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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Esquilache riots, Alicante 1766

Synopsis
The popular disturbances that took place in Alicante in April 1766 formed part of the wave of riots that simultaneously affected numerous Spanish towns and cities during the subsistence crisis of the agricultural year 1765-1766. On 29 March 1766, the captain general of Valencia, the Count of Aranda, departed for Madrid, leaving José Ladrón, governor of Alicante, in interim command of the Kingdom of Valencia. In early April, pamphlets circulated throughout Alicante denouncing rising food prices and the diversion of grain supplies to Madrid. News of the Esquilache riot further inflamed popular discontent. The authorities ultimately succeeded in restoring order by reducing food prices and importing additional grain. Once the unrest in Alicante had subsided, a broader wave of anti-feudal protest spread across the southern part of the Kingdom of Valencia, particularly in Elche, Crevillente, Novelda, Catral, and Almoradí.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 1 week. Name in sources: Alborotos. Location: Alicante Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Artisans, Peasants, Women. Number of participants: >500. Main reasons & motivations: Economic, Food, Political. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: medium.

Further reading
ANDRÉS-GALLEGO, José (2003). El motín de Esquilache, América y Europa. Madrid: Fundación Mapfre Tavera and CSIC. CORONA BARATECH, Carlos E. (1984). “Los motines de la Gobernación de Alicante en abril de 1766”. Anales de Literatura Española, 2: 103-132. PALOP, José Miguel (1977). Hambre y lucha antifeudal. Las crisis de subsistencias en Valencia (siglo XVIII). Madrid: Siglo XXI, pp. 102-109.
Cite this entry

Mena Acevedo, Daniel (2026). "Esquilache riots, Alicante 1766", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/esquilache-riots-alicante-1766-2/ (accessed on 28 July 2026).

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