Bunt długich płaszczy i kapeluszy z szerokim rondem – znamienny symptom upadku ancien régime’u w Hiszpanii w połowie XVIII wieku.

Abstrakt

The study cncerns  that took place in Madrid in March 1766 which made history and are know as the Esquilache riots or as "the revolt of the long capes and broadbrimmed hats". The article is based not only on the well-known sources but also on some newly found facts that were not previusly published. Those facts come from there confessions of the bystanders of the rebels and are the from of letters (the reproduction of the original can be found at the end of this thesis) which are kept in Biblioteca de Catalunya in Barcelona. The aim of the end of the article is to prove that the Esquilache Riots did not conorm to pattern of the traditional city rebellions during the ara of the ancien regime. It is necessery to consider this rebellion in the context of similiar ones that plane in France during the XVI and XVII centuries as well as the French Revolution. It has similarites to both, which  can be seen on the two opposining sides: both the royality and the society. The rebellion demonstrated that  the crisis was caused by the rule system under the region of Charles III (1759-1788). This crisis triggered the political transformation of Spain which led the liberal society of the second half of XIX century. The rebellion arose due to both the deciline of Spain and the general desire for change.

The evidence of this change was visible in the  way of thinking and acting of both the  subjecta and the king and his managment. "Motion de Esquilache" conveyed the inefficiency of the old structures of the country faced with the growing discontent and spiration of people wanting to speak about their situation. This conflict was not as radical as the one in France in 1789 but it was for the conditions in Spain at that time. The  author of the articleobserves  similiar precursories leading up to the riot in Madrid as seen before the french revolution. The author also corrects sme of the popular but not always true opinions about the essence and course of this riot.