona.
Door of the auditorium of the University of Cervera
The University of Cervera today.
Today as well as being one of the most visited historical monuments in the city. The building is compartmentalized, housing a library, the county archives and a secondary school. Finally, note that university classes continue to take place in its classrooms, in this case as an associated center of the UNED, where the undersigned continues with his studies in Geography and History.
More information:ub.edu
Images:commons.wikimedia