Cadet Selection for the Royal Artillery in Spain, 1764–1808

Abstract

This article studies the selection of cadets in the Military College of Gentlemen Cadets of the Royal Corps of Artillery (Colegio Militar de Caballeros Cadetes del Real Cuerpo de Artillería) of Segovia, from its opening in 1764 to the beginning of the Peninsular War in 1808. As a product of the Enlightenment, this college was concerned with excellent teaching, but it also accepted the pre-eminence of the nobility. Although its academic excellence was based on rigorous instruction in mathematics, applicants did not have to demonstrate any previous knowledge for entry. Nobility was the sole selection criterion; college admission was limited to sons of noble families, who had to provide written proof of their noble origins. As the college’s success attracted growing numbers potential candidates, selection became a serious problem. The college’s regulations gave priority to the sons of officers of artillery, but in practice, sons of the low nobility (hijosdalgo) with good contacts at court overtook the other candidates by obtaining special priority from the king. To place this question in context, the admission criteria for artillery officers in Spain before and after this period are also considered in order, as are the situation in France and England during these decades.