1464–1700: A Crucial Century in the History of Spain

By Izanmc12
  • 1469

    Marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon

    Marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon
    Their marriage united the two most powerful kingdoms in Spain, leading to the creation of a single Spanish monarchy.
  • 1474

    Isabella becomes Queen of Castile

    Isabella becomes Queen of Castile
    After her brother dies, Isabella takes the throne, starting her strong and influential rule.
  • 1479

    Ferdinand becomes King of Aragon

    Ferdinand becomes King of Aragon
    Ferdinand inherits the crown, officially joining Castile and Aragon under one royal family.
  • 1479

    Treaty of Alcaçovas

    Treaty of Alcaçovas
    Spain and Portugal end their war. Spain gets the Canary Islands; Portugal keeps other Atlantic territories.
  • Period: 1482 to 1495

    War of Granada

    A ten-year war where the Catholic Monarchs fight to take the last Muslim kingdom in Spain.
  • 1492

    Conquest of Granada

    Conquest of Granada
    Granada, the last Muslim city, falls to Spain, ending Muslim rule in the country.
  • 1492

    Expulsion of the Jews

    Expulsion of the Jews
    The Catholic Monarchs order all Jews to leave Spain if they do not convert to Christianity.
  • Oct 12, 1492

    Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus

    Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus
    Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, lands in the Americas, opening a new era of exploration.
  • 1494

    The Division of the New World

    The Division of the New World
    The Treaty of Tordesillas divides the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal, shaping the future of colonial empires
  • 1497

    Expansion into North Africa

    Castile invades Melilla, marking Spain’s first significant foothold in North Africa
  • Period: 1497 to 1510

    Italian Wars

    Spanish involvement in the Italian Wars; Ferdinand of Aragon supports Naples against France
  • 1502

    Expulsion of Muslims from Castile

    Expulsion of Muslims from Castile
    Muslims who refuse to convert are expelled from Castile
  • 1504

    Death of Isabella I

    Death of Isabella I
    Queen Isabella dies, causing problems over who should rule Castile.
  • 1506

    Death of Philip the Handsome

    Death of Philip the Handsome
    Heir to Castile and husband of Joanna dies, creating a crisis in the royal family.
  • Period: 1508 to 1516

    War of the League of Cambrai

    Spain joins a group of countries to fight Venice and gain more land in Italy.
  • 1512

    Navarre Joins Spain

    Spain takes control of the Kingdom of Navarre.
  • 1516

    Charles I Becomes King

    Charles I Becomes King
    Ferdinand II dies, and Charles I becomes king of Spain and later Holy Roman Emperor.
  • Period: 1519 to 1521

    Conquest of the Aztec Empire

    Hernán Cortés leads Spanish soldiers to defeat the Aztecs and take Mexico.
  • Period: 1520 to 1521

    Revolts in Spain (Revolt of the Comuneros)

    The revolts in Castile and Valencia, happened because many people in Spain were unhappy with Charles I when he became king. The main reasons were because Charles I was not from Spain: He grew up in another country and did not speak Spanish, there were high taxes, Charles needed lots of money and made people pay more taxes, which made them angry.
  • 1521

    Diet of Worms

    Diet of Worms
    Charles I meets Martin Luther, starting the spread of the Protestant Reformation in Europe.
  • 1522

    First Trip Around the World

    First Trip Around the World
    The Magellan-Elcano expedition sails around the world for the first time, which Charles I Supported exploration and made Spain a world power.
  • Period: 1524 to 1526

    Italian War of the League of Cognac

    Spain fights France and its allies for control of land in Italy.
  • 1525

    Battle of Pavia

    Battle of Pavia
    Spanish soldiers capture the French king in a big victory in Italy.
  • 1526

    Marriage of Charles I and Isabella of Portugal

    Marriage of Charles I and Isabella of Portugal
    Charles I marries Isabella, strengthening the royal family.
  • 1527

