Spain: Then and Now Essay

The Spanish were the first to take advantage of the New World’s riches by forging an intense national unity that enables it to dominate Europe as well as the New World wall France and England were preoccupied with political disputes and religious conflict. The treasures seized from Mexico and Peru added to Spain’s military and economic power. The single-minded focus on gold and silver also tempted the Spanish government to live beyond its means. Between 1557 and 1662, the kings of Spain were forced to declare bankruptcy 10 times.

Political power acts as a foundation for society through persuasion. This influential ability controls the thoughts and actions of society as a whole, and who is in control heavily determines how successful their influences will be. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were the political rulers of Spain during the late 15th century, and remained in control up until the early 16th century. They craved unity for their country, and would do anything they could to achieve their desired conformity. Spain was to be united under one flag, one form of ruler, and one religion; those who did not oblige, became targets. For more than three hundred years, the Spanish Inquisition hovered over Spain, inciting fear and inflicting brutality upon those

Medieval Spain started with the arrival of the Visigoths in the late 5th century to the end of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella in the 16th century. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval countries and kingdoms including Galicia, Leon, Castile, Aragon, Navarre, Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, and Granada. These countries all contributed to what has been known as the Spanish language as well as the country itself.

Prosperous Political aspects of Spain’s rise was diminutive, however it brutally terminated their Golden age. Ferdinand and Isabella made Spain a strong country with many territories in Europe and the America’s. In contrast one can see the corrupt policies of Philip II and there enormous effect on Spain’s decline. Spain lost a great deal of land trying to convert people to Catholicism. In their efforts to convert and spread Christianity during the thirty years war, Spain lost complete control of the Netherlands. In addition to losing the Netherlands, the English defeat of the Spanish armada completely crushed Spain, not only

-The long struggle (ending in 1492) during which Spanish Christians reoccurred the Iberian peninsula from Muslim occupiers.

During the 15th century, many considered Spain insignificant. However, within a century it became a world-dominant power in Europe. Although Spain only took a brief time to rise, it was also short-lived. The rise of Spain was due to its flourishing culture, stable political system and successful voyages to the New World. On the other hand, its decline was due to religious control, resistance from other countries and inflation.

In Imperial Spain, J.H. Elliot examines the history of early modern Spain from the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, to the reformation of the Spanish government by the first member of the Bourbon dynasty. According to the author, at the start of the 15th century, Spain was internally weak, hopelessly divided and isolated from the continent by the Pyrenees. Yet, by 1492, Spanish society experienced a tremendous transformation which allowed Isabella and Ferdinand to unify the country, secure the largest transoceanic empire the world has ever known, and for a

     After battling with Britain, Spain, and Germany, Napoleon invaded Russia. The purpose of this invasion was to enforce the Continental System. In 1812, a Russian winter and the Russian strategy of Scorched Earth defeated Napoleon and his army of 500,000 men. This was Napoleon’s worst defeat. It

The rise of a powerful government and the enforcement of religious orthodoxy were factors that help established the Spanish Empire.

Isabella of Castille got married kicked out all of the Muslim out of Spain. They embarked the Spanish Inquisition, in which, started torture/public torture. Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in Valladolid, thus beginning a cooperative reign that would reign all the dominions of Spain and elevate the nation to a dominant world power. Ferdinand and Isbella incorporated a number of independent Spanish dominions into their Kingdom, and in 1478 introduced the Spanish Inquisition, a powerful and brutal force of homogenization in Spanish society. **Spanish Inquisition, the Tribunal of the Holy office of the inquisition, commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition, was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarch Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella

Cortés came not to the New World to conquer by force, but by manipulation. Bernal Díaz 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'

With the aid of crusaders, Portugal attained independence in 1147. By 1380 Portugal’s King John I had united that country’s various principalities under his rule. In Spain, unification took much longer, but in 1469 Ferdinand and Isabella, heirs to the rival thrones of Aragon and Castile, married and forged a united Spanish state. Twenty-three years later, in 1492, the Spanish subdued the last Moorish stronghold on the peninsula, completing the Reconquista. At the same time, other European states were also waking up to new realities. Consolidation began in France in around 1480, when Louis XI took control of five rival provinces to create a unified kingdom. Five years later in England, Henry Tudor and the House of Lancaster defeated the rival House of York in the Wars of the Roses, ending nearly a century of civil war. As in Spain and Portugal, the formation of unified states in France and England opened the way to new expansive

The fascinating and beautiful country of Spain is one of the largest countries in Europe. The history that Spain has had has left great stories to tell and remarkable landmarks to visit. Spain is located in the south west corner of Europe, with its neighboring countries, Portugal and France. It has a population of forty million plus people, but almost one-third of the nation’s population is foreigners that reside in its territory. One of the most important facts about Spain is that its economy is one of the largest in the world. Spain is currently in a recession, with low employment rates and poverty.

During the early 1700s, The Spanish Succession was a huge European conflict that was brought upon by the death of Charles II “the last of the Spanish Habsburgs.” This war was fought between two groups of European countries, The Two Crowns, and the Great Alliance, lasting from 1701, until 1714 (Britannica.com).

On the other hand, was the conservative nationalists represented by the Church, the army and many large landowners and industrialists. Most of which wanted Spain to return to the Golden Ages of sixteenth century Catholic Spain and were in favour of the Monarchy in order to remain an authoritarian state. This division was highlighted further by a number of pronunciamientos[6] and uprisings between the two sides adding to the increased political tension. For the right, ‘they saw the defence of religious interests as their fundamental political task.