The War of the Spanish Succession was a major battle between Archduke Charles of Austria and Felipe V, the King of Spain from the House of Bourbon. Philip V had been promised to rule France and Spain. The conflict raged across Europe from 1702 until 1715. During the Siege of Barcelona (1713 – 1714), the Bourbons captured Barcelona who were sympathetic to Charles. This event ended Catalonia freedom. Soon the Crown of Aragon was abolished after a rule lasting 554 years. This eternal flame is part of the Fossar de les Moreres memorial to the 10,000 Catalonians killed or wounded. The tribute created by Alfons Viaplana in 2001 stands above a cemetery where many of the defenders were buried in the Grave of the Mulberries. In the background are the Catalan Gothic windows of Basilica Santa Maria del Mar. The church was built in 1383 by architects Berenguer de Montagut and Ramon Despuig.
