Spain was different. There were no 'proper' colonies, but everyething was deal as if they were an inner province in Iberia. That's the way you could get fancy universities for its time.

But backwards people like Ferdinand the 7th cut down the modernisation of Spain which could boost us up to the level of France if not more. I'm no kidding. Just look at the Cádiz constitution from 1812.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_VII

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Constitution_of_1812

Not bad for its time at all.