Page 270 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

268  THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Moorish stronghold, in 1492.
In the same year, Columbus
reached the Americas, and the
conquistadors began
plundering the civilizations
of the New World.
The 17th century was a golden
age for Spain – a time of
outstanding artistic and literary
output. This brilliance occurred,
The Moor Boabdil surrendering Granada to the Catholic Monarchs however, against a backdrop of
economic deterioration and
major Muslim territory, the civilization ruinous wars with France and the Low
of Al Andalus excelled in mathematics, Countries. Spain’s misfortunes continued
geography, astronomy, and poetry, and in the 19th century, with an invasion by
by the 9th century, Córdoba was Europe’s Napoleon’s troops, leading to the War of
leading city. Independence (Peninsular War). In
In the 11th century, northern Christian the course of this century,
kingdoms initiated a military reconquest Spain also lost all her
of Al Andalus. The marriage, in 1469, of South and Central
Fernando of Aragón and Isabel of Castile – American colonies.
the so-called Catholic Monarchs – led to The late 19th century
Spanish unity. They took Granada, the last was a time of national
decline, with anarchism
KEY DATES IN SPANISH HISTORY developing as a
1100 BC Arrival of Phoenicians, first in a wave of response to rampant
settlers from across the Mediterranean political corruption.
218–202 BC Romans oust Carthaginians from Political instability led
southeastern Spain to dictatorship in the General Franco, Nationalist leader
5th century AD Visigoths take control of Spain 1920s and, a decade in the Spanish Civil War
711 Moors invade Spain and defeat Visigoths later, the Spanish Civil
756 Independent emirate established at Córdoba; War. The victor, the Nationalist General
Moorish civilization flourishes
Franco, ruled by repression until his death
11th century Christian kingdoms begin reconquest
of Moorish territories in 1975. Since then, Spain has been a
1492 Catholic Monarchs capture Granada, last democratic state.
Moorish stronghold. Columbus reaches America
1561 Madrid becomes capital of Spain Development and Diplomacy
17th century Spain’s Golden Age After the death of the dictator General
1808–14 Spanish War of Independence Franco in 1975, Spain became a
1898 Spain loses its last American colony, Cuba constitutional monarchy under King Juan
1936–9 Spanish Civil War; Nationalist General Franco Carlos I. The post-Franco era, up until the
emerges victor
1975 Death of Franco; restoration of Bourbon mid-1990s, was dominated by the
monarchy as Juan Carlos I is proclaimed king Socialist Prime Minister Felipe González,
1986 Spain joins the EC (now EU) whose party, PSOE, was responsible for
1992 Barcelona hosts the Olympic Games major improvements in roads, education,
2000 Spain celebrates 25 years of democracy and health services. Spain’s entry to the
2004 Nearly 200 people die in terrorist bomb attacks European Community in 1986 triggered
on trains in Madrid a spectacular increase in the country’s
2014 King Juan Carlos abdicates and his son ascends prosperity. Its international reputation
to the throne as King Felipe VI of Spain
was given a further boost in 1992, when

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