World History Timeline

Countries / Europe

History of Spain

39 notable historical events in Spain, in chronological order.

War · 20Politics · 8Dynasty · 2Treaty · 2Revolution · 8Science · 1Exploration · 5Religion · 4Culture · 1Art · 2Economy · 2Disaster · 2Death · 3

3rd century BCE

  1. 218 BCE – 201 BCE★★★★★

    Second Punic War

    Hannibal crosses the Alps to invade Italy, but Rome ultimately prevails and Carthage loses its status as a great power.

    War· Italy, Tunisia, Spain

8th century

  1. 711 – 718★★★★★

    Umayyad conquest of Hispania

    Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad cross the Strait of Gibraltar, defeat the Visigothic kingdom and take most of the Iberian Peninsula.

    War· Spain, Portugal

13th century

  1. July 16, 1212★★★★★

    Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa

    A coalition of Christian Iberian kingdoms defeats the Almohads, a major turning point of the Reconquista.

    War· Spain

15th century

  1. October 19, 1469★★★★★

    Marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella

    The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile later unites their crowns, laying the foundation of a unified Spain.

    DynastyPolitics· Spain
  2. January 2, 1492★★★★★

    Fall of Granada ends the Reconquista

    Emir Muhammad XII surrenders to Ferdinand and Isabella, ending the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula.

    WarReligion· Spain
  4. October 12, 1492★★★★★

    Columbus reaches the Americas

    Christopher Columbus's Spanish-sponsored expedition makes landfall on an island in the Bahamas.

    Exploration· Bahamas, Spain
  5. June 7, 1494★★★★★

    Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain and Portugal agree to divide newly found lands outside Europe along a meridian in the Atlantic.

    TreatyExploration· Spain, Portugal

16th century

  1. April 1519★★★★★

    Hernán Cortés lands in Mexico

    Spanish conquistadors under Hernán Cortés land on Mexico's Gulf Coast and found Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, beginning the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

    WarExploration· Mexico, Spain
  2. April 27, 1521★★★★★

    Battle of Mactan

    Warriors led by the chieftain Lapulapu defeat Ferdinand Magellan's men on Mactan island; Magellan is killed.

    WarExplorationDeath· Philippines, Spain, Portugal
  3. September 6, 1522★★★★★

    First circumnavigation completed

    The ship Victoria under Juan Sebastián Elcano returns to Spain, completing the circumnavigation begun by Magellan.

    Exploration· Spain, Portugal
  4. November 16, 1532★★★★★

    Pizarro captures Atahualpa at Cajamarca

    A small Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro ambushes and captures the Inca emperor Atahualpa, beginning the fall of the Inca Empire.

    War· Peru, Spain
  5. 1545★★★★★

    Silver discovered at Potosí

    The vast silver deposits of Cerro Rico at Potosí begin to be mined, supplying huge quantities of silver to Spain and the world economy.

    Economy· Bolivia, Spain
  6. 1568 – 1648★★★★★

    Eighty Years' War (Dutch Revolt)

    The Dutch provinces revolt against Spanish rule; the war ends with Spain recognising the independence of the Dutch Republic.

    WarRevolution· Netherlands, Belgium, Spain
  7. 1571★★★★★

    Spanish establish Manila

    Miguel López de Legazpi takes Manila and makes it the capital of the Spanish Philippines.

    Politics· Philippines, Spain
  8. October 7, 1571★★★★★

    Battle of Lepanto

    The fleet of the Holy League, formed by Spain, Venice and the Papacy, defeats the Ottoman navy in the Gulf of Patras.

    War· Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey
  9. October 15, 1582★★★★★

    Gregorian calendar introduced

    The Gregorian calendar takes effect in Catholic countries: Julian 4 October 1582 is followed by 15 October.

    ScienceReligion· Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland
  10. August 8, 1588★★★★★

    Defeat of the Spanish Armada

    The Armada sent by Philip II to invade England is defeated by the English navy at the Battle of Gravelines and scattered during its retreat.

    War· United Kingdom, Spain

17th century

  1. 1605★★★★★

    First part of Don Quixote published

    Miguel de Cervantes publishes the first part of Don Quixote, often regarded as one of the first modern novels.

