You updated your password.

Reset Password

Enter the email address you used to create your account. We will email you instructions on how to reset your password.

Forgot Your Email Address? Contact Us

Reset Your Password

SHOW
SHOW

The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad

Join a seasoned expert on Spain and witness the dazzling history of the Spanish culture and its unique role in the West.
 
 
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fascinating and so clearly presented A very interesting broad sweep of the turbulent history of Spain, giving me just the overview I wanted. My first Great Courses experience, and I’m impressed!
Date published: 2025-06-11
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wonderfull and complete This course is absolutely complete. It has history, art, music, architecture, religion, royal families of Spain. It gives snippets of european history, american history and the teacher is a master. It also encouge to go further other themes, thanks to this course I've learn about semester on the sea in wich these teacher participate.
Date published: 2025-04-08
Rated 5 out of 5 by from History of Spain Very happy with the lecture’s presentation. Well researched and cohesive analysis of the topics
Date published: 2025-03-03
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Ready to Return: Spain Despite two trips to Barcelona my knowledge of Spanish history was not good or deep enough. The course has given a useful overview, with adequate detail for me, of the complex & interesting history of this beautiful country. A trip back will be more interesting. The lecture on Spanish Modernism could be expanded to be a course in itself and the final lecture is worth getting to. Thanks to all.
Date published: 2025-01-26
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great course if you are planning a trip to Spain! Ostensibly a history course, this series covers many topics. Professor Salisbury’s theme of the Iberian Peninsula being a crossroads was inspired. Geographically, Spain looks like it’s isolated at the western end of Europe. But having significant coastal access to the Mediterranean and being just across a narrow strait from western Africa, it has been influenced by more migrations and cultures than many of the more northern and inland areas. The course is primarily organized chronologically. Yet Professor Salisbury skillfully weaves in architectural threads from Roman aqueducts, Mudéjar alcázars, King Phillip’s II’s immense palace El Escorial with its Baroque church and the modern genius of Anton Gaudi. Major religions have appeared and disappeared as pagans, Romans, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have gained and lost political and economic power. What I found most fascinating was how Professor Salisbury discussed how events which seemed remote from this land had profound impacts – Jews fleeing the destruction of Jerusalem ended up in Spain either as refugees or slaves. They brought customs and both Judaism and Christianity. Lessons 5 and 6 cover the fall of Rome in the 4th century and the ensuing migration of northern tribes – the Suevi and Vandals from Scandinavia, the Alani from Persia/Iran and the Visigoths, another Germanic tribe that crossed the Danube as refugees. All ended up in Spain and brought customs, technologies, and items (soap!) and even a new form of Christianity that had no allegiance to Rome. Lectures 15 and 16 focus on Christopher Columbus and the profound impact Spanish exploration had on the Americas and how the immense wealth coming from America temporarily made Spain a world power. Professor Salisbury has an ability to creatively organize courses so that they cover a multiplicity of topics yet never lose continuity. Her delivery is conversational and enthusiastic. While I watched the video version and enjoyed the visual content, I believe that this course would be highly educational and enjoyable in the audio format. The course guidebook digests most of the most salient points of each lecture. The bibliography is conveniently organized for books relating to specific lectures. This is a terrific course if you are planning a trip to Spain! And even if you are not!
Date published: 2024-12-29
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Spain is unique We watched this course in preparation to our trip to Spain. My knowledge of Spain's history was limited to just a few words and events after Christopher Columbus. It's a great overview with just the right depth. Between this and our trip to Spain, I learned so much about how Spain is a unique country with its own unique history.
Date published: 2024-12-18
Rated 2 out of 5 by from Sanitised Course 30470 Spanish Civil War, lesson 2, opens with the King of Spain in 1922 being horrified to discover living conditions just 150 km from Madrid. The intense hatred of Republicans for the Catholic Church, and the Church’s Fascist bias, also becomes clear. I purchased this course 8286 hoping for historical insight into these situations, but inequality and religion are this course's two weakest areas. The lecturer shows a very strong Catholic bias. She says only a few people were tortured to death, and the Protestant Reformation was due to some indulgences being sold. The lecturer gushes over the beautiful idols to found in Catholic churches, without analyzing the economic consequences for Spain and how many poor peasants starved, as late as 1922. In discussing the Civil War; the lecturer decries the atrocities; without mentioning the earlier history of atrocities in Spain's colonies. And the Catholic Church was a "strong supporter" of the Nationalists, without assessing what this meant as supporting Facism and dictatorship. One area I can claim some prior knowledge: Amerigo Vespucci is given almost as much time as Columbus. It is stated as a fact America is derived from his name, a now-disputed conclusion. Vikings are not mentioned, even though in 1053 the Archbishop of Hamburg was made responsible for “Greenland and lands to the west” and Bishops to Greenland were still being appointed in the 1500’s. Continuing, later in lesson 20, for the 1814 Constitution, 1/3 of delegates were priests yet the restoration of the repressive absolute monarchy in 1816 was supported by the Church. But the lecturer continues to gush over the pretty pictures and spends more time on bullfighting than social inequality. Two stars. Recommended, some useful information, but be cautious. The lecturer needs to view some of the Great Courses’ other offerings and come up with some explanations.
Date published: 2024-07-18
Rated 2 out of 5 by from Tour guide, not scholar The lecturer was more of a tour guide than a scholar. Given that, parts of the series were enjoyable and informative from the point of view of someone taking a casual tour of Spain and portions of its history. However, when the lecturer got to divisions among Christians she showed a lack of understanding of Protestantism as well as poor scholarship. She quoted a very small fragment of a speech by Martin Luther out of context and used that snippet to misdefine what Protestantism is about. I might engage her as a guide for casual tours but would not take an academic course from her.
Date published: 2024-03-18
  • y_2025, m_6, d_23, h_7
  • bvseo_bulk, prod_bvrr, vn_bulk_3.0.42
  • cp_1, bvpage1
  • co_hasreviews, tv_16, tr_187
  • loc_en_CA, sid_8286, prod, sort_[SortEntry(order=SUBMISSION_TIME, direction=DESCENDING)]
  • clientName_teachco
  • bvseo_sdk, p_sdk, 3.2.1
  • CLOUD, getReviews, 10.44ms
  • REVIEWS, PRODUCT
The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad

