Spain has experienced an eventful history. At times a global power, shaping Europe and beyond; other times an oasis of progressive ideals that nearly tore it apart.
Isabel and Ferdinand successfully combined Castile and aragon into one empire, financing Christopher Colombus’ voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, Isabel and Ferdinand enforced religious legislation on minorities such as Jews converting and Muslims being expelled from Granada.
Roman Empire
As one of Spain’s major powers, Roman influence left a lasting imprint. Discover its cultural legacy as well as what led to its eventual decline and collapse.
Discover Roman Spain through Empuries’ archaeological ruins. Its cobbled streets and porticos exhibit its splendor while remains of basilicas and temples provide evidence of religious devotion.
Explore the political struggles and economic decline of Rome during its decline. Understand how excessive taxes, devaluations of currency and decrease in agricultural production burdened its population resulting in political instability and weakening its military. Finally Constantine took control, making significant modifications.
Visigoths
Visigoths’ conquerion of Rome in 410 AD and subsequent settlement in Hispania left an indelible mark on Spanish history. Their religious conversion to Catholicism and legal code known as Liber Iudiciorum helped unite various cultural traditions with Roman governance while creating the basis of Spanish identity and law that would remain intact for centuries to come.
Political and legal integration failed to stop the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 AD, but it helped forge a sense of national identity based on religion and common law that would survive into medieval Spain. Today visitors may not see much evidence of its Gothic past except in Toledo; nevertheless its legacy still lives on.
Muslims
From 1492 until 1718, Spain was home to Muslim culture. This unique blending of cultures resulted in many extraordinary achievements, such as advances in agriculture and irrigation techniques, artistic expression, and architectural innovation.
In 711, Berber and Arab armies invaded from North Africa using weaknesses in Visigothic governance as an opportunity. Within a short timeframe, much of southern and central Spain fell under Muslim control.
Medieval Europe was unique in that its society consisted of multiple religions. Yet even at their most peaceful moments, relations among Muslims, Christians, and Jews remained tenuous – each group saw themselves as superior over the others – yet exchanges of ideas, inventions, luxury goods, and trade flourished freely between groups.
Renaissance
The Renaissance marked a cultural renaissance in Spain that brought new approaches to painting, sculpture, architecture, music, literature and other fields that would transform lifelong. These advances had an immeasurable influence on society around the globe for centuries to come.
At this time, authors like Miguel de Cervantes were also at their peak, pioneering modern Spanish literature through Don Quixote. Other notable writers during this era included poets Ausias March and Joanot Martorell as well as playwright Lope de Vega.
European powers’ explorations into the Americas had profound ramifications for trade and culture worldwide for years afterward. Their discoveries led to many new laws and institutions which would later define international politics for centuries to come.
19th Century
The Spanish empire left its mark from Lima to Manila. This course explores its lasting legacy on societies and cultures around the globe.
In this period, Spain centralised both its government and military by abolishing regional autonomous assemblies. They also strengthened their economy by nationalising money supply and creating a standardised payment system (before this time regions issued their own bills).
Spain was forced to expand their empire into Africa when they lost all of their European colonies during the first half of this century, compensating by expanding into Africa itself. Liberal political ideas made waves through ateneos – cultural centres inspired by classical Athens that promoted humanist values and encouraged freethinking – while dramatic literature flourished with Lope de Vega and Tirso de Molina’s works.
Independence
After Spain granted independence to her colonies, events within Spain unfolded quickly. The Glorious Revolution ousted monarchy but failed to resolve internal political tensions within Spain.
This period witnessed the establishment of republican-liberal governments and Spain’s loss of most of its colonial holdings in America. Additionally, piracy flourished throughout this turbulent nineteenth century.