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History

- Various conquerors
During the centuries all kinds of peoples stayed in Spain, under whom the Celts (from 500 bChr), Feniciers (from 1000 bChr, with Cadiz as capital), Cartages (600 -200 bChr), Iberians where previously, in early days, the Basks settled on the peninsular island.

- Romans and Visigoths (Westgoths)
After this period the powerful Roman Empire rose (from 300 bChr). Spain would produce three emperors. There were three provinces containing most of the important cities: Seville, Tarragona and Merida. Next came the Visigoths with their capital Toledo. The Romans introduced various irrigation techniques which sometimes still work like the aqueduct in Nerja.

- The Moors
The Moorish conquest almost lasted 8 centuries (from 711 till 1492). They introduced the Islamic religion and brought culture, education and trade to a high level. The reconquista (which was lead by the Christ) was a long process which led to the fall of Granada on the second of January 1492. This date is often seen as the beginning of the real Spain.

- Columbus
World traveller Christopher Columbus (who was originally Italian) set foot on land in the new continent America on 12 October 1492, the time in which people still thought the earth was flat. He thought he found India. His journey brought Europe in contact with trade goods like tobacco, coffee, cacao, potatoes, coca, corn and chocolate.

- The Habsburg Empire after Carl V
Spain became a world power under the Habsburgs (1504-1700) and the Bourbons (1700-1868). The Spanish empire ruled over the whole world and founded many colonies.

- Napoleon
During the beginning of the 19th century emperor Napoleon Bonaparte ruled a big part of the world and he got rid of the Bourbons in Spain. This resulted in a guerrilla war that lasted for years to come (the Guerra de Independencia or Peninsular War). Because Napoleon was in war with Russia, he had to retrieve his troops and in 1814 the French finally left Spain.

- Spanish-American War
In the second half of the 19th century (1898) the Spanish-American war led to the retrieving of Spanish troops from the Spanish colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines).

- Franco-regime
In 1931 Spain became a republic after King Alfonso XIII was forced to step down. Political instability finally lead to the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). It began as a nationalistic revolution against the republican government, but because of foreign interference it basically became a conflict between the democracy and the franquisme (a variant to the Italian fascism). General Franco, the leader of the nationalists, was helped by Germany and Italy, while the current government was being helped by the Soviet Union. The nationalists won en General Franco (‘caudillo’) stayed in power as a dictator until his death in 1975 which had a huge effect on the development of Spain and the lives of all Spanish peoples.

- Current monarchy
In the later years of Franco’s regime the Spanish economy grew because of the mass tourism and the business sector was ready for more international trade. After Franco’s death Juan Carlos I (the grandson of Alfonso XIII) became the new king of Spain. He helped introducing the new democratic constitution in 1978. In 1982 the country changed from a centralistic into a decentralist state with autonomous sub-states.