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Why did Castile remain loyal to Philip V during the war?

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Illustration of the Battle of Blenheim showing cavalry and infantry in combat, fallen soldiers, and smoke rising from cannon fire across a hilly battlefield. — War of the Spanish Succession The Battle of Blenheim (August 13, 1704), was the most famous victory of John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, and Eugene of Savoy during the War of the Spanish Succession.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, Castile remained ferociously loyal to Philip V throughout the conflict, providing the essential support that allowed his regime to survive severe military defeats and multiple occupations of Madrid.1

This loyalty was largely driven by the political climate of the era. In contrast to regions like Catalonia, Aragon, and [Valencia]—where the Bourbon dynasty's centralizing reforms were viewed as an imposition that threatened local privileges or fueros—Castile generally aligned with the new Bourbon administration's efforts to establish effective royal rule. The opposition to Philip V in other regions often stemmed from a desire to protect these local rights, which Bourbon civil servants increasingly viewed as covers for treasonable sympathy with the Austrian and English invaders. Consequently, Castile’s steadfast support became the primary domestic pillar for Philip V, enabling him to maintain his position despite the loss of revenues from the Indies and the broader geopolitical pressures of the war.1