The Spanish EmpireBetween 1450-1800

The History of Spain

•The kingdom of Spain was created in 1492. The first voyage to the New World by Christopher Columbus also took place the same year which began the Spanish Empire.

•For the next three centuries Spain was the most important colonial power in the world. During this time literature, fine art, and philosophy were a big deal during this time frame. Because of the success Spain was having, it easily brought on wars with France, England, Sweden, etc.;.

•These wars led to economic damage and in the 17th century Spain was starting to see a decline in power.

War breaks outFollowing a period of political instability in the 20th century, in 1936 Spain was experiencing a bloody civil war. The war ended in nationalist dictatorship led byFrancisco Franco which he ruled the Spanish government until 1975. The post war decades were relatively stable and the country experienced rapid economic growth in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. The death of Franco in 1975 resulted in the return of Bourbon monarchy head by Prince Juan Charles.

Spanish Kingdom under the Habsburgs

• Spain most powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries reached its height and decline under the Habsburgs.

• Charles V began king in 1516. As he approached the end of his life he split his inheritance into two parts. One being Spain and the other being its possessions in the Mediterranean and overseas.

• The Habsburg dynasty became extinct in Spain and the war of the Spanish Succession ensued in which other European powers tried to control the Spanish monarchy.

Imperial SpainThe Spanish was one of the first modern global empires.It was also one of the largest empires in history. In the 16th century Spain and Portugal were in the vangaurd of European global exploration and colonial expansion.

The Spanish Empire dominated the oceans with its experienced navy and ruled the European battlefield with it’s fearsome infantry.

Spain had experienced a cultural golden age in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Religion played a very big role in the Spanish Empire. The thought that Spain could bring Christianity to the new world certainly played a strong role in the expansion of the Empire.

Muslim Era • The Arab Islamic conquest dominated most of

North Africa. The Islamic Arab party led by Tariq ibnziyad was sent to Iiberia to intervene in the civil war in the Visigothic Kingdom.

• Muslim interest in the peninsula returned in force around the year 1000. The Taifa kingdoms lost ground to the Christian realms in the north and after the loss of Toledo in 1085, the Muslim rulers reluctantly invited the Almoravides, who invaded Al-Andalus from North Africa and established an empire.

The Golden AgeA period of flourishing arts and letters in the Spanish Empire. It’s interesting to think howArts flourished despite the decline of the empireIn the 17th century.

The Habsburgs in Spain and Austria were great patrons of art in their country. Some of Spain’s greatest music was written during this time and the influence lasted into the Baroque period.

Spanish literature also took off during this time. Span’s most prolific playwright Lope de Vega wrote as many as one thousand plays during his lifetime and over four hundred That sill are well known today.