A SHORT HISTORY OF SPAIN

BY

MARY PLATT PARMELE

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1906

COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY MARY PLATT PARMELE

COPYRIGHT, 1898, 1906, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

[Illustration: From the portrait by Titian. Charles V.]

PREFACE.

In presenting this book to the public the author can only reiterate what she has already said in works of a similar kind: that she has tried to exclude the mass of confusing details which often make the reading of history a dreary task; and to keep closely to those facts which are vital to the unfolding of the narrative. This is done under a strong conviction that the essential facts in history are those which reveal and explain the development of a nation, rather than the incidents, more or less entertaining, which have attended such development. And also under another conviction: that a little, thoroughly comprehended, is better than much imperfectly remembered and understood.

M.P.P

NEW YORK. _June 15, 1898._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. Ancient Iberia--The Basques--The Keltberians--The Phenicians--Cadiz Founded, 1

CHAPTER II. Struggle between Phenicians and Assyrians--Founding of Carthage--Decline of Phenicia--Rise of Roman Power--First Punic War, 9

CHAPTER III. Hamilcar--Hannibal--Siege and Fall of Saguntum--Rome Invades Spain--Scipio's Policy--Cadiz, (Gades) Surrendered to the Romans--By What Steps IBERIA Became SPAIN--Fall of Carthaginian Power--How Spain Became a Roman Province, 15

CHAPTER IV. Sertorius--Story of the White Hind--Rome Fights Her Own Battles on Spanish Soil--Battle of Munda--Caesar Declared Dictator--The Ides of March--Octavius Augustus--Spain Latinized--Four Hundred Years of Peace, 24

CHAPTER V. Northern Races in the History of Civilization--Roman Empire Expiring--Ataulfus--Attila and the Huns--Theodoric--Evaric Completes Conquest of Spanish Peninsula--Europe Teutonized--Difference between Anglo-Saxon and Latin Races, 30

CHAPTER VI. Ulfilas--Arianism--The Spanish Language--Brunhilde--Leovigild--His Son's Apostasy--Arianism Ceases to be the Established Religion of Spain, 39

CHAPTER VII. Toledo--Church of Santa Maria--Wamba, 45

CHAPTER VIII. Decline of Visigoths--Roderick--Count Julian's Treachery--Mahommedanism--Tarif--Prophecy Found in the Enchanted Tower--Tarik--Roderick's Defeat and Death--Moslem Empire Established in Spain, 50

CHAPTER IX. Musa's Dream of European Conquest--Charles Martel--Characteristics of Mahommedan Rule--Mission of the Saracen in Europe--The Germ of a Christian Kingdom in the North of Spain, 58

CHAPTER X. Pelayo and the Cave of Covadonga--Alfonso I.--Berbers and Arabs at War on African Coast--War Extends to Spain--The Omeyyad Khalifs Superseded by the Abbasides--Abd-er-Rahman--Omeyyad Dynasty Established at Cordova--Ineffectual Attempt of the Abbasides to Overthrow Abd-er-Rahman--Character of This Conqueror, 64

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
• 2: Charlemagne Battle of Roncesvalles
• 3: New European Conditions Louis XIV
• 4: Who are known to have been in Iberia as early as 1300 B
• 5: But the Keltiberians were Keltic in their religion
• 6: And Tarshish was none other than Tartessus
• 7: After the first Punic war 264 241 B
• 8: But they had the terrible falaric
• 9: Iberia was changed to Hispania
• 10: Was also in conflict with Sylla
• 11: But the story of the White Hind
• 12: In the British Isles it was the Picts and Scots
• 13: Ataulf was the brother in law of Alaric
• 14: Under the regency of Placidia during his infancy
• 15: Had their origin in the strange achievement of Ulfilas
• 16: At this time Leovigild 570 587
• 17: But Wamba put it down with a firm hand
• 18: He succeeded in driving Witiza out of the country
• 19: In like manner Gibraltar was named Gebel al Tarik
• 20: The Mahommedan has been in Europe
• 21: The fertile plains of Andalusia
• 22: At which time the then reigning Omeyyad was deposed
• 23: The Abbaside army of invasion was utterly annihilated
• 24: The one man in whom he delighted was Ziryab
• 25: And a Western Khalif at Cordova
• 26: And this she found in Almanzor
• 27: They were known as the Alhomades
• 28: They abhorred these Mahommedan savages
• 29: Whom he brought with him to Seville
• 30: Castile and Aragon had gradually absorbed the smaller states
• 31: Who had married the lady Constanza
• 32: Her hero was the young Ferdinand of Aragon
• 33: In his championship of Zoraya and her son
• 34: Archduke of Austria and son of Maximilian
• 35: In whom Isabella alone believed
• 36: Upon the abdication of his father
• 37: The Duke of Alva was the man chosen
• 38: The name Castilian took on a new significance
• 39: Was succeeded by his son Philip IV
• 40: Whose Spanish descendants have
• 41: The Archduke had failed to get his throne
• 42: Upon condition of England's returning Havana
• 43: Calling itself the Supreme Junta
• 44: Which had been abolished by the Cortes
• 45: Could set aside the decree abrogating the old Salic law
• 46: So they offered the Crown to Amadeo
• 47: The colonial territory over which Alfonso XIII
• 48: A handful of ragged revolutionists
• 49: But the Zeitgeist is contagious
• 50: Was converted into a blood stained
• 51: Kings of the asturias and leon
• 52: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
• 53: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
• 54: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
• 55: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
• 56: A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele