Page 29 - All About History - Issue 70-18

This portrait is
thought to be
of Cervantes,
although this
has not been
confirmed

HERNÁN

CORTÉS

1485 1547
Conquistador Hernán
Cortés famously
conquered the Aztec
Empire following
a three-month
Cortés explored
Philip’s Empire
large parts of siege of the capital, stretched to every MIGUEL DE CERVANTES 1547 1616
Central America Tenochtitlán, in 1521. continent known
He built Mexico City to Europeans Miguel de Cervantes is widely cited as one of
Spain’s greatest writers as the creator of Don Quixote.
on the remains of the capital and it was soon full
of Spanish colonists, thereby establishing Spain’s KING PHILIP II 1527 1598 Translated into over 60 languages, Don Quixote
place in the New World. Two years later, Cortés was Though his official reign began in 1556, Philip is frequently regarded as the world’s first modern
appointed as the governor of had actually been regent of Spain since 1543 novel and is still in publication today, more than
New Spain but on behalf of his ailing father, Charles V. For four centuries since it was first released. Cervantes
Cortés concerns over his over five decades, he ruled Spain as it reached was also a playwright and poet, although his work
power led to him the zenith of its power and influence and in these areas never received the critical acclaim or
remains a being removed became a global empire. At the same time, popularity that his novels did.
controversial figure in 1528 – his his reign coincided with the flourishing of art De Larrocha was

for enslaving much of attempts to and literature that was subsequently known as petite at under 5ft tall ALICIA DE
be restored to the Spanish Golden Age. As a devout Catholic,
the Aztec Empire and his position Philip led the Counter-Reformation against LARROCHA

introducing European ultimately Protestantism and famously sent the doomed
failed. Spanish Armada to overthrow Queen Elizabeth 1923 2009
diseases that wiped I and Protestant England in 1588. Described as one of
them out the greatest Spanish
pianists in history,
Alicia de Larrocha
CLARA CAMPOAMOR 1888 1972 had an extremely

Clara Campoamor was one of three women elected accomplished career,
to the Constituent Assembly after women were which began when she
given the right to stand in the elections for the first was just three years
time in 1931. A strong advocate for women’s rights, old. By the time she was 24, De Larrocha had started
Campoamor became the first woman to give a touring internationally and throughout her life she
speech to the Constituent Assembly as she fought played in venues across Europe, America and South
for universal suffrage to be included in the draft Africa. As well as the Prince of Asturias Award for
for the Spanish Constitution of 1931. Her efforts the Arts, De Larrocha won numerous Grammy
were successful as women were granted the right Awards and in 1995, she became the first Spanish
to vote in December 1931, although Campoamor artist to win the UNESCO prize.
lost her parliamentary seat two years later. With the
outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Campoamor fled
into exile and refused to give up the names of her PENÉLOPE
Republican allies to Franco.
CRUZ 1974 N/A
Picasso lived until
he was 91 years old Campoamor From her regal
eventually
died while performance as
PABLO PICASSO 1881 1973 in exile in the Queen of Spain
Among his many accomplishments, Pablo Picasso Switzerland to her comedy
famously co-founded and pioneered the Cubism Cruz was talented rendition of
movement alongside Georges Braque, as well as scouted at 15 Valentina Valencia
co-inventing the technique of collage. As his style years old in Zoolander 2,
of painting developed throughout his life, Picasso’s Penelope Cruz’s
art also assumed neoclassical, surrealist and acting range knows no bounds. For almost
symbolist elements, emphasising his willingness to three decades, she has starred in television
experiment with his work. Picasso’s paintings are dramas and films, both in her native Spain and
divided into periods, with some of the most notable in Hollywood, and has received critical acclaim
including the Blue Period from 1901 to 1904 and the for many of her performances. Cruz is the
Rose Period from 1904 to 1906, which were defined first Spanish actress to have won an Academy
by shades of blue and shades of orange and pink Award as well as the first to receive a star on
respectively. Undoubtedly, he was one of the most the Hollywood Walk of Fame. © Alamy
influential and celebrated artists of the 20th century.

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