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The Esquilache Riots (''Motín de Esquilache'') occurred in March 1766 during the rule of Charles III of Spain. Caused mostly by the growing discontent in Madrid about the rising costs of bread and other staples, they were sparked off by a series of measures regarding Spaniards' apparel that had been enacted by Leopoldo de Gregorio, Marquis of Esquilache, a Neapolitan minister whom Charles favored. ==Background== Esquilache's plan was to terminate the wearing of long capes and broad-brimmed hats (''chambergos'') by male ''madrileños'', replacing these traditional garments with French-style short capes and three-cornered hats. This reform was intended to modernize the appearance of conservative Spanish society and improve public safety, since the long capes were thought to facilitate the concealment of weapons, while the large hats were thought to conceal a person's face, a safeguard for criminals. The new policies did not immediately catch the attention of the populace, as more pressing issues fanned the flames of popular discontent, namely the rising prices in bread, oil, coal, and cured meat, caused in part by Esquilache's liberalization of the grain trade. Moreover, these measures at first were only applied to the royal household and staff (January 21, 1766). Under pain of arrest, these royal functionaries adopted the measures en masse. Having applied these initial measures, Esquilache proceeded to impose them on the general population. The writer and government official Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes and the body known as the ''Council of Castile'' warned him that the confiscation of hats and cloaks would cause resentment amongst the people. Esquilache nevertheless went ahead with these measures, and on March 10, placards appeared in Madrid prohibiting the wearing of these garments. Popular reaction was immediate: the placards were torn off the walls. Soldiers were mobilized and local authorities were attacked by the populace. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Esquilache Riots」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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