page_title: Spanish Empire
section_title: Definition
hierarchical_section_title: Spanish Empire / Definition
caption_attribution_description: العربية: آخر مُلُوك غرناطة أبو عبد الله محمد الثاني عشر يُسلِّم غرناطة آخر معاقل المُسلمين في الأندلُس إلى الملك الكاثوليكي فرديناند الثاني الأراغوني، لِتسقط بِذلك الأندلُس وتقوم على أنقاضها الإمبراطوريَّة الإسپانيَّة. Español: La obra representa el momento en que Boabdil, que fue el último rey nazarí de Granada, rindió la ciudad de Granada en 1492 y entregó las llaves de la misma a los Reyes Católicos, Isabel I de Castilla y Fernando II de Aragón.
context_page_description: The Spanish Empire also known as "Spanish Monarchy" was one of the largest empires in history and became one of the first global empires in world history
  Soon after the Reconquista, Spain became the first global power in the world. It led European exploration of the new world, building the large Viceroyaties in the New World at the time. Spain also created the first intercontinental trade routes across the oceans. The Spanish traded goods across the Atlantic Ocean, between Spain and its viceroyalties in the Americas. They also traded across the Pacific Ocean, between Asian-Pacific countries and Mexico throughout the Spanish treasure fleet and Manila galleons.
  Spanish Conquistadores conquered the Aztec, Inca, and Maya Empires together with the help of other native american tribes. They took large territories in North, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Spain made these territories into Viceroyalties until the XIX century. Spain, especially the kingdom of Castile, became much more powerful. Also, through royal marriages, the Spanish monarchs created alliances with other European powers. This allowed the Spanish Empire to gain control of many territories in Europe.
context_section_description: The Spanish Empire generally means Spain's overseas provinces in the Americas, Africa, the Pacific and Europe. For instance, traditionally, territiories such as the Low Countries or Spanish Netherlands were included as they were part of the possessions of the King of Spain, governed by Spanish officials and defended by Spanish troops. Many historians use both "Habsburg" and "Spanish" when they speak of the empire of Charles V or Philip II.  However, the Low Countries were effectively part of Spain during that period.
  The Portuguese colonial empire joined Spain and was ruled by the same monarch in "personal union", but Portugal remained a  separate state. The Portuguese empire continued to be ruled from Lisbon during this period. Therefore, there was a joint Spanish-Portuguese rule for some time. These jointly run empires have sometimes been called the Spanish-Portuguese Empire.
   	
  The 1469 marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile created a dynastic union of Aragon and Castile. Spain became a modern state in the early modern period with the union of the Catholic Monarchs. 
  In 1492, Spain finished a 781 years period of Reconquest with the fall of the last Moorish kingdom of Granada. that same year the Catholic monarchs financed Christopher Columbus voyage to reach India by sailing westwards. Columbus instead found America. That was the start of the Spanish colonization of the continent. 
  By the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494, the globe was divided into two hemispheres between Spain and Portugal.  Therefore, Spain had the right to start colonies in all of the New World from Alaska to Cape Horn (except Brazil), as well as Asia. The Castilian Empire was the result of a period of rapid colonial expansion into the New World, as well as the Philippines and colonies in Africa: Melilla was captured by Castile in 1497 and Oran in 1509.
caption: Surrender of Granada's king in the presence of the Catholic Kings.
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