    CultureArt· Spain
  2. 1618 – 1648★★★★★

    Thirty Years' War

    Beginning with a revolt in Bohemia, the conflict spreads across Central Europe, drawing in the major European powers and causing enormous loss of life.

    WarReligion· Germany, Czechia, Austria, Sweden, France, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands

18th century

  1. 1701 – 1714★★★★★

    War of the Spanish Succession

    European powers fight over the succession to the Spanish throne after the death of Charles II; the war ends with the treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt.

    WarDynasty· Spain, France, United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands
  2. November 1, 1755★★★★★

    1755 Lisbon earthquake

    A massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, devastates Lisbon, killing tens of thousands and deeply influencing Enlightenment thought.

    Disaster· Portugal, Spain, Morocco
  3. 1756 – 1763★★★★★

    Seven Years' War

    A global conflict among the European powers fought in Europe, North America and India; Britain gains colonial supremacy and Prussia confirms its great-power status.

    War· United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Spain, United States, Canada, India

19th century

  1. October 21, 1805★★★★★

    Battle of Trafalgar

    The British fleet under Admiral Nelson defeats the combined French and Spanish fleets, securing British naval supremacy; Nelson is killed in the battle.

    War· United Kingdom, France, Spain
  3. July 9, 1816★★★★★

    Argentine Declaration of Independence

    The Congress of Tucumán declares the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata independent from Spain.

    RevolutionPolitics· Argentina, Spain
  4. August 7, 1819★★★★★

    Battle of Boyacá

    Simón Bolívar's forces defeat the Spanish at Boyacá, securing the liberation of New Granada (present-day Colombia).

    WarRevolution· Colombia, Spain
  5. September 27, 1821★★★★★

    Mexico achieves independence from Spain

    The Army of the Three Guarantees enters Mexico City, ending over a decade of war and three centuries of Spanish rule.

    RevolutionPolitics· Mexico, Spain
  6. December 9, 1824★★★★★

    Battle of Ayacucho

    Independence forces under Antonio José de Sucre defeat the Spanish army in Peru, effectively ending Spanish rule in South America.

    WarRevolution· Peru, Spain
  7. September 1, 1858★★★★★

    Franco-Spanish attack on Đà Nẵng

    A Franco-Spanish force attacks Đà Nẵng, beginning the French conquest of Vietnam.

    War· Vietnam, France, Spain
  8. December 30, 1896★★★★★

    Execution of José Rizal

    Filipino writer and patriot José Rizal is executed by Spanish colonial authorities in Manila, galvanising the Philippine Revolution.

    DeathRevolution· Philippines, Spain
  9. April 1898 – December 10, 1898★★★★★

    Spanish–American War

    The United States defeats Spain, gaining Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, while Cuba is freed from Spanish rule.

    War· United States, Spain, Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico
  10. June 12, 1898★★★★★

    Philippine Declaration of Independence

    Emilio Aguinaldo proclaims the independence of the Philippines from Spain at Kawit, Cavite.

    RevolutionPolitics· Philippines, Spain

20th century

  1. July 17, 1936 – April 1, 1939★★★★★

    Spanish Civil War

    Nationalists led by Francisco Franco fight the Republicans; Franco's victory leads to a dictatorship lasting until 1975.

    War· Spain
  2. 1937★★★★★

    Picasso paints Guernica

    Pablo Picasso completes Guernica in response to the bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War; it becomes an enduring anti-war icon.

    Art· France, Spain
  3. April 26, 1937★★★★★

    Bombing of Guernica

    German and Italian aircraft supporting the Nationalists bomb the Basque town of Guernica, an event depicted in Picasso's famous painting.

    WarDisaster· Spain, Germany, Italy
  5. November 1, 1993★★★★★

    European Union established by the Maastricht Treaty

    The Maastricht Treaty enters into force, formally establishing the European Union and laying the groundwork for a single currency.

    TreatyPolitics· Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal

21st century

  1. January 1, 2002★★★★★

    Euro banknotes and coins enter circulation

    Euro cash enters circulation in twelve European Union countries, replacing national currencies such as the franc, the Deutsche Mark and the lira.

    Economy· Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
History of Spain · World History Timeline