    Sack of Rome

    Spanish and Imperial troops attack and loot Rome, showing Spain’s power in Italy.
  • 1533

    Inca Empire Conquered

    Inca Empire Conquered
    Francisco Pizarro conquers the Inca Empire in Peru.
  • 1545

    Discovery of silver at Potosí

    Discovery of silver at Potosí
    Huge silver mines are found in Bolivia, making Spain very rich.
  • 1547

    Battle of Mühlberg

    Battle of Mühlberg
    Charles I wins against Protestant princes in Germany, keeping his power for a while.
  • 1555

    Peace of Augsburg

    Peace of Augsburg
    Charles I allows German princes to choose their own religion, ending some religious conflics.
  • 1556

    Charles I Gives Up Throne

    Charles I Gives Up Throne
    Charles I abdicates, dividing his empire giving Spain to his son Philip II and the Holy Roman Empire to his brother Ferdinand. Charles I Left Spain as the strongest European and colonial power.
  • 1557

    Battle of St. Quentin

    Battle of St. Quentin
    Spain defeats France in a major battle, showing its military strength.
  • Period: 1557 to 1559

    Spanish Victories and Peace with France

    Spain defeats France at Saint-Quentin and Gravelines. The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis confirms Spanish dominance in Italy.
  • 1561

    Madrid becomes the capital

    Philip II makes Madrid the main capital city of Spain.
  • Period: 1566 to

    Dutch Revolt

    The Netherlands fight for independence from Spain in a long war.
  • Period: 1568 to 1568

    The Morisco Revolt

    Muslims who changed to Christianity rebel but are defeated. Philip II Made sure Spain stayed Catholic.
  • 1571

    The Battle of Lepanto

    The Battle of Lepanto
    Spain leads a Christian fleet to defeat the Ottoman Empire at Lepanto, stopping Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean.
  • 1578

    Death of Sebastian of Portugal

    Death of Sebastian of Portugal
    The Portuguese king dies in battle, leading to Spain taking control of Portugal.
  • 1579

    The Union of Arras

    Southern provinces of the Netherlands reconcile with Spain, while the north continues to resist, leading to the Dutch Revolt.
  • 1580

    The Iberian Union

    The Iberian Union
    Philip II becomes King of Portugal, uniting the crowns of Spain and Portugal.
  • Period: to

    Anglo-Spanish War

    Spain and England fight at sea and in the Americas for almost 20 years.

  • English attack on Cádiz

    English attack on Cádiz
    English ships, led by Francis Drake, attack Spanish ships in Cádiz.

  • Defeat of the Spanish Armada

    Defeat of the Spanish Armada
    Spain tries to invade England with a huge fleet, but it fails.

  • Aragonese Revolt

    Aragonese Revolt
    People in Aragon rebel against Philip II’s efforts to control their region.

  • Death of Philip II

    Death of Philip II
    Philip II dies, ending an era marked by Spain’s greatest territorial and cultural achievements. his son Philip III becomes king.
  • Period: to

    Total Expulsion of the Moriscos

    All remaining Muslims who had converted to Christianity are forced to leave Spain.

  • Philip IV becomes king

    Philip IV becomes king
    Philip IV became king after his father, Philip III, died. He was young and had help from his advisors. He ruled during many wars and problems.

  • Revolt of Catalonia and Portugal

    Revolt of Catalonia and Portugal
    Both Catalonia and Portugal rebel against Spanish rule; Portugal becomes independent again.

  • Battle of Rocroi

    Battle of Rocroi
    Spanish forces are defeated by the French, showing Spain is losing its power in Europe.

  • Philip's IV Death

    He died in 1665 after ruling for 44 years.

  • Charles II becomes king

    Charles II becomes king
    Charles II became king when he was a child after his father, Philip IV, died. He was sick and weak most of his life.

  • Death of Charles II

    Death of Charles II
    He died without children, which caused a big fight over who would be the next king.