Originally Posted by
Craig B
The War of the Spanish Succession included a rather bloody siege of Barcelona in 1713-14 which was not "peaceful". Aragonese institutions were then abolished by the Nueva Planta decrees.
WP
War of Spanish succession was a war between houses of Burbon (Capet) and Habsburg about who should control Spain. Yes, it also abolished what remained of the kingdom of Aragon, because they sided with the losing side (Habsburgs). It was not, in any shape or form, a war for Aragonese independence or the start of the unified Spain.
Spain de facto unified back in 1469, with the marriage of Isabella of Castillie and Ferdinand of Aragon. The country remained a union of kingdoms, with Castillie (itself a union of the kingdoms of Castillie and Leon) getting the upper hand most of the time, until Castillian institutions sided with the winning side after the death of Charels II of Spain. In the ensuing war France (& friends) prevailed over Austria (& friends) and Aragonese institutions got the shaft.
It wasn't some sort of a war of unification or anything. Independent institutions were collateral damage.
McHrozni