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Conditions and Terms of Use PREFACE Copyright © Heritage History 2010 If the word Romance necessarily implies fiction, it is Some rights reserved inappropriately used in the title page of this volume. But if it This text was produced and distributed by Heritage History, an may also imply that which is strange and wonderful, though organization dedicated to the preservation of classical juvenile history true, then it is appropriately used. It has become a common books, and to the promotion of the works of traditional history authors. remark that truth is stranger than fiction. To give a minute The books which Heritage History republishes are in the public narrative of all the important events in Spanish history would domain and are no longer protected by the original copyright. They may occupy folio volumes. The writer has endeavored to glean, therefore be reproduced within the United States without paying a royalty from the many centuries which have passed away, those well- to the author. authenticated incidents which, in his judgment, would prove The text and pictures used to produce this version of the work, most interesting and instructive to American readers. He is not however, are the property of Heritage History and are subject to certain restrictions. These restrictions are imposed for the purpose of protecting the aware that there is any statement in these pages which will be integrity of the work, for preventing plagiarism, and for helping to assure called in question by any well-instructed student of History. that compromised versions of the work are not widely disseminated. The writer cherishes the hope that this volume may aid in In order to preserve information regarding the origin of this text, a luring the eager readers of our land from the present copyright by the author, and a Heritage History distribution date are engrossing devotion to fiction, to the far more instructive and included at the foot of every page of text. We require all electronic and not less romantic incidents of real history. Should these pages printed versions of this text include these markings and that users adhere to prove, in that respect, a success, the work may be followed by the following restrictions. others giving the history of the birth, the struggles, the career, of other great kingdoms of the globe. 1. You may reproduce this text for personal or educational purposes as long as the copyright and Heritage History version are included. JOHN S.C. ABBOTT FAIR HAVEN, Conn. Sep, 1869 2. You may not alter this text or try to pass off all or any part of it as your own work. 3. You may not distribute copies of this text for commercial purposes. 4. This text is intended to be a faithful and complete copy of the original document. However, typos, omissions, and other errors may have occurred during preparation, and Heritage History does not guarantee a perfectly reliable reproduction. Permission to use Heritage History documents or images for commercial purposes, or more information about our collection of traditional history resources can be obtained by contacting us at [email protected] Original Copyright 1869 by John S.C. Bonner. 2 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS THE EARLY HISTORY OF SPAIN ......................................... 4 SPAIN, ROMAN AND GOTHIC............................................ 12 THE MOORISH INVASION ................................................. 21 THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MOORS AND CHRISTIANS..... 30 SPAIN A BATTLE-FIELD.................................................... 39 CHIVALRY AND CRIME .................................................... 48 MARRIAGE OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA ..................... 57 THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA ......................................... 65 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ............................................... 75 THE NEW WORLD ............................................................ 84 GLORY AND SHAME OF THE SPANISH COURT ................. 93 SUBSEQUENT VOYAGES OF COLUMBUS ......................... 101 DOMESTIC SORROWS ..................................................... 109 THE ESCURIAL. CHARLES V AND HIS SON PHILIP .................................. 116 THE REIGN OF PHILIP II ................................................ 123 PHILIP II., III., AND IV. .................................................. 131 THE SPANISH BOURBONS ............................................... 140 CHARLES IV. AND MARIA LOUISA ................................ 152 THE EXILE AND RETURN OF THE SPANISH COURT ....... 165 THE REVOLUTION .......................................................... 178 Original Copyright 1869 by John S.C. Bonner. 3 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 CHAPTER I ages, reveals to us the country inhabited by numerous barbaric tribes, fiercely hostile to each other, and constantly engaged in bloody wars. The mountain fastnesses were infested with THE EARLY HISTORY OF SPAIN robber bands, and rapine and violence everywhere reigned. The weapons grasped by these fierce warriors consisted of (From 500 B.C. to 44 B.C.) lances, clubs, and slings, with sabres and hatchets, of rude fashion but of keen edge. Their food was mainly nuts and Geography of Spain.—Its Aborigines.—Colonial roots. Their clothing consisted of a single linen garment, Settlements.—Its Conquest by Carthage.—Designs of Rome girded around the waist; and a woollen tunic, surmounted by a upon Spain.—Strife between Rome and Carthage for its cloth cap, descended to the feet. As in all barbarous nations, Possession.—Siege of Saguntum.—Campaigns of the the hard work of life was performed by the women. Scipios.—Roman Extortion.—Exploits of Viriatus.—His The names even of most of these tribes have long since Assassination —Achievements of Sertorius.—Campaign of perished; a few however have been transmitted to our day, Pompey.—Governorship of Julius Cesar. such as the Celts, the Gallicians, the Lusitanians, and the The Spanish peninsula, separated from France on the Iberians. Several ages before the foundations of Rome or of north by the Pyrenees, and bounded on the three remaining Carthage were laid, it is said that the Phoenicians, exploring in sides by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, their commercial tours the shores of the Mediterranean, contains an area of 225,600 square miles, being a little larger established a mercantile colony at Cadiz. The colonists than France. Nature has reared a very formidable barrier growing rich and strong, extended their dominions and between Spain and France, for the Pyrenees, extending in a founded the cities of Malaga and Cordova. About 800 years straight line 250 miles in length, from the Bay of Biscay to the before Christ, a colony from Rhodes settled in the Spanish Mediterranean, and often rising in peaks more than ten peninsula, and established the city of Rosas. Other thousand feet in height, offer but three defiles which carriages expeditions, from various parts of Greece, also planted can traverse, though there are more than a hundred passes colonies and engaged in successful traffic with the Spanish which may be surmounted by pedestrians or the sure-footed natives. mule. The soil is fertile; the climate genial and salubrious; and Four hundred years before Christ, the Carthaginian the face of the country, diversified with meadows and republic was one of the leading powers, and Carthage was one mountains, presents, in rare combination, the most attractive of the most populous and influential cities on the globe. The features both of loveliness and sublimity. Carthaginians crossed the narrow straits which separate Africa History does not inform us when and how this from Spain, landed in great strength upon the Spanish beautiful peninsula—called Hispania by the Romans—first peninsula, and, after a short but severe conflict, subdued the became inhabited. Whether the earliest emigrants crossed the foreign colonies there, brought the native Spaniards into straits of Gibraltar from Africa, or came from Asia, coasting subjection, and established their own supremacy over all the the shores of the Mediterranean, or descended from France southern coast. Cadiz became the central point of Carthaginian through the defiles of the Pyrenees, can now never be known. power, from whence the invaders constantly extended their The first glimpse we catch of Spain, through the haze of past conquests. Though many of the interior tribes maintained for a Original Copyright 1869 by John S.C. Bonner. 4 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 time a sort of rude and ferocious independence, still Carthage now, with all his amazing energy, made preparations for a gradually assumed dominion over the whole of Spain. death-struggle with Rome, which was then threatening the supremacy of Carthage everywhere, both on the land and on In the year 235 B.C., Hamilcar, the father of the illustrious Hannibal, compelled nearly all the tribes of Spain to the sea. Rome had entered into alliance with one of the acknowledge his sway. For eight years Hamilcar waged almost powerful Spanish tribes, the Saguntines. Their principal city, an incessant battle with the Spaniards. Still it was merely a Saguntum, was situated upon the Mediterranean, on the site of military possession which he held of the country, and he the present city of Murviedro. Hannibal commenced his war erected Barcelona and several other fortresses, where his upon Rome by marching at the head of an army 150,000 soldiers could bid defiance to assaults, and could overawe the thousand strong against Saguntum. The