Political Changes in Spain

Spain started as a monarchy in the 8^th century and continued to expand slowly for the next several hundred years.  The two most important Spanish states until the 15^th century were Aragon and Castile.  These two states were consolidated by a royal marriage in the 15^th century.  In the late 15^th century the Spanish Inquisition began.  It was used to find heresy and find Jews and Muslims that had not converted to Christianity.  In the 15^th century many political decisions were motivated by religious beliefs.

As the Inquisition continued and the last Muslim stronghold was overthrown Roman Catholicism became the official state religion.  Shortly thereafter, Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain. Though religion was used to justify the Inquisition, there were also economic factors.  When the Jews were expelled, all debts to them were cancelled and Spain began an era of exploration, discovery, and colonization.  During this time Spain amassed vast wealth and a huge colonial empire.

The Spanish Hapsburg monarchy became, for a time, the most powerful in the world. In the late 16^th century, the destruction of the Spanish armada cost Spain its naval supremacy and allowed England to begin colonizing the Americas. Spain then sank rapidly in status and became a second-rate world power. Since then, Spain has never played a major part in the politics of Europe. Only one century later the the War of the Spanish Succession caused Spain to lose Naples, Milan, Sardinia, Luxembourg, and Belgium. During the 18^th and 19^th centuries, Spain lost its colonial empire as well.

After several centuries of declining power, Spain maintained a position of neutrality during World War I. Shortly after World War I, General Miguel Primo de Rivera became the first Spanish dictator. Seven years after his rise to power, King Alfonso XIII revoked his dictatorship, but it was too late for the monarchy in Spain. King Alfonso XIII left Spain in 1931.

The Spanish people then introduced a new constitution that made Spain a workers’ republic, created a separation of church and state, secularized schools and broke up the large estates. Again there was civil war and this time General Franco took control.  He maintained his rule until his death in 1975.  Three years after his death Spain once again brought forth a constitution, this time establishing Spain as the parliamentary monarchy it is today.