The History of Spain
Spain's history can be traced back as far as 3000BC, where Paleolithic cave paintings were found in the region of the Bay of Biscay and the western Pyrenees. These paintings exhibited a remarkable degree of animation and skill. About 1000BC the southern region became the first invasion point for the Iberians, Iberians were originally North African people who became the most prominent ethnologic element in the peninsula and gave its name. The Celts, who migrated from France, also invaded the peninsula and completely absorbed the central region and the northern mountains. Together these two groups form the Celtiberians. Around the 11th century BC the first Mediterranean seafaring people called the Phoenicians colonized in what now is Cadiz. Somewhat later traders from Rhodes and the Greek cities followed. They established colonies also along the Mediterranean coast. In the later part of the 3rd century BC the African State of Carthage, began to exploit the Peninsula. Under the Carthaginian General Hamilcar, a large part of peninsula was conquered in a campaign in from 237BC to 228 BC. That part of the peninsula is now known as Barcelona. This expansion was viewed unfavorable by the Romans and in 219 BC, after violating a Carthage-Rome agreement limiting Carthaginian territory, General Hannibal; destroyed the Greek colony of Saguntum, and started the second Punic war. Around 206 BC the Carthage was forced to evacuate the Peninsula, and nine years later Rome divided the peninsula into two provinces. The Hispanic Citerior, in the valley of the Ebro River and the Hispanic Ulterior, in the plain penetrated by the Guadalquivir River. Under the Romans, Hispania took its final form as three provinces: Lus...
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...oyal festivals and held as many as 50,000 spectators The Plaza de la Villa marks what was once old Madrid; here you can see stunning artwork and brilliant architecture. The Plaza de Oriente holds a fascinating story. The statues that surround the Plaza were actually built for the palace roof, but they were to heavy. The Plaza de las Ventas holds the largest bullfighting ring in Spain. The Plaza de Espana is one Madrid's most popular meeting place. The square obtained its' appearance during the Franco period. In Segovia you can find the Plaza Mayor, Which is located near the Alcazar. In the city of Toledo, you find the Plaza de Zocodover. It is located in the middle of town and and is known the ancient horse fairs. Sevilla is the home of the following Plaza's; Plaza de Santa Cruz, Plaza de Espana, Plaza Dona Elvira, and Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza.
King Ferdinand and Isabella are known as one of the most famous couples in the world. Isabella who was the daughter of King John II of Castile and Ferdinand was the son of King John I of Aragon were married to create unity between the two kingdoms. At the time of their marriage the spanish moors were in control of a big chunk of Spain.
This paper examines the lending by Genoese-led cartel to Phillip II of Spain in the 16th century from the viewpoint of sovereign debt. The Genoese linked specie deliveries from Spain to the Low Countries to lending in order to cartel created a penalty to enforce their loans. If the king tried to renege, the Genoese applied the penalty and the king eventually repaid.
William of Orange once stated, “Spain committed such horrible excesses that all the barbarities, cruelties, and tyrannies ever perpetrated before are only games in comparison to what happened to the poor Indians.” This statement is an example of an attempt to discredit the Spanish. Attempts such as these are known as the Black Legend. The Black Legend was the name given to the concept of cruelty and brutality spread by the Spanish during the 14th and 15th century. This legend demonizes Spain and specifically the Spanish empire in an effort to harm the reputation of them. It was through this propaganda that made other countries look down upon the Spanish empire. The Black Legend threw discredit upon the rule of the Spanish by building biases and prejudices against Catholicism and the Spanish treatment of the natives of South America. The Black Legend mainly exaggerated the treatment of the native people in the regions of the Spanish Empire and non-Catholic people such as Protestants and Jews in its European territories. The Black Legend was an anti-Spanish movement, which was started due to political and religious reasons by Northern European Protestant countries who were Spain’s enemies in order to discredit them.
The Conquest of New Spain Cortés came not to the New World to conquer by force, but by manipulation. Bernal Daz del Castillo, in the "Conquest of New Spain," describes how Cortés and his soldiers manipulated the Aztec people and their king Montezuma from the time they traveled from Iztapalaopa to the time when Montezuma took Cortés to the top of the great Cue and showed him the whole of Mexico and its countryside, and the three causeways which led into Mexico. Castillo's purpose for recording the mission was to keep an account of the wealth of Montezuma and Mexico, the traditions, and the economic potential that could benefit Cortés' upcoming conquest. However, through these recordings, we are able to see and understand Cortés' strategy in making Mexico "New Spain." He came as a wolf in sheep's clothing and manipulated Montezuma through his apparent innocence.