Trailer

From Stones to Bronze: Prehistoric Spain

01: From Stones to Bronze: Prehistoric Spain

Begin by exploring the origins of human settlement on the Iberian Peninsula. Learn how the rich spiritual life of early hunter/gatherers in Spain is reflected in magnificent cave paintings. Study the geography of the peninsula, and how it drew peoples from Africa and the Middle East. Finally, discover the extraordinary megalithic tombs of early Copper and Bronze Age builders....

31 min
Celtic, Phoenician, and Greek Colonists

02: Celtic, Phoenician, and Greek Colonists

Follow three remarkable immigrant groups who left their mark on Spanish culture. First, trace the impact of the Celts and the technology they brought to the region. Learn about the Phoenicians, famous as mariners, and their legacy of trade and engineering. Continue with the singular influence of the Greeks, who shaped the history and culture of the peninsula for future immigrants....

29 min
Rome Conquers the Iberian Peninsula

03: Rome Conquers the Iberian Peninsula

Roman conquest changed the peninsula in ways that endure today. Track the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, through which Iberia became part of the Roman Empire. Observe how Rome joined the Iberian provinces together, created thriving cities, and developed commerce. Learn about the marvels of Roman engineering, infrastructure, and mining, through which Spain grew rich....

30 min
Christianity Comes to Hispania

04: Christianity Comes to Hispania

Witness the events through which Christianity took root on Spanish soil. Learn about early Christian communities in Spain, and the factors that led to persecution and martyrdom of Christians. Chart the role of Spanish churchmen in the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church, how pagan practices were transformed into Christian ones, and how Spain became a bulwark of church orthodoxy.

32 min
Barbarian Tribes Divide the Peninsula

05: Barbarian Tribes Divide the Peninsula

As Rome's empire waned, Germanic and Iranian tribal groups besieged Spanish territories. Take the measure of these peoples, and the new agricultural technology, clothing, and other innovations they brought with them. Observe how they partitioned and ruled different areas of the peninsula, and how their culture and religion kept them separate from Spain's Roman population....

30 min
The Visigoths Unite Spain

06: The Visigoths Unite Spain

As a prelude to the three-century rule of the Visigoths, learn how the Goths penetrated Roman territories, and how they came to dominate Spain. Study the structure of Visigoth society, which gave rise to influential legal codes, monasticism, and great scholars such as Isidore of Seville. Take account of Toledo as a center of learning, and the diffusion of Visigothic scholarship and culture....

29 min
Islam: The New Religion

07: Islam: The New Religion

Islam was to play a critical role in Spanish history. As background, delve into the founding of Islam by Muhammad, its five tenets or "pillars", and how the new religion spread with astonishing speed. Witness the Muslim invasion that conquered most of Spain, and observe how the invaders ruled, coexisting effectively with Jews and Christians....

30 min
Conflict within Islam

08: Conflict within Islam

Internal divisions in the Muslim world shaped Islamic rule of Spain. Investigate issues concerning the larger governance of Islam that led to enmity between Muslim Spain and the Caliphate in Bagdad. Study the role of the Frankish king Charlemagne in these conflicts, and trace conspiracies and rebellions within Muslim Spain that culminated in the establishment of the Caliphate of Córdoba....

