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The War of Jenkins' Ear (known as ''Guerra del Asiento'' in Spain) was a conflict between Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748, with major operations largely ended by 1742. Its unusual name, coined by Thomas Carlyle in 1858,〔Carlyle discusses Jenkins' Ear in several passages of his ''History of Friedrich II''(1858), most notably in Book XI, chap VI, where he refers specifically to "the War of Jenkins's Ear"〕 refers to an ear severed from Robert Jenkins, captain of a British merchant ship, and acknowledged smuggler. The severed ear was subsequently exhibited before the British Parliament. The seeds of conflict begin with the separation of an ear from Jenkins, following the boarding of his vessel by Spanish coast guards in 1731, eight years before war began. Popular response to the incident was tepid, until several years later when opposition politicians and the British South Sea Company hoped to spur outrage against Spain, believing that a victorious war would improve Britain’s trading opportunities in the Caribbean.〔(Graboyes, Evan M., and Timothy E. Hullar. “The War of Jenkins’ Ear.” ''Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society'', American Neurotology Society and European Academy of Otology and Neurotology 34.2 (2013): 368–372 )〕 Also providing the impetus to war against the Spanish Empire was ostensibly a desire to pressure the Spanish not to renege on the lucrative ''asiento'' contract (permission to sell slaves in Spanish America).〔Olson, pp. 1121–22〕 The war resulted in heavy British casualties in North America. After 1742, the war was subsumed by the wider War of the Austrian Succession, which involved most of the powers of Europe. Peace arrived with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. From the British perspective, the war was notable because it was the first time that a regiment of colonial American troops was raised and placed "on the Establishment" – made a part of the Regular British Army – and sent to fight outside North America. == Background == At the conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession, the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 gave Britain a thirty-year asiento, or contract-right, to supply an unlimited number of slaves to the Spanish colonies, and 500 tons of goods per year. This provided British traders and smugglers potential inroads into the (traditionally) closed markets in Spanish America. But Britain and Spain were often at war during this period, fighting one another in the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–20), the Blockade of Porto Bello (1726) and the Anglo-Spanish War (1727–1729). In the Treaty of Seville (1729), following the Anglo-Spanish War, Britain had accorded Spanish warships the right to stop British traders and verify if the asiento right was respected. Over time, the Spanish became suspicious that British traders were abusing the contract and began to board ships and confiscate their cargoes.〔James, p. 59〕 After very strained relations between 1727 and 1732, the situation improved between 1732 and 1737, when Sir Robert Walpole supported Spain during the War of the Polish Succession. But the causes of the problems remained and, when the opposition against Walpole grew, so did the anti-Spanish sentiment amongst the British public.〔James, p. 61〕 Walpole gave in to the pressure and approved the sending of troops to the West Indies and a squadron to Gibraltar under Admiral Haddock, causing an immediate Spanish reaction. Spain asked for financial compensation, which led to the British demand to annul the "Visitation Right"—which allowed the Spanish to board English vessels to check for smuggled cargo—agreed to in the Treaty of Seville (1729). In reaction, King Philip V of Spain annulled the "Asiento Right" and had all British ships in Spanish harbours confiscated. The Convention of Pardo, an attempt to mediate the dispute, broke down. On 14 August, Britain recalled its ambassador to Spain and officially declared war on 23 October 1739. Despite the Pacte de Famille, France remained neutral. Walpole was deeply reluctant to declare war and reportedly remarked of the jubilation in Britain "they are ringing their bells, soon they will be wringing their hands".〔Pearce pp. 402–3〕 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「War of Jenkins' Ear」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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