At its greatest extent in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Spanish Empire covered 13.7 million square kilometres (5.3 million square miles), making it one of the largest empires in history. [3]

Spain led European global exploration and colonial expansion in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Trade flourished across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Toppling the Aztec and Inca civilizations, …

Feb 9, 2026 · The empire was created in a time of rising European absolutism, which flourished in both Spain and Spanish America and reached its height in the 18th century. The overseas colonies …

Nov 15, 2021 · At its height, it controlled territory on five of the world’s continents, including large parts of Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean, along with smaller possessions in Asia and Africa. The …

Portugal and Spain sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the world into two spheres of influence. The Spanish settlement of Santo Domingo on Hispaniola is founded. The encomienda system is first …

When the United States entered the community of independent nations in 1783, its neighbors to both the south and west were territories of the Spanish Empire. Spain claimed sovereignty over the North …

The most successful conquistador was Hernán Cortés, who in 1520-1521, with thousands of Amerindian allies, overran the mighty Aztec empire, thus making Mexico a part of the Spanish empire; this would …

It expanded across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, driven by the pursuit of wealth, territory, and the spread of Catholicism. The empire achieved its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries under the …

The rise and fall of the Spanish Empire is a testament to the transient nature of power and the complexities of managing a global empire. At its height, Spain controlled vast territories across …

Given its tremendous growth, vast resources and territorial gains, an obvious question arises: Why did the Spanish Empire fall? This article traces the rise and development of Spain as a major European …