Spain of the Golden Age

SPAIN OF THE GOLDEN AGE

• Geographical and Social Background

  • Participants in voyages predominantly from specific regions:

  • Andalusians

  • Castilians

  • Extremeños (from Extremadura)

  • Many leaders were from the minor nobility, known as hidalgos:

  • Generally lacked substantial wealth

  • Described as "not reared from behind the plough"

  • Often younger sons:

    • Chose careers due to family size constraints

    • Options included:

    • Church

    • Maritime ventures (the sea)

    • Court positions (casa real)

• Motivations for Exploration and Colonization

  • Various driving forces behind exploration:

  • Desire for wealth

  • Seeking fame through service to kings and God

  • Ambition to expand Christian dominions

  • Economic factors:

  • Increased sheep and cattle farming in Castile and Extremadura

  • Decline in arable agriculture leading to emigration

  • Economic crisis in Spain (1502 - 1508):

    • Described as having "great poverty" by historians

    • Concerns about hunger and disease expressed by contemporaries like Guicciardini (1512) and Ordaz (1529)

  • Personal freedom sought:

    • Freedom from poverty and obligations to various authorities (lords, bishops)

    • Example of a 70-year-old man, as described by Bartolomé de Las Casas, who wished to emigrate to leave his sons in a "free and happy land"

• Cultural and Historical Context

  • Andalusians, especially, experienced proximity to Islamic territories:

  • Seville, a significant melting pot and pivotal city in trade and naval ventures

  • Experienced traders, including Genoese, contributed to a thriving environment for maritime exploration

  • Ports in Seville's vicinity (Lepe, Palos, Moguer, Huelva) facilitated sea journeys—many citizens accustomed to migratory endeavors

• Cost of Journeys:

  • Journey to the New World priced at around 11 or 12 gold ducats

THE PHILOSOPHY OF DISCOVERIES

• The Union of Christianity and Exploration

  • The conquests and colonization efforts supported Spain's political and religious ambition following the capture of Granada (1492)

  • The papacy recognized Ferdinand and Isabel as the "Catholic Kings," conveying their role in expanding Christian dominion

• Papal Support:

  • Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) issued bulls strengthening Spanish claims over newly discovered territories:

  • Notably, the bull on May 4, 1493, granting dominion over lands discovered west of the Azores

  • Requirement for conversion of indigenous peoples to Christianity

• Cultural Context of Christianity:

  • Millenarian expectations coupled with a maritime threat from Islam

  • Anxiety over perceived Jewish influence, leading to efforts to solidify Christian unity

  • Key events:

  • Surrender of Granada in January 1492

  • Decree expelling Jews unless they converted to Christianity (March)

• Historical Interactions of Religious Communities

  • Complex coexistence of Muslims and Christians historically in Spain

  • Intellectual contributions of the Jewish community across professions

  • Rise of suspicion and subsequent persecution through the Spanish Inquisition (est. 1481)

  • Consequences of social unrest:

  • Attacks on converted Jews (conversos) reflected in autos de fe—execution of hundreds in Seville

IMPACT ON NATIVE POPULATIONS AND INTERNAL DECLINE

• Demographic Catastrophe

  • The introduction of Old World diseases (smallpox, measles, influenza) for which Natives had no immunity

  • Estimated population declines reaching up to 90\% in some regions within the first century of contact

• The Encomienda System

  • A legal system used by the Spanish Crown to regulate Native labor

  • Conquistadors were granted land and Native laborers; in theory, they were to protect and Christianize them, but in practice, it often led to brutal exploitation and slavery

• Internal Factors for Indigenous Fall

  • Political Instability: The Inca Empire was crippled by a civil war between brothers Huáscar and Atahualpa just before Pizarro's arrival

  • Alliances with Spaniards: Thousands of indigenous groups (e.g., the Tlaxcalans) who were disenfranchised by Aztec (Mexica) rule joined the Spanish to overthrow their oppressors

  • Technological and Psychological Gaps: While not the sole cause, European use of steel, gunpowder, and horses created significant tactical advantages and psychological shock

IDEALS AND INFLUENCES IN SPANISH EXPANSION

• Earthly Motivations Intertwined with Ideology

  • Motivations of leaders not purely ideological; desire for status and noble advancement

  • Impact of cultural and literary influences on ambitions:

  • Legacy of ballads celebrating military values and heroic figures

  • Classical references from figures like Charlemagne and Alexander enamored leaders

• The Role of Literature in Shaping Imagination

  • Emergence of mass literary culture with printed ballads and romances

  • Key titles:

  • Amadís de Gaula described as the most significant early printed work, providing escapist narratives

  • Influence of romances extending to names and expectations of landscapes in the Americas

  • Example: California derived from chivalric references depicting it as an island

  • Amazon River named from romance tales

POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPES

• Political Unity and National Identity

  • Emergence of Spain as a singular identity under Ferdinand and Isabel

  • Financial reforms and central administration initiatives:

  • Formation of the Holy Brotherhood in 1476 to create police force in Castile

  • Establishment of a supreme tribunal in Valladolid

  • Appointment of corregidors to represent the Crown in cities

• Economic Aspirations

  • Interest in gold fueled explorations, earlier reliant on West African sources

  • Colonial focus on acquiring wealth reflected in the tales and economic practices of the time

  • Gold's significance:

  • Associated with power and status across cultural narratives and royal ambitions