La sal de Ibiza y Carlos II. Control político y control económico de una fuente de riqueza en la antesala del cambio dinástico, 1683-1691

Abstract

In this work, our main interest has been to explain the case of the political initiative carried out by the governor of Ibiza, Juan Bayarte (1684-1689), who defended a deep reform in the tradicional political structure of the island; changes that we can undersantd as a precedent of the well-known “Nueva Planta” of the Dynasty of the Borbones of Spain. These changes were justified by the desire of the governor, but also of the King, Charles II of Spain, to control better the business of the salt native of Ibiza, the only source of income that allowed the maintenance of the island population, as well as of their military garrison. Unprotected Ibiza could easily be conquered by the enemies of the Hispanic Monarchy.