Enlightenment in Spain Enlightenment in Spain The ideas of the Age of Enlightenment (in Spanish, "Ilustración") came to Spain in the eighteenth century with the new Bourbon dynasty, following the death of the last , Charles II, in 1700. "Like the Spanish Enlightenment, the Spanish Bourbon monarchs were imbued with Spain's Catholic identity." The period of reform and 'enlightened despotism' under the Bourbons focused on centralizing and modernizing the Spanish government, and improvement of infrastructure, beginning with the rule of King Charles III and the work of his minister, José Moñino, count of Floridablanca. In the political and economic sphere, the crown implemented
House of Bourbon-Dampierre House of Bourbon-Dampierre The House of Bourbon-Dampierre refers to a noble dynasty emerged from the marriage of Guy II of Dampierre with Mathilde of Bourbon in 1197. The male line of this house ended in 1249, while the female line persisted until 1287. Through the marriage of their last descendant, Mathilde (Mahaut) of Bourbon, with Guy of Dampierre, the territories of Bourbon went to one of the branches of the House of Dampierre in 1196. The arms of the House of Dampierre, nowadays extinct, were "from gules to two leopards of gold, with baron's crown" ("De gueules à deux léopards