Spanish Empire

The Spanish Empire (Spanish: Imperio español), commonly referred to at the time as the Spanish Monarchy,^[1] comprised territories and colonies administered by the Spanish Crown in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration as one of the first global empires. Under the Spanish Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its political and economic power^[2] when it became the foremost global power. Spain's territorial reach beyond Europe spanned nearly six centuries, starting with the conquest of the Canary Islands in 1402 followed by the first voyages to the Americas in 1492 until the loss of its last African colonies in 1975. Spain experienced its greatest territorial losses during the early 19th century, when its colonies in the Americas began fighting for independence. By the year 1900 Spain had also lost its colonies in the Caribbean and Pacific, and it was left with only its African possessions.

The Spanish Empire leaves a cultural and linguistic legacy around the world. With over 400 million native speakers today, Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, the Spanish Empire's establishment in the 15th century ushered in the modern global era and the rise of European dominance in global affairs.