The Spanish Empire: Books?

[Dakka]

Anybody have any recommendations for books on the Spanish Empire? Either focused on the entire empire or the Spanish Main would be good. English preferred.

This is what I just got, has anyone else read it and what did you think?

 

[Fluffy_Fishy]

BUT

Who is at the centre???

 

[Kgw]

"Old World": Venice
New Word: Spain

You can also try Henry Kamen's books, specially his Phillip II, Inquisition and Empire: how Spain become a World power (somewhat controversial)
Inquisition

J.H. Elliot's Imperial Spain

And many more.

 

[Dakka]

"Old World": Venice
New Word: Spain

You can also try Henry Kamen's books, specially his Phillip II, Inquisition and Empire: how Spain become a World power (somewhat controversial)
Inquisition

J.H. Elliot's Imperial Spain

And many more.

JH Elliot seems to have a lot of good reviews. I will pick it up! Thanks!

There was one review mentioning it focuses more on the European side of things. Guessing that is accurate?
Know of anything similar but for the New Word Empire?

 

[Kgw]

Hugh Thomas' Rivers of Gold,maybe?

EDIT: I see that, as the sub-title says, it goes from Columbus to Magellan.

 

[Edopardo]

Elliot and Kamen's books are pretty good. Hugh Thomas also has three books about the Spanish Empire that are pretty neat (Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire from Columbus to Magellan, The Golden Empire: Spain, Charles V, and the Creation of America, and World Without End: Spain, Philip II, and the First Global Empire)

 

[Dakka]

Here’s what I ordered. Looking forward to reading them
Keep suggesting, though! I will order more in the future I’m sure

 

[Fluffy_Fishy]

Have you purchased any more of the books on Spain? Its a fascinating point of study, personally I'm more into the European side of their history than their colonies which in my experience is something that doesn't seem to get as much attention sadly.

 

[The-Doc]

The JH Elliot one is a quick read that covers all the topics for the time and is one I pick up again every so often to reacquaint myself with the period.

 

[Dakka]

The Golden Empire: Spain, Charles V, and the Creation of America

Yeah, @Grand Historian recommended that to me as well, will add it to my wishlist.

Have you purchased any more of the books on Spain?

Just the two I showed and the one in the OP thus far. I also have these two on my wishlist

Spoiler: Wishlist

than their colonies which in my experience is something that doesn't seem to get as much attention sadly.

Yeah, I am having a harder time finding things on the New World colonies that doesn't instead focus on pirates. The two that I just posted in the wishlist spoiler look promising though, both were recommended to me by Benerson Little.

 

[Kgw]

There is a very interesting one about (the) America(s): the Comanche Empire.
Even if the cover is awful
Much better the Spanish one:

 

[Grand Historian]

"Old World": Venice
New Word: Spain

You can also try Henry Kamen's books, specially his Phillip II, Inquisition and Empire: how Spain become a World power (somewhat controversial)
Inquisition

J.H. Elliot's Imperial Spain

And many more.

Good to see Kamen's book on the Inquisition here. As for his actual one about Spain's ascension (or lack thereof), while I do agree with his overall thesis about the Spanish empire being a composite empire and having a fatal reliance on its colonies - European and American - I think he's a bit too extreme in the presentation and assertion. Stark covers the idea better in the chapter he devotes to Spain in How the West Won. Also, @Dakkadakka127 the fourth edition of the Inquisition would be the most recent copy, I believe, if you're interested in getting it. Just be prepared to read through a lot of quotes.

 

[Grand Historian]

Who is at the centre???

Byzantium

 

[Kgw]

Good to see Kamen's book on the Inquisition here. As for his actual one about Spain's ascension (or lack thereof), while I do agree with his overall thesis about the Spanish empire being a composite empire and having a fatal reliance on its colonies - European and American - I think he's a bit too extreme in the presentation and assertion. Stark covers the idea better in the chapter he devotes to Spain in How the West Won. Also, @Dakkadakka127 the fourth edition of the Inquisition would be the most recent copy, I believe, if you're interested in getting it. Just be prepared to read through a lot of quotes.

Oh, he was a bit controversial, but it was a good starting point to re-think the old stories about history. Of course, he was called "anti-Spanish English historian" (then he made some books about Catalonia and was called "crypto-Franquist pro Spanish English Historian").
Also, if an history book don't have a ton of quotes, it's just literature. .

 

[Grand Historian]

Oh, he was a bit controversial, but it was a good starting point to re-think the old stories about history. Of course, he was called "anti-Spanish English historian" (then he made some books about Catalonia and was called "crypto-Franquist pro Spanish English Historian").

Beautiful.

 

[Fluffy_Fishy]

Byzantium

Get out

 

[Bahman]

My suggestion : Iran in Spain , from Shojaedin Shafa
It's the good book.

 

[Kgw]

Uh... maybe OP's knowledge of Persian/farsi is non-existent, as mine...

 

[Kazanov]

There is a very interesting one about (the) America(s): the Comanche Empire.
Even if the cover is awful
Much better the Spanish one:

Even the title its awful, "imperio Comanche", kek. Because the Comanche never had an empire, and never were relevant to the non-murican history in the continent. But hey, the 'muricans always try to steal the spotlight.

 

[Sarmatia1871]

Even the title its awful, "imperio Comanche", kek. Because the Comanche never had an empire, and never were relevant to the non-murican history in the continent.

Well done for missing the entire point of the book.