The Spanish Empire

Theme 3 Part 2By: Josh KessnerHistory 140, Professor Arguello

The

Histo

ry of Sp

ain

• The history of Spain involves many peoples and nations within the Iberian peninsula

• The Iberian peninsula was formerly known as Hispania, and still to this very day contain the nations of Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and Spain

• As of recently Spain has become a member of the European Union

• Modern humans entered the Iberian Peninsula about 32,000 years ago which led up to the Kingdom of Spain which was created in 1492.

Imp

eria

l Spa

in

• The Spanish Empire was one of the first modern global empires and also one of the largest empires in world history.

• In the 16th century Spain and Portugal were in the vanguard of European global exploration and colonial expansion.

• Trade routes were opened across the oceans and that allowed for much growth and productivity.

• Trade flourished across the Atlantic with the Americas and across the Pacific between East Asia and Mexico.

Spa

nish

King

do

ms u

nd

er th

e

Ha

bsb

urg

s

• Not only was the height of the powerful Spanish world empire achieved within the 16th and 17th century, it’s decline also fell.

• Both of these endured under the Habsburgs

• The Spanish Empire reached its maximum height in Europe under Charles I of Spain, as he was also Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire.

• Charles became king in 1516, and near his death made the division of his inheritance into two parts.

Diffic

ultie

s for Ph

illip II o

f Spa

in

• Phillip II of Spain became king on Charles V’s abdication in 1556.

• Spain largely escaped the religious conflicts and remained strictly Roman Catholic.

• Led Spain into the unsuccessful Spanish Armada which was an early battle in the Anglo-Spanish war.

• The great plague of 1596-1602 killed 600-700 thousand people which was about 10% of the population.

• Economically, the plague destroyed the labor force and added to the psychological distraught of an already problematic Spain

The

Spa

nish

Emp

ire

• After the War of the Castilian Succession, Spain had emerged with a personally unified monarchy

• The marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, the Queen of Castile and the King of Aragon allowed for this monarchy

• Rule was separate but internal and foreign policy was coordinated

• By 1492, the Spanish monarchs completed the Reconquista with the incorporation of Granada to the Kingdom of Castile

Spa

nish

Emp

ire in

the

16th C

en

tury

• In the 16th century, Spain settled the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean, and took over large areas on mainland North and South America

• They overran the Aztecs and Incas

• The Spanish expedition of world circumnavigation started by Ferdinand Magellan achieved what Columbus had longed for.

• There was now a westward route to Asia and the sought-after Spice Islands.

• In 1565 navigator Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in Guam and the Philippine Islands establishing the Spanish East Indies.