The Origins of Spain

The history of Spain begins with the settlement of the Iberians, an indigenous people who inhabited the peninsula before the arrival of the Romans. Over the centuries, the Celts joined the Iberians, forming the Celtiberian civilization. However, in the 3rd century BC, the Roman Empire began to expand into the Iberian Peninsula, leading to the Romanization of the region. 

Romanization

Romanization, understood as the absorption by the new territories of Roman language, culture, and customs, began around 200 B.C. and extended until the fifth century A.D. in some areas, until the disintegration of the Roman Empire. During this period, Spain became a prosperous Roman province, with important cities such as Tarraco (present-day Tarragona) and Emerita Augusta (present-day Mérida). However, in the 5th century, the Western Roman Empire collapsed, and the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by Germanic peoples such as the Visigoths, who founded an independent kingdom in the region.

The Visigoths and the Arrive of the Arabs

The Visigoths drove out the other Germanic peoples and concentrated on the development and unification of Spain, leaving behind the policies of expansionism. During the reign of the Visigoths, almost all Roman laws were maintained, and eventually, the Catholic religion also became predominant.

However, in 711, Spain was invaded by Arabs and Berbers from North Africa. After the death of the Visigoth king Witiza, the nobles of the peninsula elected Don Rodrigo as king. However, the sons of Witiza plotted against Rodrigo along with the Arabs, who defeated Rodrigo at the Battle of Guadalete and pushed forward. Although they failed to completely conquer northern Spain, most of the Iberian Peninsula fell under Islamic rule.

The “Reconquista”

The Reconquista, the reconquest of Muslim lands by Christian kingdoms, began in the 8th century by the rulers of northern Christian kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of Asturias. Initially, northern Spain and the whole of central and southern Spain were firmly in the hands of Islam. However, from the middle of the 11th century, the Reconquista underwent a sharp acceleration, and about two centuries later, the Arabs had been expelled from almost the entire peninsula, except for the city of Granada and part of southern Andalusia.

In 1037, the provinces of León and Castile were united after the heirless king of León was killed by his brother-in-law Ferdinand I, king of Castile, who proclaimed himself successor, thus unifying the territories. Until the year 1230, there was no real legal and definitive union between Castile and León. But in 1217, Ferdinand III the Saint received from his mother Berenguela the Kingdom of Castile and in 1230 from his father Alfonso IX that of León. 

The union between the Kingdom of Castile and the Crown of Aragon was a significant event in Spanish history. After a war of succession, the two spouses, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, ascended the throne of their respective kingdoms in 1479. During their reign, the Reconquista was completed with the conquest of Granada in 1492. In that year, the Jews were expelled from Spain, and Christopher Columbus discovered America under the patronage of the crown. The union between Castile and Aragon lasted until the early 18th century when the Bourbons took power in Spain.

The Bourbons

The House of Bourbons began to reign in Spain in the 18th century. With the rise of the Bourbons, they began to change the institutions, privileges, and tax rights of Aragon and began to govern Spain in a centralized manner, except for the Basque provinces and Navarre which, being on the side of Castile, became supporters of the Bourbons. The period of the “Political Enlightenment in Spain” included the Bourbon kingdoms from Philip V in 1700 until Charles IV, whose reign ended suddenly in 1808. During his reign, Spain faced major events such as the mutiny in 1808 and the subsequent French invasion, which began the Spanish War of Independence. In 1812, a constitution was issued in Cadiz that eliminated the distinction between Spaniards of the Peninsula and the colonies. After the defeat of the French troops, Ferdinand VII returned to power in 1814. However, King Ferdinand VII annulled the Constitution of Cadiz and restored monarchist absolutism. Internal revolts and rebellions in the Latin American colonies led to a military uprising in 1820. The King was forced to restore the Constitution and call elections, but the liberal regime was fragile. The European powers opposed the Spanish Revolution. In 1823, the French army intervened and re-established the absolute monarchy in Spain. Ferdinand VII issued a decree in 1830 to make his eldest daughter inherit the Crown, excluding his brother. On the death of Ferdinand VII in 1833, his daughter Isabella became queen at the age of three, and the regency was entrusted to her mother, Maria Christina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. However, his uncle Charles did not accept the situation, beginning the First Carlist War (1833-1840) and the Carlist movement. After a long resistance, Charles died in exile after being declared a rebel by the Queen. During the reign of Maria Christina, power was entrusted to the moderates, but they clashed with more progressive and liberal groups that became increasingly influential thanks to the support of intellectuals, industrial proletariat, and high military officers, including General Baldomero Espartero, who obtained the abdication of Maria Cristina and was head of state until his deposition in 1843. 

The period that followed was marked by political instability and frequent changes of government. Spain went through a period of political instability in the 19th century, with alternating government between leftist and conservative forces. In 1868, Spain was shaken by a revolution that led to the fall of Queen Isabella II and the proclamation of the First Spanish Republic. However, the First Spanish Republic lasted only eleven months due to internal struggles between the Conservatives and the Carlist uprisings, which contributed to its fall. The Bourbon Restoration began in 1874 with the declaration of General Arsenio Martínez Campos and lasted until 1931 when Spain faced a series of political changes, with an alternating government between left and conservative forces. 

The Spanish Civil War and the Dictatorship of Franco

However, political stability was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, which broke out in 1936. This conflict was a testing ground for the major political ideologies of the time, including fascism, democracy, liberalism, socialism, and communism. Eventually, General Francisco Franco led the nationalists to victory, establishing a dictatorship that lasted until his death in 1975. 

Spain Nowadays

After Franco’s death, Spain went through a period of democratic transition. In 1978, a new constitution was proclaimed, which established a social, democratic, and constitutional state, guaranteeing the fundamental rights of Spanish citizens. During this period, Spain faced economic challenges, including the 2008 global financial crisis and economic austerity. In 2014, King Juan Carlos abdicated in favor of his son Felipe, who became King Felipe VI. In 2020, Spain faced the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant impact on public health and the country’s economy.