The Spanish Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume I

Description

Through reference entries and primary documents, this book surveys a wide range of topics related to the history of the Spanish Empire, including past events and individuals as well as the Iberian kingdom's imperial legacy. The Spanish Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia provides students as well as anyone interested in Spain, Latin America, or empires in general the necessary materials to explore and better understand the centuries-long empire of the Iberian kingdom. The work is organized around eight themes to allow the reader the ability to explore each theme through an overview essay and several selected encyclopedic entries. This two-volume set includes some 180 entries that cover such topics as the caste system, dynastic rivalries, economics, major political events and players, and wars of independence. The entries provide students with essential information about the people, things, institutions, places, and events central to the history of the empire. Many of the entries also include short sidebars that highlight key facts or present fascinating and relevant trivia. Additional resources include an introductory overview, chronology, extended bibliography, and extensive collection of primary source documents. Includes primary documents accompanied by introductory headnotes that give students material to analyze when writing term papers and provide readers with a firsthand look at the key events and individuals of the Spanish Empire Includes an extended bibliography that highlights the most recent scholarship in the field VOLUME 1 Preface, xv Acknowledgments, xvii Introduction, xix Chronology of the Spanish Empire, xxxix Government and Politics, 1 Organization and Administration, 61 Individuals, 119 Groups and Organizations, 187 Index, 257