Short History of Spain: 25,000 to 10,000 B.C.: The cave paintings of Pinal, Pena de Candamo, El Pendal, Pasiega, Ribadesella and Altamira demonstrate the existence of a fine culture in the Magdalenian period. 1100 BC.: Commercial and cultural contact was maintained with the Phoenicians and Greeks until the middle of the 3rd century A.D. 218 to 201 B.C.: Rome annexes the country and divides it into two provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. 411 A.D.: The Barbarian tribes sign an alliance with Rome, which enables them to establish military colonies within the Empire. New settlers from the North settle on the Peninsula: the Visigoths in the interior and the Swabians on the West. 568-586: The end of the Roman empire in Spain. 711: The Muslim troops cross the Strait of Gibraltar and defeat King Rodrigo. 712: Muza ben-Nosair completes the Muslim conquest. End of Visigothic period. 718: The Christian Reconquest of Spain begins. 913: Christians establish the capital in León. 1469: Isabel I of Castile and Fernando II of Aragon are married 1492: The Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, complete the Reconquest by conquering Granada. Discovery of America (October 12th). 1588: Disaster of the Invincible Armada against England. Spanish Empire in slow decline. 1700-1714: War of the Spanish Succession. The war ends. Borbón dynasty accedes to the Spanish throne. Spain looses Belgium, Luxembourg, Milan, Naples, Sardinia, Minorca and Gibraltar. 1808-1813: The Spanish people rise up against French domination. 1812: The beginning of Spanish constitutionalism. 1898: War with the United States. Spain looses. Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines are turned over to the victors. 1914 - 1918: Spain remains neutral in the First World War. 1923: General Primo de Rivera's dictatorship. 1931: After municipal elections, the Republic is proclaimed. 1936-1939: Spanish Civil War. 1939-1975: General Francisco Franco's dictatorship established. 1975: Franco dies, Juan Carlos de Borbón is proclaimed King. 1978: The Spanish people approve the new Constitution. Spain becomes a parliamentary monarchy. 1986: Spain Joins the European Community |
