North and South America were unknown to Europeans in the year 1491, yet in 1550 Spain, an empire less than a hundred years old, was in control of majority of the two continents (Walbert, 2007). The theme of conquest is prominent in the making of the Hispanic world. Much of its history is focussed on the conquest of other lands, as shown by the financing of Columbus’ first and later voyages by the Catholic monarchs. However, it is also shown in Columbus’ letter to the Monarchs in 1493 that finding sources of commodities for trading purposes and the diffusion of and conversion of others to Catholicism were also important aspects in the making of the Hispanic world. Although it could be argued that these aspects are encompassed within the theme
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525) and stating there were “…very many islands of which I took possession of in the name of Your Highnesses…” (Constable, 2012, p. 525). The purpose of Columbus’ letter was to inform the Catholic monarchs of what he had found as they had financed his voyage. To have financed an expedition to discover, explore and claim new lands so soon after the beginning of the empire shows illustrates how important conquest was, so important that it would be the foundation of the country. Columbus himself describes the purpose of his voyages was to conquer new lands “… I should be judged as a captain who went from Spain to the Indies to conquer a people numerous…” (Barentine, 2016, p. 91). It has been argued that the Columbus’ pioneering journeys were some of the first important stages to the success of the Spanish empire (Kamen, 2003).
In addition to Columbus claiming lands for Spain, there were also the Conquistadors. Like Columbus, the Conquistadors’ expeditions took place very close to the birth of the Spanish empire. An example of one of these expeditions was that of Hernán Cortés who, in 1519, travelled to Cuba to the mainland in present-day Mexico (Minster, 2016) in order to lay claim to it for Spain. He eventually succeeded in 1521, despite the Spanish …show more content…
It could be argued that conversion of the indigenous people of new land is a form of conquest. As a part of many conquests there were churches constructed in the conquered lands and a method of religious management was created so that when the Catholic missionaries from Spain arrived they could perform a ‘spiritual conquest’ of the indigenous people (Barton, 2009, p. 122). This suggests that the insertion of Catholicism into the new lands and the conversion of people is a tool, as a way of uniting the new land and people with the land and people it had been conquered by or as a way of Spain gaining control, in the process of conquering and expanding an empire. And therefore, the theme of religion could be included in the theme of
525) and stating there were “…very many islands of which I took possession of in the name of Your Highnesses…” (Constable, 2012, p. 525). The purpose of Columbus’ letter was to inform the Catholic monarchs of what he had found as they had financed his voyage. To have financed an expedition to discover, explore and claim new lands so soon after the beginning of the empire shows illustrates how important conquest was, so important that it would be the foundation of the country. Columbus himself describes the purpose of his voyages was to conquer new lands “… I should be judged as a captain who went from Spain to the Indies to conquer a people numerous…” (Barentine, 2016, p. 91). It has been argued that the Columbus’ pioneering journeys were some of the first important stages to the success of the Spanish empire (Kamen, 2003).
In addition to Columbus claiming lands for Spain, there were also the Conquistadors. Like Columbus, the Conquistadors’ expeditions took place very close to the birth of the Spanish empire. An example of one of these expeditions was that of Hernán Cortés who, in 1519, travelled to Cuba to the mainland in present-day Mexico (Minster, 2016) in order to lay claim to it for Spain. He eventually succeeded in 1521, despite the Spanish …show more content…
It could be argued that conversion of the indigenous people of new land is a form of conquest. As a part of many conquests there were churches constructed in the conquered lands and a method of religious management was created so that when the Catholic missionaries from Spain arrived they could perform a ‘spiritual conquest’ of the indigenous people (Barton, 2009, p. 122). This suggests that the insertion of Catholicism into the new lands and the conversion of people is a tool, as a way of uniting the new land and people with the land and people it had been conquered by or as a way of Spain gaining control, in the process of conquering and expanding an empire. And therefore, the theme of religion could be included in the theme of