The Spanish Empire originated in the 15th century and was one of the first global empires established during the Age of Exploration. Key events included Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas, granting Spain control over much of South and Central America. During its Golden Age in the 16th-17th centuries under the Habsburg dynasty, Spain gained vast wealth from colonies in the Americas but grew overly dependent on foreign resources. Spanish conquistadors like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro led expeditions that defeated the Aztec and Inca Empires, establishing Spain as the dominant colonial power in the Americas for centuries.

1. 1400 - 1800 A. D.
Ernesto Medina Reyes
History 140 – Section 71183

2. The Spanish Empire
• One of the first global empires originating in the Age of Exploration.
• From the beginning of the 15th century, Spain regularly engaged in
disputes with Portugal over newly explored territories resulting in a
war near the end of the century and Spanish sovereignty over the
Canary Islands.
• Finally in 1494, the Treaty de Tordesillas divided the world outside of
Europe equally between Spain and Portugal.
• In Spain’s attempt to overpower France, they adopted a policy of
creating allies through marriage and ultimately went up against
France in a battle for Venice to try and control Italy establishing the
supremacy of the Spanish Tercios.
• Christopher Columbus discovery of the New World on behalf of Spain
led to the settlement of Hispanola at the end of the 15th century.
• Around the same time Spain pushed its expansionist policy in Africa
conquering several towns and outposts along its north coast.
• Golden Age of Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries came under the
rule of the Habsburg dynasty
• In the mid 1500s Spain began to greatly benefit from the silver and
gold mines in Mexico but later began to hurt them as they became
overly dependent on foreign raw materials
• In the New World Spain was colonizing through a group called the
Conquistadores
• They met up with different indigenous tribes, some of whom were
willing to become allies while others took to battle

3. Spanish Conquest of the
Aztec Empire
• In the early 15th century Hernan Cortes landed in the Yucatan peninsula
in Veracurz and forced the local indigenous leader of the Totonacs to
become his ally against the Aztecs
• On his route to Tenochtitlan Cortes made allies with the Tlaxcalans
introducing them to Christianity and respecting their culture and people
marching with them to Cholula
• Cortes troops massacred the entire city of Cholula and sent a message
to Montezuma, the Aztec chief, that he would need to respect Cortes
and bear gifts of gold to avoid the same fate
• Cortes arrived in Tenochtitlan on November 8, 1519 and was welcomed
and honored by Montezuma, however, Cortes took him as a prisoner to
prevent Aztec revolt
• The Aztecs, forced to feed and please the Spaniards and angry at the
way their chief was being treated, rebelled against the Spaniards forcing
them to flee the city using a makeshift bridge on July 1, 1520. Meeting
many Aztec warriors or drowning from the weight of their armor, many
Spaniards and natives died. This day is now know as La Noche Triste
• Defeated Cortes allied with the Tlaxcala promising them territories and
the spoils of war. Together they took Mexican cities and finally marched
on Tenochtitlan in a siege that lasted eight months.
• Ravished from smallpox and suffering because Cortes cut of the water
supply to the city, Tenochtitlan fell on August 13, 1521 when
Cuauhtemoc surrendered to Cortes.

4. Spanish Conquest of the
Incaarrived at the Incan empire in 1528 when they
• Spanish
Empire
were in the midst of an Incan civil war
• Francisco Pizarro established the first Spanish settlement in
Peru calling it San Miguel de Piura with 168 men under his
command
• Pizarro’s first battle with the Incas was the Battle of
Cajamarca on November 16, 1532 where the small Spanish
army was able to defeat thousands of Inca warriors through
use of horses, guns, and canons
• During this battle Pizarro captured Atahualpa and held him
for ransom receiving gold from Cuzco which he melted into
bars but Atahualpa was assassinated by the Spaniards and
left the Incas without a leader
• The Incan empire fell apart in a serious of revolts
sometimes against the Spanish, and sometimes against
their own leaders.
• Pizarro was able to bring calm in the southern regions but
Atahualpa’s generals still attempted to strategize against
the Spaniards. There rebellion was quelled in Quito

5. • Wikipedia.com – History of Spain
• Wikipedia.com – The Spanish Empire
• Wikipedia.com – Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire
• Wikipedia.com – Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire