How the Spanish Empire Was Built: A 400 Year History

In 16th-century Spain, engineers played a crucial role in building the largest empire the world had ever seen, by investing in infrastructure and enhancing the abilities of local power brokers to grow wealthy on trade. This new history of the Spanish Empire highlights the collaboration and oppression that marked the venture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 01 February 2024
Publisher: Reaktion Books

Sixteenth-century Spain was a diminutive, impoverished, and fragmented realm, characterized by a sparse population. Despite these limitations, the Spaniards, along with their allies, embarked on a remarkable endeavor that resulted in the creation of the largest empire the world had ever witnessed. How did they achieve this extraordinary feat? In their insightful book, Felipe Fernández-Armesto and Manuel Lucena Giraldo argue that the role of Spain's engineers played a pivotal role in this grand expedition. The Spaniards strategically invested in infrastructure, primarily to serve the interests of local power brokers, thereby enhancing the capabilities of incumbent elites to accumulate wealth through trade and expanding the reach of Spanish influence. Through vivid storytelling, the authors bring to life the accounts of engineers, prospectors, soldiers, and priests, painting a captivating portrait of Spanish America during the era of conquest. This groundbreaking work offers a fresh perspective on the Spanish Empire, highlighting the collaborative nature of this venture as well as the complex interplay between oppression and collaboration.

Weight: 714g
Dimension: 167 x 242 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789148404