The south of Spain was fertile and ideal for export wine, olive oil and garum (fermented fish sauce). Introduction Almost 700 years of continuous Roman occupation have left impressive traces in the Spanish landscape. Spain was then known as ‘Hispania’ and is now a fascinating location for the archaeological traveller. The Spanish provinces were amongst the first[…]
The expedition bankrupted Coronado, who had been so certain of the reports that he had funded it himself. By Dr. Joshua J. MarkProfessor of PhilosophyMarist College Introduction The Seven Cities of Cibola are the mythical lands of gold that the Spanish of the 16th century believed existed somewhere in the southwest of North America, comparable to the better-known mythical city of El[…]
Like Gothic structures throughout the rest of Europe, Iberian cathedrals were stunning in the richness of their ornamentation. Introduction When Archbishop Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada decided to rebuild Toledo Cathedral in 1227, he knew that he was setting into motion something important. He was beginning construction on Spain’s first Gothic cathedral, and he made sure[…]
The Kingdom of Guatemala within the wider Spanish Americas, c.1600 (click image to enlarge) / Image by Giggette, Wikimedia Commons Colonization of the area that became the Captaincy General began in 1524. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic HistorianBrewminate Introduction The Captaincy General of Guatemala (Spanish: Capitanía General de Guatemala), also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala (Spanish: Reino de Guatemala), was[…]
Elmina Castle also known as St. George of the Mine Castle in Ghana / Photo by Damien Halleux Radermecker, Wikimedia Commons Examining the Portuguese exploration of the Atlantic and Spanish conquest of the Americas. Edited by Matthew A. McIntosh / 10.29.2018 Public Historian Brewminate Editor-in-Chief Introduction Portuguese colonization of Atlantic islands in the 1400s inaugurated an[…]
Christopher Columbus is depicted here in his only state-sponsored, albeit non-authenticated, portrait, painted by Alejo Fernández between 1505 and 1536. / Photo by Manuel Rosa, Wikimedia Commons Cristóbal Colón – hero or villain? Edited by Matthew A. McIntosh / 10.07.2018 Historian Brewminate Editor-in-Chief Introduction Christopher Columbus, commonly rendered in Spanish as Cristóbal Colón (1451 – May 20, 1506)[…]
On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain with intentions to find a new route to Asia but instead set off new Spanish imperial expansion. By Dizzanne Billy / 10.10.2017 oday, the United States of America recognises Columbus Day. A day which commemorates Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. On August 3, 1492, Christopher[…]
Barcelona’s harbor in the 18th Century / Wikimedia Commons In the early-18th century, absolute monarchies set about the task of reviewing fiscal systems in order to cover the expenses of war. By J. Mata / 11.19.2012 18th Century: The Poll Tax – Philip V Punishes Catalonia In the early-18th century, absolute monarchies set about the[…]
These ten historical moments help us understand the long and complicated relationships Catalunya has had with Spain as well as with the international community. By Dani Anthony / 12.07.2017 PhD Candidate in History The Ohio State University 1. The Nineteen Autonomous Regions of Spain The autonomous regions of Spain Spain is made up of 19[…]
The Great Mosque of Córdoba turned church after the Reconquista / Photo by Berthold Werner, Wikimedia Commons Was it a beacon of enlightened sophistication snuffed out by barbaric Dark Age Europeans, or the arena of a clash of eastern and western civilizations? By Dr. Brian A. Catlos / 06.10.2018 Professor of Religious Studies University of Colorado at Boulder[…]
Sainte-Cecile Cathedral overlooking the Tarn River, Albi, France. Midi- Pyrénées / Encyclopedia Britannica By Dr. Friedrich Edelmayer / 05.31.2012 Professor of Austrian and Medieval History Universität Wien Abstract The Pyrenees region encompasses areas from the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of France and the Principality of Andorra. It is also linguistically heterogeneous. In addition to[…]
The city of Salamanca. / Photo by Laura Tomàs Avellana, Flickr, Creative Commons By Dr. Thomas Weller / 02.03.2010 Professor of Early Modern History Leibniz Institut für Europäische Geschichte Mainz Abstract The Spanish monarchy can be regarded as Europe’s leading power in the 16th century. This article pursues the question to what extent Spain’s predominance[…]
Modern rendering of a tree fairy By Dr. David A. Wacks / 05.24.2017 Professor of Spanish Department of Romance Languages University of Oregon It is well known that many pre-Christian beliefs and practices survive some fifteen hundred years after the Christianization of the Iberian Peninsula (see my earlier post on Asturian mythology). Some of these have been[…]
By Carole Raddato / 04.29.2014 Historian Italica is a well-preserved Roman city located in modern-day Santiponce, 9 kilometres north of Seville in Spain. The city was founded in 206 BC during the Second Punic War (218-202) when the Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio settled his Italian veterans on this site following a victory at the Battle of Ilipa. Although the nearby town of Hispalis[…]
Site of the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City since 1791 (photo: Steven Zucker) By Dr. Maya Jiménez / 02.17.2017 Lecturer at the Museum of Modern Art and Assistant Professor of Art History Kingsborough Community College, CUNY From its beginnings in the sixteenth century, the Viceroyalty of New Spain had been home to many[…]