31 min
The Moors and the Glory of al-Andalus

09: The Moors and the Glory of al-Andalus

Relive the golden age of Islamic Spain, as the capital city of Córdoba emerged as a center of learning, art, and beauty. First, take account of the agricultural advancements and artisanal industries that underlay Córdoba's prosperity. Then, follow developments in music, poetry, intellectual life, science, engineering, and architecture that made al-Andalus famous throughout the world....

31 min
The Christian Reconquista

10: The Christian Reconquista

This lecture charts the centuries-long process by which Christians gradually reclaimed the lands of Islamic Spain. Learn how pilgrimage to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela became a catalyst for the Christian cause. Explore four critical events in the Reconquista: the conquest of Toledo, the taking of Valencia by "El Cid", the creation of Portugal, and the final conquest of Granada....

28 min
Medieval Spanish Culture

11: Medieval Spanish Culture

Discover how the melding of Spanish Islamic culture and medieval Christian ideas produced dazzling masterpieces of architecture. Travel to the times of king Alfonso the Wise, whose rich court life fostered scholarship and medicine, as well as courtly entertainments such as music, sports, and bullfighting. Learn about the flourishing of trade, highlighting the complex wool and textile industry....

30 min
The Sephardim: Iberian Judaism

12: The Sephardim: Iberian Judaism

Follow the changing fortunes of the Jewish people on Spanish soil, beginning with how they arrived in Spain, and how they prospered under Roman rule. Trace repression of Jews under the Visigoths, and how Jewish scholarship and poetic art thrived in Muslim Spain. Then witness the trials of Jews under subsequent Christian rule, leading to the 15th century exodus of many Jews from Spain....

29 min
Gypsy Influences on Spain

13: Gypsy Influences on Spain

Gypsy immigrants to Spain left a far-reaching imprint on Spanish culture. Here, uncover the origins of gypsy peoples, their itinerant nature, and note how they were originally welcomed by Spanish kings and nobles. Study subsequent oppression of gypsies, the nature of gypsy culture, and the iconic flamenco music and dance that is deeply linked with Spanish gypsies....

31 min
The Growth of Catholic Religious Passion

14: The Growth of Catholic Religious Passion

Grasp how Spain was brought into the conflict of the Protestant Reformation. Assess the Catholic Counter-Reformation, as it sought to connect the faithful more directly to God through reinvigorated spirituality and mysticism. Learn how the Council of Trent, codifying Catholic doctrine, led to the horrors of the Inquisition, and how Catholic theology was expressed in glorious Baroque art....

31 min
Columbus and the New World

15: Columbus and the New World

European contact with the isolated Americas dramatically changed the world. Begin by delving into the self-education of Columbus, and the lead-up to his legendary voyages. Follow Columbus's travels, and the impact of his "opening" of the New World. Finally, track further European ventures into the Americas, the Columbian Exchange of foodstuffs, and the devastation wrought by European diseases....

30 min
Conquistadors and Missionaries

16: Conquistadors and Missionaries

Spain now extended both its empire and its Catholicism into the New World. Witness the exploits of Hernán Cortés, who battled the Aztec Empire in the quest for gold, and of Francisco Pizarro and his brutal subjugation of the Incas. Then, take account of the Catholic missionaries who followed, intent on converting native souls, and how Spanish empire building was undergirded by slaver...

28 min
The Spanish Main: Trade Convoys and Piracy

17: The Spanish Main: Trade Convoys and Piracy

Spain's empire in the New World spawned a vast commercial revolution. Learn about Spanish silver mining in South America, and agricultural riches from giant haciendas producing sugar and tobacco. Follow the transport of Spanish goods in armed convoys, and the resulting golden age of piracy, as both pirates and government-sanctioned privateers preyed on treasure-laden ships....

30 min
The Golden Age of the Spanish Habsburgs

18: The Golden Age of the Spanish Habsburgs

Here, encounter Spain's king Philip II, architect of a magnificent era. Observe his strategic moving of the royal capital to Madrid, and his creation of architectural works such as the fabulous El Escorial. Learn how Philip and his sons fostered an artistic heritage emblemized by visionaries such as the painter Velasquez, composers de Victoria and Guererro, and writers Lope de Vega and Cervantes....

30 min
Religious Wars on Muslims and Protestants

19: Religious Wars on Muslims and Protestants

Now witness the Ottoman incursions against Christian lands and shipping that resulted in the massive naval battle of Lepanto. Then, see how the clash with Protestants involved Spain in religious bloodshed in the Netherlands, the assault on Britain of the Spanish Armada, and the Thirty Years War. Note how the ruinous costs of these wars prefigured the downfall of the Habsburg Dynasty....

30 min
The 18th-Century Bourbon Kings of Spain

20: The 18th-Century Bourbon Kings of Spain

Learn how the French House of Bourbon assumed the Spanish throne, and how they transformed Habsburg Spain. In particular, review the reforms instituted by Carlos III, highlighting his architectural and urban planning achievements, and his reforms of education, industry, banking, and religion. Then trace the effects on Spain of the French Revolution and the ascension of Napoleon....

