The Spanish Empire consisted of territories across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania from the 15th through 20th centuries. In the 16th century, Spain took control of large parts of North and South America by conquering the Aztec and Inca empires through military tactics, alliances with rival groups, and the spread of disease. Though Spain's empire was vast, it declined in the following centuries through independence movements and military defeats against other European powers like France.
2. The Spanish Empire
• The Spanish Empire consisted of territories in
Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania
and lasted from the 15 th century through the 20 th
century.
• In 1492, when Columbus ventured out across the
Atlantic and discovered America, the Americas
became the focus of Spanish exploration and
colonization.
• During the 16th century, the Spanish took over
large territories on North and South America
ousting the Aztecs and Incas.
• In 1565 the Spanish arrived in Guam and the
Philippine Islands establishing the Spanish East
Indies.
3. The Spanish Empire
• During the 16th century, the Spanish Monarchy controlled the Low-Countries, most of Italy,
and parts of France and Germany.
• By the 17th century, Spain’s empire was more vast than had ever been approached by its
predecessors.
• Spain’s expeditions reached Canada and Alaska during the late 18 th century resulting in a
settlement on Vancouver Island.
• A number of independence movements in the early 19 th century resulted in newly
independent Spanish American republics in South and Central America.
• Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Spanish East Indies remained under Spanish rule until the end of
the 19th century when they were annexed by the United States after the Spanish-American
War.
4. Habsburg Spain
• The Reyes Catolicos was the marriage of Catholic monarchs: the Queen of Castile and the
King of Aragon.
• Charles was the Habsburg grandson and inherited the Castilian empire in America, the
Aragonese Empire in the Mediterranean, the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, and
Austria as a result of the Reyes Catolicos.
• Following the defeat of the Castilian rebels in the early 16 th century, Charles became the
most powerful man in Europe.
• The Castilian Empire extracted vast amounts of silver from Mexico which increased
their wealth, but also led to inflation toward the end of the 16 th century.
• Access to the resources of the Americas, undermine the power of France, defend
Europe against Islam, and spread religion were some of the political goals of the
Habsburgs.
5. Habsburg Spain
• Charles V’s only legitimate son, Phillip of
Spain, defeated the French in the mid 16 th
century and led to the Peace of Cateau-
Cambresis, which permanently recognized
Spanish claims in Italy.
• After expending vast resources in the
Netherlands and the threat of piracy of his
ships from the Americas, Phillip accepted
bankruptcy in 1576.
• Spain faced strong adversaries following their
bankruptcy which led them to sign treaties with
France and England at the end of the 16 th and
beginning of the 17 th century.
• Following their peace with France and England,
Spain focused on restoring its rule to the Dutch
provinces.
• In 1643 Spain’s greatest army was defeated by
the French at Rocroi, and which many
historians agree, was the end of Spanish
dominance.
6. The Spanish Conquest of
the Aztec Empire
• Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador who was
commissioned to explore the Mexican coast.
• During his travel along the Yucatan Peninsula Cortes met Dona
Marina, who became his mistress and more importantly, his
translator to the Aztecs.
• Cortez befriended the Tlaxcalans, who where rivals of the
Aztecs.
• Cortez met the Aztec leader Moctezuma II in the city of
Tenochtitlan, which was believed to be one of the largest cities
in the world at that time.
• After being driven from Tenochtitlan, the Spanish and the
Tlaxcalans mounted a siege of the city which lasted eight
months.
• The invaders cut off the water and food supply and spread
smallpox, which ultimately led to the demise of the Aztecs and
Tenochtitlan.
• The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire claimed victory in
1521 and was one of the most important campaigns in the
Spanish colonization of the Americas.
7. The Spanish Conquest of the
Aztec Empire
• Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador sent by the Spanish
Monarchy to conquer Peru.
• When Pizarro and his men were first spotted by the natives they
were thought to be “gods”.
• Atahualpa, who was the emperor of the Inca Empire, was fearful
of what the white men were capable of and tried to decide if
they were “gods” or there to destroy his people.
• Pizarro sent some of his men to meet Atahualpa at Cajamarca to
let Atahualpa know they came in peace and were prepared to
serve him against his enemies.
• Atahualpa met Pizarro the following day which resulted in a
surprise attack by the Spaniards superior military tactics and
weaponry, and the capture of Atahualpa.
• Atahualpa was held captive for months until finally executed in
1533.
• The single greatest factor of the demise of the native people was
disease, brought by colonists and conquistadors.
