HEADS OF STATE
Isabella I de Castilla (1451-1504) & Fernando II de Aragon (1479-1516) – Two of the most significant monarchs in the history of the world. In 1492, they oversaw the Reconquista from Muslims of España in taking Granada and initiation of the conquest of the Americas.
Carlos I (1500-1558) – Grandson to Isabella I and Fernando II, Carlos I was from house of Hapsburg. During Carlos I’s reign, España expanded greatly into the Americas. The empire that included much of the Western Hemisphere, as well as Austria and part of Italia was known as “The Empire on which the sun never sets.”
Felipe II (1556-1598) – Felipe II, of the House of Habsburg, established Madrid as the capital of España in 1561. The Inca empire and the Philippines were conquered during his reign, with the second named in his honor. Felipe II oversaw the construction of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It was under his orders that the Spanish Armada was defeated by the British in 1588.
Felipe V (1683-1746) – Felipe V, Grandson of Louis XIV of France, was born in Versailles and the first Spanish king of the House of Bourbon. When he was crowned King of Spain, he did not speak Spanish.
Carlos III (1716-1788) – The king mayor. Carlos III is the first king to seriously invest in the infrastructure of Madrid. Carlos III had spent his youth in Napoli.
Joseph I –
Franco –
Juan Carlos I – When Franco died, Juan Carlos I pushed to have a parliamentary monarchy
Felipe VI – Current monarch of España.
ARTISTS
Piero della Francesca (1398-1484): The Annunciation from the Early Renaissance in the Prado. Not only do the landscape and architecture display a familiarity with this world, but Mary’s reaction to the message from the angel is quite human as well.
Rogier van der Weyden (1399-1464)
Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516): The Garden of Earthly Delights in the Prado
Raphael (1483-1520)
Tiziano (1488-1576)
Caravaggio (1571-1610)
El Greco (1541-1614): The Burial of Count Orgaz
Diego Velazquez (1599-1660): Las Meninas
Francisco Goya (1746-1828): The Black Paintings
Antoní Gaudi (1852-1926)
Santiago Rusiñol (1861-1931)
Ramon Casas (1866-1932)
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973): Guernica
Federico García Lorca (1898-1936): Monument to him on Plaza Santa Ana
Salvador Dali (1904-1989): The Great Masturbator
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Ham, Anthony; Quintero, Josephine. Lonely Planet Madrid (Travel Guide). Lonely Planet Global Limited, 2021.
Phillips, Jr, William D.; Rahn Phillips, Carla. A Concise History of Spain (Cambridge Concise Histories). Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Shields, Graham. Madrid (World Bibliographical Series). ABC-CLIO, 1996.
Steves, Rick. Rick Steves Spain (Travel Guide). Avalon Travel, 2016.
EDITOR AND LAST UPDATE
John William Bailly 08 June 2023
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