A Brief History of Spain

A surefire way to make a visit to a foreignthe country, since political, economic and religious
country more enjoyable is to understand a bitpower was now in the hands of one ruling family.
about the country's history, heritage, culture andCatholicism was made the official religion, and any
politics.Muslims who did not convert were expelled or
The history of Spain has been molded by manyworse.
influences. The Iberian Peninsula, whichFerdinand and Isabella were instrumental in
encompasses Spain and Portugal has beendiscovering the New World, by commissioning
occupied through the ages by the Romans, theChristopher Columbus to find a route to the east.
Moors and others. If you have no knowledge ofThey were seeking the spices of the east but
the influence of these ancient cultures, you will notinstead found the gold and silver of the Americas,
appreciate and understand the castles, churches,wealth that made this kingdom even stronger.
fortresses and other buildings throughout theThrough war and royal marriages, the Habsburgs
country. There are even edifices that show theruled Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth
influence of many of these cultures in Thai samecenturies, and the Bourbons in the eighteenth
building.century. Monarchic rule was not broken until the
Spain was once one of the most powerful nationstwentieth century.
on earth. Wars and political upheavals placed aIn the 1930's a brutal Civil War broke out in the
drain on the economy and this countrycountry, with left and right wing factions vying for
experienced a period of sad decline and a longpower. The Nationalists won, and installed
dictatorship that stifled growth. Recent changes inFrancisco Franco as the ruling dictator. The
political power and structures have forged aeconomic drain of the civil war and the fascism of
turnaround, and this combined with a strong surgethe Franco government caused a great decline
in tourism has reestablished Spain as a political andand it was not until the death of Franco in 1975
economic success.that economic strength and vitality returned to
The Roman Empire ruled almost all of Europe atSpain. Spanish culture was greatly suppressed and
one point, including Spain. After the fall of theinfluenced by the Franco years.
Roman Empire, Moorish invaders were able toPrince Juan Carlos became king after the death of
take control of the country. To this day, you seeFranco. Juan Carlos guided the country from
their architectural influence in many of the castlesdictatorship to democracy and is universally
and ancient fortresses throughout the country.acclaimed for having brought his country out of
This Muslim influence persisted until about the yeardecline and made it into the economic and political
1000, when Christians tried to purge the countrystrength it is today.
of Islam. Revolts and wars between these twoToday, a stable, prosperous Spain is a pleasure to
powerful forces persisted through the centuriesvisit. The country is composed of seventeen
until about the end of the fourteenth century.distinct regions, each with its own culture,
In the fifteenth century, the two powerfulgeography, lifestyle and sometimes even
Christian kingdoms of Castile and Aragon werelanguage. Traveling through each of these regions
united through the marriage of Ferdinand andwill expose you to a unique aspect of the country
Isabella. This was a turning point in the direction ofin each one.