If you are planning to move to Spain, it may be worthwhile knowing a little bit about the history of the country. As soon as you arrive in Spain, you will notice many historical buildings and monuments and having some knowledge of the origins of these buildings can help you to settle in.
The history of Spain dates back as far as the 11th century B.C. and was originally inhabited by a group of people known as the Iberians. Over the years Spain has been known by many different names e.g. Tartessas, Edetania and Orphiusa. It was the Romans who gave it the name ‘Hispania’ which means ‘land or coast of rabbits’. Due to its central location, Spain has been invaded many times over the centuries. By the year 711 A.D., Spain had already been invaded on six occasions. Below is a brief timeline outlining the major events of Spain’s history:
1100 B.C. – The Phoenicians invaded and then began colonising Spain. Modern cities such as Cadiz and Malaga were founded by the Phoenicians around this time.
400s B.C. – The Carthaginians, from the city of Cathage on the North coast of Africa, conquered much of Spain.
200s B.C. – The Romans defeated the Carthaginians during the Punic Wars and conquered Spain.
573 A.D. – The Visigoths completed their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
711-718 – The kingdom was over-run by the Moorish Islamic Invasion. The Moors captured most of Spain including Toledo and Seville in 712, Saragossa in 713 and Valencia in 714. The small Asturian kingdom was founded in the Northwest in 718.
1000's – The re-conquest of Iberia from Islam by the Christian Kingdoms begins.
1492 – The fall of the last Muslim stronghold of Granada ended the Moors rule and Spain was taken over by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella. The beginning of the Spanish Inquisition was also around this time. The Spanish Inquisition was originally proposed to a Dominican priest called Tomas de Torqumada by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain in 1483 to rid Spain of its Jews. Many Jews converted to Christianity.
1512 – Most of the regions of Spain became politically unified and the Spanish Empire was built. Spain acquired an enormous wealth after its conquests of Mexico and Peru.
1588 – Phillip of Spain sent the Spanish Armada to conquer England but was defeated in July 1588.
1704 – In August the British Admiral Sir George Rooke defeated Spain and claimed the Rock of Gibraltar.
1808 – Napoleon marched through Spain and seized many of its major cities. Zaragoza and Girona resisted but Madrid was seized on the 2nd of May. Napoleon was eventually defeated in 1814.
1810-1825 – Most of Spain’s American colonies, such as Mexico, won their Independence from Spain.
1830's – The Inquisition was finally abolished.
1851 – Catholicism became the state religion after the Spanish government signed a Concordat with the Vatican committing Madrid to pay the salaries of the clergy and subsidise other expenses of the Roman Catholic Church.
1898 – The Spanish-American war began with the sinking of the ‘Maine’ in Havana on the 15th of February. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10th 1898.
1931 – Spain became a Republic after King Alfonso XIII fled.
1936-1939 – Spanish Civil War began. The Spanish Nationalist forces led by Francisco Franco defeated the Republicans. Franco then ruled Spain under a dictatorship until he died.
1975 – General Francisco Franco died and was succeeded by King Juan Carlos. Spain became a constitutional monarchy.
1980's – Spain joined the European Community and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
1992 – The summer Olympics were held in Barcelona
1999 – Spain became the founder member of the single European currency, the Euro which was introduced in 2002.
Spain has had a long history of wars and conflicts but it has shaped Spain into the cultural country it is today.