Spain, 1469-1714

About this book

"From the sixteenth to the early eighteenth century Spain was the world's most powerful nation, dominant in Europe and with authority over immense territories in America and the Pacific. In his now classic text, Henry Kamen shows how Spain achieved this world power, examining the crucial political events and foreign policy through the reigns of each of the nation's rulers, from Ferdinand and Isabella at the end of the fifteenth century to Philip V at the beginning of the eighteenth century." "Kamen also explores the essential factors that distinguished the Spanish experience, from the gold and silver of the New World to the role of the Inquisition and the fate of the Muslim and Jewish minorities. He identifies the essential fragility of Spain's material resources as the main reason why it never succeeded in achieving success as an imperial power. He also examines the origins of the eternal obsession of Spaniards with their own failings and alleged 'decline', arguing that the perception of 'decline' distorts what really happened in their history." "This third edition of Henry Kamen's authoritative survey of the Golden Age of Spanish politics and civilisation expands the coverage of themes, brings the author's extensive research up to date and includes a full chronology of events."--Jacket.