Portugal Spain

Author: Ren Xue'an
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: "Portugal and Spain" Recommended by the Editor: In the 15th century, the two earliest nation-states in Europe, Portugal and Spain, embarked on maritime adventures supported by national strength: Under the command of Prince Henry, Portuguese navigators successively opened a sea route from the Atlantic to the south around the Cape of Good Hope to reach India; With the support of Queen Isabella, Columbus, representing Spain, reached the Americas. After Magellan completed the first human, the originally fragmented world was finally connected into a complete world by geographical discoveries, and world powers were thus born. Portugal and Spain divided the world through mutual competition, relying on new routes and colonial plunder to establish colonial empires with global influence, reaching their peak in the first half of the 16th century and becoming a generation of world powers. However, these two empires, which rose rapidly through plunder but squandered their wealth in wars without developing industry and commerce, soon reached their zenith and decline. The great drama on the world stage ended tragically.
Listening to history is a great wisdom. Looking back at the rise and fall of great powers allows history to illuminate our future journey. Portugal and Spain opened the curtain of the grand journey of world powers in a true global sense. What enabled them to rise rapidly in the early 16th century and then decline just as quickly? Why was the competition for world powers initially a struggle for maritime power? Is the ocean the decisive factor in the rise of great powers?
The book takes Portugal and Spain as its subjects of analysis, showcasing their journey to become strong powers in different historical periods. It is divided into twelve parts: Division, Ocean, Land, India, Empire, Lineage, Hegemony, Conquest, Pacific, Rise, Conquest, and Decline.