Spain built one of the largest and first truly global empires in history during the 16th and 17th centuries. It controlled vast territories in the Americas through colonies in the Western Hemisphere, bringing tremendous wealth in precious metals back to Spain. Though Spain lost some wealth and territory over time through wars, it retained control of its overseas colonial possessions. At its peak, Spain's global empire was unprecedented in scale and distribution, with silver from the Americas making it extremely powerful, though also dependent on foreign trade.

1. Spanish Empire Justin Fernandnez

2. Empire Spain is one of the largest empires in world history, and first global empire. The Western Hemisphere became the focus of the new Spanish Empire. 17th century Spain controlled an empire on a scale and world distribution that had never been approached by its predecessors. Trade flourished across the Atlantic between Spain and her colonies; all kinds of goods including precious metals from America were brought back to Spain in annual galleon fleets. Spain has lost some of their treasure in the War of the Spanish Succession, but retained its overseas empires.

3. The Sun Never Sets The 16th and 17th centuries are sometimes called "the Golden Age of Spain." During the Castilian War of the Communities, Charles became the most powerful man in Europe, his rule stretching over an empire in Europe unrivalled in extent until the Napoleonic era. One the opening of the silver mines in Mexico's Zacatecas and Peru's Potosí in 1546 the large shipments of silver became the fabled source of wealth. The vast imports of silver ultimately made Spain overly dependent on foreign sources of raw materials and manufactured goods.