“Come se non si fosse cambiato padrone”. Il regno di Sicilia dagli Asburgo ai Borbone, tra politica internazionale e dinamiche locali (1700-1703)

The death of Charles II of Habsburg and the designation of Philip of Anjou as the legitimate heir caused - in any territory belonging to the Spanish monarchy - the definition of new political languages and the creation of new networks of political and social relationships. This happened also in the kingdom of Sicily, where the internal and international dynamics were strictly connected. In this context, the role played by the island was not passive, but allowed – respecting the hierarchies of power – to build networks of relationships, to achieve specific goals and to rethink the participation of the Kingdom within the larger context of Spanish monarchy. The paper aims to highlight as well as the Kingdom of Sicily, although it was in a marginal position in relation to the area of conflict, was affected by problems related to the defense, the financial contributions and the redefinition of the practices of loyalty.