The Franco-Spanish War: How France Outgrew the Pyrenees

This episode traces the Franco-Spanish War of 1635–1659, a pivotal conflict that reshaped the balance of power in Europe. We follow Cardinal Richelieu's decision to enter the Thirty Years' War on the anti-Habsburg side, the crushing Spanish tercios at Rocroi in 1643 where young Louis II de Bourbon won his spurs, and the eventual Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 that gave France Roussillon and cemented a royal marriage between Louis XIV and Maria Theresa of Spain. Along the way we discuss the role of the Spanish Road, the revolt of the Catalans, and how this war set the stage for France's dominance under the Sun King. Expect specific names like the Count-Duke of Olivares, the Battle of Lens, and the strategic fortress of Perpignan. A lesser-known war that decided the fate of two kingdoms. #FrancoSpanishWar #Rocroi #TreatyOfThePyrenees #LouisXIV #Richelieu #ThirtyYearsWar #SpanishTercios #History #FexingoHistory #CardinalMazarin #CountDukeOfOlivares #BattleOfLens #CatalanRevolt #SpanishRoad #Roussillon #Perpignan #EarlyModernEurope #FrenchHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo