empire · 1492–19th century
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire was one of the first global empires, built on the voyages of the Age of Exploration, which made Spain the dominant European power of the 16th century.
Key Takeaways
- The Spanish Empire was among the first global empires.
- It was built on the Age of Exploration, beginning with Columbus's voyages.
- It made Spain the dominant European power of the 16th century.
- Its conquests devastated the indigenous civilizations of the Americas.
- Type
- Global empire
- Began
- 1492
- Capital
- Madrid
Launched by the voyages of Columbus and the conquests that followed, the Spanish Empire spanned the Americas, the Pacific and parts of Europe, channeling vast wealth — and inflicting vast harm on indigenous peoples.
The Spanish Empire was one of the first global empires in history. It was born of the Age of Exploration: when Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic under the Spanish crown in 1492, he opened the way for conquest and colonization on a vast scale.
Within decades Spain ruled territories across the Americas and the Pacific, and the gold and silver of the New World made it the dominant power of 16th-century Europe. That wealth, however, was built on the conquest, forced labor and devastation of the indigenous civilizations of the Americas — a dark counterpart to the era’s voyages of discovery.
Key Achievements
- Established one of the first truly global empires.
- Sponsored the transatlantic voyages of the Age of Exploration.
Notable Figures of Spanish Empire
Christopher Columbus
85Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who, sailing for Spain in 1492, opened sustained European contact with the Americas — a voyage of immense and deeply controversial consequence.
Christopher Columbus
85Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who, sailing for Spain in 1492, opened sustained European contact with the Americas — a voyage of immense and deeply controversial consequence.
Ferdinand Magellan
86Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who, in the service of Spain, led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, proving the world could be sailed around even though he died midway through the voyage.
Hernán Cortés
80Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that overthrew the Aztec Empire, bringing much of Mexico under Spanish rule and inaugurating centuries of colonial domination.
Miguel de Cervantes
91Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer whose novel Don Quixote is widely regarded as the first modern novel and one of the greatest works in world literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Spanish Empire begin?
It began with the voyages of Christopher Columbus, sailing under the Spanish crown in 1492, and the conquests of the Americas that followed.