Spain under the Habsburgs: 16th-17th centuries
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Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. The Habsburg
dynasty became extinct in Spain and the War of Spanish Succession
ensued in which the other European powers tried to assume control of
the Spanish monarchy.
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Spain under the Bourbons |
Philip V, the first Bourbon king, of French origin, signed the Decreto de Nueva Planta in 1715, a new law
that revoked most of the historical rights and privileges of the
different kingdoms that conformed
Spanish Crown. Spain became culturally and politically a follower of
France.
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Spain an the Enlightenment: 18th century |
Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial
revolutions caused the country to fall behind
Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power.
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Napoleonic Wars: Spanish Independence War 1808-1812
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The Napoleonic invasion gave the opportunity to the American
colonies to claim their independence. In
1812 the Cortes refugeed at Cadiz created the first modern Spanish
constitution, informally named as La
Pepa. This constitution was revoked by the returning king Ferdinand
VII.
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1820-1823 [Trienio Liberal]
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After the pronunciamento (coup d'etat)
by Riego, the king was forced to
accept the liberal Constitution.
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1823-1833 [Decada ominosa]
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Another coup d'etat revoked the
Constitution, executed Riego, and
restored Ferdinand VII as absolute monarch. |
Spanish Civil War 1936-1939
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A right wing coup d'etat by Francisco Franco and other generals
starts the Spanish Civil War against the Republic.
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The dictatorship of Franco 1936-1975
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Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered
through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). In the second half of the
20th century, it has played a catch-up role in the western
international community; Francisco Franco ruled until his death on
November 20th 1975 when control was given to King Juan Carlos.
In the last few months before Franco's death, the Spanish state went
into a paralysis. This was capitalized upon by the King of Morocco,
who seized Western Sahara, and by Equatorial Guinea, which achieved
its independence. Thus Spain lost its last colonial possessions.
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The transition to democracy 1975-1978
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At present, Spain is a constitutional monarchy, and is comprised
of 17 autonomous communities (Andalucía, Aragón, Asturias, Illes
Balears, Islas Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Castilla-La
Mancha, Catalunya, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia,
País Vasco, Comunitat Valenciana, Navarra, Ceuta and Melilla).
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[Spain 1978-1982]
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The Union del Centro Democrático governments. 1981 The 23-F coup
d'etat attempt.
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[Spain 1982-1996] |
The Socialist governments. 1986 Spains enters the European
Union. 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
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[Spain 1996-2002]
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The Partido Popular governments. 1999 Spains abandons the peseta
and adopts the new euro currency.
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