32 min
Spain Loses Its Empire

21: Spain Loses Its Empire

Follow Napoleon's crusade to impose a new French dynasty on Spain, and the cultural backlash of Romanticism that rejected the "universal" principles of the Enlightenment. Witness the emergence of Spanish nationalism, the ensuing deep political strife regarding how to govern the country, and see how the spread of nationalist ideologies culminated in the independence of Spain's colonies....

31 min
20th-Century Spanish Modernism

22: 20th-Century Spanish Modernism

Following World War I, Spain emerged at the forefront of a revolution in the European arts. Grasp the extraordinary innovations of the painters Picasso, Miró and Dalí, the architect Antoni Gaudí, and the contributions of musical masters Segovia and Casals. Also, delve into the political factors that led to the disintegration of Spain's constitutional monarchy....

30 min
The Spanish Civil War and Franco's Reign

23: The Spanish Civil War and Franco's Reign

Study the political antagonisms within Spain which led to the outbreak of civil war in 1936. Track the unfolding of the war, leading to the ascension to power of the dictator Francisco Franco. Then take account of Franco's lengthy, authoritarian regime, and how he strove to create a national identity for Spain through the mediums of the church, language, and Spanish culture....

29 min
Modern Spain: Still on a Crossroad

24: Modern Spain: Still on a Crossroad

Conclude with reflections on Spain's recent history. Look into such subjects as the restoration of the Spanish monarchy, Spain's contemporary links with Latin America, separatist movements within the country, its new secularism and religious freedoms, its popularity as a travel destination, and its diverse economy. Contemplate why this great land stands on a crossroads of the future.

34 min

Overview Course No. 8286

Spain has played a unique and essential role in Western civilization. To understand the unfolding of Spain's epic history is to come to terms with one of the West's great cultures, and to grasp its enduring presence and impact on the world stage.

In these 24 accessible lectures, Professor Salisbury presents a broad and enthralling panorama of Spanish history, covering the centuries from the first prehistoric settlement of the peninsula to Spain's 20th century civil war.

Linking one seminal era with the next, the course begins with how early Spain drew a range of peoples from ancient Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, who formed vibrant communities on the peninsula. From there, you'll witness the rule of the peninsula by both Rome and Visigothic peoples, leading to the spellbinding drama of Islamic Spain and the Reconquista, Catholic Spain and the Inquisition, and the opening of the New World. Finally, you'll travel into the kingly dynasties and the dazzling artistic heritage of the Habsburgs and Bourbons, and you'll track Spain's emergence into the modern world.

Together with the unfolding of Spanish history, Professor Salisbury illuminates Spain's iconic cultural forms - such as flamenco music and dance, and the ritual of bullfighting - and its phenomenal contributions to art, architecture, literature, music, theology, and learning.

Across the centuries, you'll explore jewels of Spanish architecture, from the resplendent Moorish Alhambra and Alcázar of Seville to the sublime Sagrada Familia cathedral of modernist Antoni Gaudí. And you'll encounter Spain's geniuses of the visual and written arts, including such masters as the painters Velasquez, el Greco, Goya, and Picasso, and writers from the philosophers Averroes and Maimonides to literary greats Lope de Vega and Cervantes.

Travel with us to this remarkable culture, and savor the beauty and the great human drama of the history of Spain.

About

Joyce E. Salisbury

When dealing with human beings, nothing is simple or predictable, and these are the kinds of wonderful contradictions that have kept me engaged for so long.

INSTITUTION

University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

Joyce E. Salisbury is Professor Emerita of Humanistic Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she taught history and served as associate dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences and director of International Education. She earned her Ph.D. in Medieval History at Rutgers University, specializing in religious and social history.

Professor Salisbury began her career performing research in Spain, and she has continued to travel there to conduct further research, lecture, and guide students and other travelers. She is currently working on a book about the history of early Christian martyrdom.

In addition to receiving the University of Wisconsin's Outstanding Teaching award, she was named Professor of the Year in 1991 by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She has taught three times on Semester at Sea, a study-abroad program on a ship that circumnavigates the world with more than 500 students for a full semester.

Professor Salisbury is a prolific author whose books include the award-winning Perpetua's Passion: Death and Memory of a Young Roman Woman; The Beast Within: Animals in the Middle Ages; Rome's Christian Empress: Galla Placidia Rules at the Twilight of the Empire; and the widely used textbook The West in the World. She has been interviewed many times on National Public Radio on topics from religion to the books she has written, and she appeared on the PBS special The Road from Christ to Constantine.

By This Professor

Warriors, Queens, and Intellectuals: 36 Great Women before 1400
854
The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad
854
The Middle Ages around the World
854