 Throughout the 1630s, attempts by the Crown of Castile to increase taxes and centralise control led to protests; in 1640, these became revolts in Portugal and Catalonia.In 1641, the Catalan Courts recognised Louis XIII as Count of Barcelona, and ruler of the Principality of Catalonia.However, Catalans found French administration differed little from that of Castile, and the war became a three sided contest between the rural peasantry, the Spanish, and the French and Catalan elite.