Although there are some similarities between the two nations, England and Spain are easily the most opposite when their colonists are compared to each other. First, the similarities between the two are in their treatment of the Native Americans. Depending on the Spanish conquistador or expedition leader, the Natives may have been treated fairly or poorly. In the same way, British colonial governors sometimes had good relationships with the Natives (William Penn and Roger Williams), while others helped provoke wars with the tribes (James Moore). The contrast between Spanish and English colonists is in their spirit and reason for colonization. The Spaniards were seeking riches and were usually loyal to the Crown, starting in the 16th century
There were two empires, their strength and influence unparalleled. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Spain and England dominated all other countries due to their willingness to explore the unknown. These two nations created a legacy and changed the world forever, bringing about new lands, resources, and people. The early explorations of Spain and England were led by similar driving motivations and spreading of religious beliefs, however, the outcomes of each country’s presence in the New World varied.
A ‘golden age’ can be interpreted in many ways; it can be a time of
In order to understand colonization, it is important to consider the background of the events leading up to colonization. In Spain for instance, the re-conquest of Grenada as well as the search for new trade routes are important events that lead up to colonization. In England, the Civil War between parliament and the monarchy affected colonization as well. The living situation for people in the Holy Roman Empire was deemed not good enough for future generations. The dynamics and developments in Spain, England, and the Holy Roman Empire were all important to the colonization of the New World.
What was Spain like before the Golden Age? King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella ruled the kingdoms that eventually became the country of Spain. Ferdinand and Isabella were intent on having a kingdom free of any faith other than Christianity. Many people were killed or even banished from the country. King Ferdinand and Isabella moved their kingdom into a great age for Spain, but did not achieve this in the best way.
Every schoolchild knows that “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” This voyage was the gateway to an age of exploration, triumph, and ruin. Columbus’s voyage introduced the world to a new land and many opportunities. Powerful countries immediately scrambled to grab as much of it for themselves as they could. Two of the most powerful ones were England and Spain. Both wanted a piece of the new land, a way to grow economically or to escape persecution. Even though they had similar goals in mind, England and Spain had vastly different strategies.
4. Reconquista – was wars between the Christian and the Muslim for control of the Iberian Peninsula. The wars went on for many years from718 to
Geographic luck explains the reason for why Spain was able to concur Latin America. Spain is located in the Middle East, and is within the fertile crescent. This meaning, that Spain had the advantage over the natives. The Spaniards had access to steel and horses. The natives' bronze weapons were no match for the steel swords of Spain. Fighting on horses gave the advantage of being able to fight at all angles and being high of the ground. In result, they were able to easily win against the natives in battle. Soon enough, Spain was able to concur Latin America. The Spaniards created an opinion of the natives after arriving, that later caused conflict.
The Basques are an ancient people whose history is deeply intertwined with the people of Spain and France. Toward the end of the tumultuous period that followed the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Navarre (Nafarroa in Basque), centered in Pamplona, came into being. Originally this kingdom covered all of modern Navarre, plus the three Vascongadas, or Basque countries (Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia, Araba), and the modern French Basque countries, and into neighboring areas in modern Spain. When the moors invaded Spain, Navarre was never conquered, thus it retained many Basque characteristics Navarre was probably not a "Kingdom of the Basques", but it was a kingdom whose dominant ethnic group were the Basques . Through the high and late middle ages Navarre gradually lost bits of its territory through various dynastic marriages and inheritances, a...
The English reconquest of Spain was a series of events leading to the Christian regaining the control of the Iberian Peninsula. During the time, the Christian and Islamic cultures had built off of each other, both economically and socially. Ferdinand II and his wife Isabella I where the catholic monarchs that played a key role in the success of the reconquest of the Peninsula. Their marriage was a political alliance between Argon and Castilian nobles as a way for them to unite. While their marriage was not for romance or love, the two did deeply care about each other and made quite the power couple, literally. As a team, Ferdinand and Isabella were able to gain control over Castile and keep fighting until their conquest was over. Ferdinand
The story of Europe is a story that is worth telling for the simple fact that without the background of Europe, people will not understand the complexities in the creation of the Europe of yesterday and creation of the Europe today. This rich history cannot be ignored because of the close ties to the creation of the nations and the supranational institutions that have become the European Union and its trade partners. Without the background on the history of Europe the creation of this larger organization or supranational organization would be nearly impossible to understand the complexities of the current political, social and economic qualities within the EU. The history of a country, state or organization also helps us to understand the some aspects of the future of the EU.