Reconquest to Golden Age :
After Spain was united under Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, the drive was thrown against the remaining Muslims in Spain. When this was finally done, Spain concentrated on expanding her influence abroad. Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas and Spanish troops were brought there in the early and late 1500s. Hernando Cortez, with is small army, invaded the Aztec Empire, and took the Emperor prisinor. Eventually, he was killed, and the Aztecs rebelled against the Spanish. They drove them out of the capital city of Tetalochtin and prepared a defense of the city. While this was being done, Cortez siezed the Aztec failure to counterattack with attempting to gain allies. He recruited some Indians who were in revolt against the Aztecs for quite some time. Eventually, he gained enough allies to once more assault the city. He managed to occupy it, the majestic temples awed all who saw them. Cortez, with a tiny army, was able to destroy the wealthiest and strongest empire in North America. The wealth was to bring Spain immense riches, especially in gold.
At around the 1570s, Francisco Pizzarro went on another mission from Spain to conquer another great empire, the powerful Inca. With only 175, he overwhelmed the natives and added another nation to the hungry Spanish. How did he do it? With guns, strategy, and decisiveness. When he roared into battle with the Inca, the emperor was captured, and he offered Spain rooms full of gold and silver. Pizzarro agreed, but eventually, he slayed the king, and invaded the Inca Empire again. Torn by civil war, disease, and demoralization, the Inca Empire collapsed. It was no more. Spain had done it again!
No nation by this time was powerful enough to stand up to Spain, except Portugal. The Portuguese had discovered a new route by sea to get to the riches of China and India. With this discovery, the Portuguese greated their own realm, and occupied the coasts of several areas. They rivaled the Spanish, and at their height, the capital city of Lisbon was the richest city on the face of the earth. Because of Portugal, European nations would never again have to pay the mighty Venetians for overland routs. Now, Venice would enter a long decline. Spain was, however, the mightiest nation on earth. The Spanish Empire incorporated vast lands, while the Portuguese Empire only occupied trading areas and coasts. Spain also controlled vast areas in Europe. Charles of the Habsburgs became King of Spain (1516) and in turn gave Belgium, Holland, Milan, Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia all to the Spanish Empire. The massive territories annexed by Spain also had the big Inca Empire in South America, and then her domain streched completely up until all of Central America was in her hands, as was California, New Mexico, and Arizona. The only are free from Spain in South America was a Dutch colony, a French one, and Portuguese Brazil.
ON TOP OF THE WORLD:
There was one crowning event, however, that would bring Spain to total dominance - the fall of the Portuguese Empire. By 1580, the last King of Portugal had died. And Spain claimed that the crown belonged on the head of Phillip II of Spain. As a result, he invaded Portugal, and was crowned King Filipe I of Portugal. Spain was unbeatable, (well almost). New powers were arising in Europe. France had deposed her feudal system in favor of a strong government. England too. Now Spain tried to influence England to join her in isolating France. This was during much conflict in religion. England wasn't Catholic. The last Catholic monarch was deposed and Queen Elizabeth was installed. She defied Spain, but Phillip II wasn't about to let England slip through. With a massive fleet of ships (called the Armada) he set sail for England, sure of victory. He was wrong. This happened in 1604. As the Spanish Armada prepared scurried off for the invasion of England, a storm surprised the fleet. That, coupled with English raids, crushed the Spanish Armada. It was a signal of what was to come. Though Spain was still unchallenged, she was never again ruler of the sea.
Stagnation and Decline:
After the death of Phillip II Spain drooped. Because she used her gold on military campaigns instead of improving herself, Spain began to lag behing the other European nations. By 1700s, a new King Charles died, leaving no heir on the Spanish throne. And so, this began the War of Spanish Succession. Catalonia revolted against Spain, Portugal broke free from Spain again, and an Anglo-Austrian army invaded Spain. Though the Spanish-French alliance proved victorious, Spain's position was greatly reduced. Though “New Spain” was still safe in the Americas, Spain was unable to continue to hold on to her European territories (outside immediate Spain and nearby isles). Now that Spain's dynasty was a French one, French influence would play a big role, as now Spain would suffer in France's many wars against England. In 1762, for example Spain was embroiled in the Seven Years' War. England won, and Spain had to surrender American Florida. Eventually, during America's war of independence, Spain would recapture the area.
This could not stop Spain's decline. Eventually, through bitter tensions with America, Spain again lost Florida, permanently this time. But Spain had nother reason to worry. In France, the dynamic Napoleon Bonaparte was coming to power, and he would force Europe to his knees, Spain was a victim.
Napoleon's invasion and the Fall of the Empire:
When Napleon rose to power in France, he began a series of wars to have France rule Europe. He occupied Italy, captured Egypt, and stormed Europe and soon declared himself Emperor. He ordered Spanish help in attacking Portugal (because they were a British ally). Soon, he turned on Spain and assaulted the Spanish army, which was continually defeated. Eventually, he overthrew the Spanish king and had his brother crowned king of Spain. Spaniards all over rose up in rebellion against the French, and Napoleon kept having his troops tied up. Eventually, Wellington of England invaded Portugal and stormed into Spain, and together, a British/Portuguese/Spanish army overwhelmed the French and attacked France itself. Spain was free.
However, the result was a disaster. A series of weak governments came into power, and New Spain took the oppertunity to revolt. All of New Spain rebelled and soon established independence. But Spain wasn't about to quit! From her old colony of the Phillipines (named after King Phillip II who colonized them), the Spanish fleet tried to reestablish dominace over Peru, Chile, and then all of New Spain. Spain was defeated, and her role in South America was over. But then, came a new threat. The United States of America. She was a rising power and was determined to drive Spain out of her remaining colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Eventually, the destruction of the American ship
Maine provided a good excuse. Despite Spain's promise to defend Cuba “to the last peseta” Spanish troops surrendered after a few weeks of fighting in the Phillipines and Cuba. The Spanish Empire was over.
Marina Militaria Italiana! The best navy!
Italia triumphs again!
‘‘Italy unfortunately has been long excluded from the number of European powers. If Italians today are worthy of resuming their rights, someday they will see their country arise with glory among the powers of the earth.’’--Napoleone Buonaparte
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