Discover Spain’s captivating history from its origins as a nation to the role it has played in world exploration. Witness how its Reconquista established Christian rule by defeating Muslim forces and expelling Jews.
At the close of the 19th century, Spain experienced its last remaining colonies stripped from it during a devastating Spanish-American War and inspired artists like Francisco de Goya to create masterpieces such as his.
Roman Empire
Spain boasts a long and rich history. Key events like Scipio Africanus’ victory against Carthage in 201 BC left their mark on our language and culture today.
Events throughout history have played a part in shaping and altering how Spain lives today, especially its culture and lifestyle. One such story involves Roman dominance over Hispania – most of the land that makes up modern Spain.
Middle Ages
Once Visigoths conquered Roman Spain, their kings fostered Christianity. Later successors such as Liuvigild and Recared held church councils to promote unity within the community.
Medieval Spain was a multireligious society with large Muslim and Christian populations living side-by-side, while Jews made up part of its educated urban bourgeoisie and intermarried freely with Christians.
Jackson 1972 offers a concise yet enjoyable account of medieval Spain, featuring many illustrations. For a more thorough examination, Reilly 1993 presents coverage for most of Spain in approximately seven hundred pages.
Renaissance
In the sixteenth century, Spain flourished as an artistic powerhouse while becoming more cosmopolitan and culturally influential. Yet during this era also saw a greater regulation of monarchy’s distant colonies as well as establishment of inquisition offices to combat heresy.
Queen Isabel was fond of Netherlandish art, employing artists such as Michael Sittow and Juan de Flandes at her court. These painters became noted for their attention to surface texture and naturalistic detail in their pieces.
Age of Faith
Once Visigothic rule in Spain had been overthrown in 711 by North African Berbers and Arabs, Muslims took control for centuries – tolerating Christians and Jews on equal terms with other non-Muslims.
Scholars like Americo Castro from Argentina popularized the notion of an inherently Spanish culture rooted in Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions – something he coined “comivencia.”
Age of Exploration
The Age of Exploration profoundly transformed European perspectives of the world. Explorers opened global systems of commercial exchange, while Europeans, Africans and Asians became keen observers of one another’s cultures.
Christopher Columbus convinced King and Queen of Spain to fund his voyage west across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 for one purpose – opening up new trade routes – but his discovery of Americas led to numerous further expeditions.
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery marked an expansionary period among European nations, creating new routes for global trade.
Spanish colonists quickly overran Mexico and other areas of North America, as well as exploring and colonizing North Africa (such as Melilla and Tangier ).
In 1741, Spain successfully repulsed a British attempt at seizing Cartagena de Indias from them.
Age of Inquisition
The Inquisition was established as a Catholic tribunal to control heresy within Spanish society. But because it also considered religious piety when making decisions, some heretics could avoid harsh punishment if they admitted their transgressions within 30- to 40-day windows and urged neighbors to denounce them.
Conversos were especially vilified, suspected of practicing their Jewish religion secretly and funding a Muslim crusade in Granada.
Age of Bourbon
As Spain emerged from the War of Spanish Succession, the Bourbon dynasty became its ruling family and centralised government and initiated reforms.
These Bourbon Reforms transferred power from Spain’s colonies back to mainland Spaniards, disenfranchising many Creole elites and strengthening American nationalism among them – eventually setting the stage for independence movements throughout its overseas territories.
Age of Napoleon
The Peninsular War, also known as “National Independence War”, played an instrumental role in Napoleon’s rapid decline. Guerrilla battles raging across Spain’s mountainous regions forced France to reconsider traditional tactics and strategies.
Napoleon exploited dynastic differences between King Charles IV and Ferdinand to force the latter’s abdication. Central and provincial government structures collapsed as power was increasingly assumed by regional, decentralized juntas.
Age of Goya
Francisco de Goya lived in the desolate hills of northeast Spain. He rose to prominence during a time of relative prosperity and enlightenment under King Charles III.
But his most well-known paintings evoked horror and sorrow, reflecting liberals’ disappointment at how quickly Bourbon monarchy and Catholic hierarchy turned away from both political and religious change. These were known as “The Black Paintings.” 1