The Entire History of the Spanish Empire

Further south, the Inca civilization dominated much of modern-day Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro led expeditions, introducing smallpox that weakened the Inca population. Pizarro returned in 1531, leading to a prolonged war throughout the 1530s. Unlike the swift Aztec conquest, the Inca Empire's decentralized nature and internal Spanish conflicts (Pizarro was killed in 1541) made it a longer struggle. By 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was established, but Inca resistance continued into the 1570s.

While Mexico and Peru formed the core, Spanish exploration extended to the northern frontier of New Spain, covering areas of the southern U.S., but colonization was slow due to more accessible lands elsewhere. In the south, Buenos Aires was founded in 1536. Concurrently, Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation led to the discovery of the Philippines, which, despite being in Portugal's recognized zone, were claimed by Spain. A military expedition in the 1560s established Manila in 1571, providing Spain a strategic foothold in Asia.

The discovery of vast gold and silver mines in Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru, notably the Potosí silver mine, fueled Spain's empire, leading to immense wealth, but also forced native labor and global inflation (the Price Revolution). A complex society emerged in the colonies, with Spanish men marrying native women, forming a mestizo population. Spanish language and Catholicism dominated. The arrival of African slaves, especially in the Caribbean, was also significant.

By the early 17th century, gold and silver supplies diminished, and Spanish government spending on European wars led to bankruptcies, signifying the empire's decline. Other European powers like France, the Dutch, and England began colonizing neglected Spanish claims in North America and challenging Spanish dominance in the Caribbean. This marked a period of stagnation for the Spanish Empire.

By the 18th century, Spanish colonial society had matured, with settlements across a vast territory. However, class divisions emerged: peninsulares (Spanish-born), creoles (Spanish descent, American-born), and mestizos (mixed Spanish and native ancestry). Creoles and mestizos increasingly desired self-rule. European events, specifically Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808, triggered wars of independence across South and Central America, led by figures like Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín.

Between 1808 and 1810, wars of independence erupted, with colonial nationalists clashing with royalist elements. These protracted wars continued throughout the 1810s. Simón Bolívar successfully liberated Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Peru by 1824. Argentina declared independence in 1816, followed by Chile in 1818, and Mexico in 1821. By the early 19th century, Spain had lost most of its vast overseas empire, retaining only Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as final vestiges of its national greatness.

Throughout the 19th century, political instability in Spain led to guerrilla warfare and insurrections in its remaining colonies. The Cuban War of Independence, starting in 1895, culminated in the United States intervening in 1898. The resulting Spanish-American War led to Spain's decisive defeat, forcing it to relinquish control over Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, which became U.S. dependencies. This marked the end of the 400-year-old Spanish Empire.

The video starts by outlining the vast territorial claims of Spain at its peak in the early 19th century, covering over 5 million square miles across the Americas and the Philippines. It highlights that much of these lands were acquired over the preceding three centuries, marking Spain's rapid rise to become the world's first superpower.

In the late 15th century, Spain did not formally exist. The marriage of Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1469 unified the Christian kingdoms, allowing them to complete the Reconquista by ousting the Emirate of Granada in 1491. This consolidation set the stage for overseas expansion, leading them to fund Christopher Columbus's westward voyage in 1492, resulting in his discovery of the Americas and subsequent explorations.

Columbus's discoveries led to a dispute between Spain and Portugal over new territories. The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, brokered by Pope Alexander VI, divided the world into two spheres of influence. Spain began establishing permanent settlements, with Santo Domingo founded in 1496 and Havana becoming a central hub by 1515. Exploration continued, leading Vasco Núñez de Balboa to sight the Pacific Ocean in 1513.

Spanish conquistadors, particularly Hernán Cortés, turned their attention to the American mainland, driven by rumors of rich empires. In 1519, Cortés sailed from Havana and, after gathering native allies oppressed by the Aztecs, arrived at Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. Despite initial cautious welcome, Cortés seized power, leading to conflict. Montezuma II was killed, and the Spanish were temporarily driven out on La Noche Triste. After regrouping, Cortés besieged and conquered Tenochtitlan in 1521, effectively ending the Aztec civilization, exacerbated by European diseases like smallpox. The city was re-established as Mexico City, becoming the capital of New Spain.