ABSTRACT
Spain, like France, had followed with interest Britain’s growing troubles in North America. Initially, Charles III agreed with his nephew, Louis XVI, that detaching the colonies would be a useful weakening of Britain’s power. He accordingly matched Louis XVI’s grant of one million livres for the purchase of arms and ammunition. 1 However, the creation of 13 independent republics in the summer of 1776 posed a dilemma for the Spanish monarchy. Although Britain might be weakened, the independence of these states could set a precedent for Spain’s own colonies in central and South America. 2
