Spanish Empire

history · exploration · empires

Massive global reach. At its peak in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Spanish Empire covered 13.7 million square kilometers, making it one of the largest empires ever to exist. It stretched across the Americas, Africa, parts of Asia and Oceania, and even parts of Europe.

Empire of eternal sun. Spain's empire was so vast that people said the sun never set on it, because somewhere in Spanish territory it was always daytime. This nickname showed just how much of the world Spain controlled.

Age of Discovery leader. Spain, along with Portugal, kicked off the European Age of Discovery when explorers sailed across oceans to find new lands. These voyages changed the world and connected continents that had never traded with each other before.

Nearly 500 years long. The Spanish Empire lasted from 1492, when Columbus sailed for Spain, all the way to 1976, making it one of the longest-lasting empires in history. That's almost as long as the United States has existed.

Super powerful era. During the early modern period, the Spanish Empire was one of the most powerful nations on Earth, controlling huge amounts of gold, silver, and valuable goods from its colonies around the world.