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Ancient Iberia and Roman Hispania
The Iberian Peninsula was home to various peoples, including the Iberians and Celts (Celtiberians), and was colonized by Phoenicians and Greeks along the coast. Carthage also established a presence before engaging in the Punic Wars with Rome. Rome conquered the peninsula in the late 1st century BCE, calling it
Hispania
. Roman rule brought Latin, a developed legal system, roads, and cities, laying the foundation for modern Spanish culture.
The Middle Ages: Visigoths and Al-Andalus
Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Germanic tribes, including the Visigoths, took control and established a kingdom that encompassed much of the peninsula. In 711 CE, a Muslim force (the Moors) invaded from North Africa, quickly conquering most of the region and establishing a flourishing Islamic civilization known as al-Andalus. The Christian kingdoms in the north began the Reconquista, a centuries-long effort to retake the peninsula from Muslim rule.
Unification and Global EmpireThe marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1469 led to a dynastic union of their kingdoms and effectively created modern Spain. In 1492, their forces conquered the last Muslim state, the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, completing the Reconquista. In the same year, Christopher Columbus's voyage, sponsored by the monarchs, led to the "discovery" of the Americas and the start of the Spanish Empire. The 16th and 17th centuries, known as the "Golden Age," saw Spain become Europe's predominant power, with vast wealth flowing from its colonies in the Americas, although it faced significant challenges and gradual decline.
Modern Era: Instability, Civil War, and Democracy
The 19th century was marked by the Peninsular War against Napoleon's invasion and the independence of most Spanish colonies in Latin America. The 20th century saw political instability that led to the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) between the left-leaning Republicans and right-wing Nationalists led by General Francisco Franco. Franco's Nationalists won, establishing an authoritarian dictatorship that lasted until his death in 1975.
Upon Franco's death, King Juan Carlos I facilitated a peaceful and rapid transition back to democracy. A new constitution was approved in 1978, guaranteeing civil rights and establishing Spain as a constitutional monarchy. Spain joined the European Economic Community (now the EU) in 1986 and has since become a developed, major global economy.
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