Anglo-Spanish War (1761)
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The Anglo-Spanish War between 1761 and 1763 was fought as part of the Seven Years' War.
When the Seven Years' War between France and Great Britain started in 1756, Spain remained neutral. King Ferdinand VI of Spain's prime minister Richard Wall effectivly opposed the French party who wanted to enter the war on the side of France.
Everything changed when Ferdinand VI died in 1759 and was succeeded by his younger brother Charles III of Spain. Charles was more ambitious than his melancholily brother. One of the main objects of Charles's policy was the survival of Spain as a colonial power and, therefore, as a power to be reckoned with in Europe.
By 1761 France looked like losing the war against Great Britain. Futhermore, Spain suffered from attacks by English privateers in Spanish waters, and claimed compensation.
Fearing that a British victory over France in the Seven Years' War would upset the balance of colonial power, he signed the Family Compact with France (both countries were ruled by branches of the Bourbon family) in August 1761.
This brought war with Great Britain in January 1762.
[edit] The war
Spain agreed with France to attack Portugal which remained neutral, but which was an important economical ally of Great Britain. France hoped that this new front would draw away British forces, now directed against France.
On May 9 Spain invaded Portugal, and made Great Britain send a force of 8,000 men to Portugal, but little more was achieved.
The British now could attack the Spanish colonies. A British expedition against Cuba took Havana and Western Cuba on August 14, 1762. One and a half months later, the British took Manila, which meant the loss of both the capitals of the Spanish West Indies and the Spanish East Indies, a serious blow and loss in prestige for Spain .
An attack by the East India Company in South America was not successful, when the warship Lord Clive was sunk by Spanish coastal fire.
In the Treaty of Paris (1763) the Spanish lost Florida and had to withdraw from Portugal and Brazil, to regain Cuba and the Philippines.
They were compensated with Louisiana, following the Treaty of Fontainebleau with France.
