Key Eras of Spanish History: From Hominization to the Reconquista

Hominization: The Evolution of Humanity in the Iberian Peninsula

Hominization is the process of physical evolution (bipedalism, stereoscopic vision, prehensile hand) and psychic development (language, memory, thought) which has differentiated humans from animals. This process, lasting millions of years, developed during the Paleolithic period in the Iberian Peninsula. This evolution follows a distinct sequence:

• Homo antecessor: The oldest European hominids, found in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos), date back over 800,000 years. They were tall, strong, had a small brain, and practiced cannibalism.
• Homo heidelbergensis: The largest collection of human fossils in the world, found at Sima de los Huesos in Atapuerca, dates back 300,000 years.
• Homo neanderthalensis: They crafted elaborate stone tools, controlled fire, and buried their dead. Their maximum expansion occurred between 80,000 and 50,000 years ago, spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
• Homo sapiens sapiens: Our direct ancestor. Evidence dates back 10,000 years in the Middle East and approximately 40,000 years in the Iberian Peninsula.

The Organization of the State Under the Catholic Monarchs

The Catholic Monarchs completely transformed the state from a feudal monarchy, limited by the nobility and feudal privileges, into an authoritarian monarchy that imposed its power throughout the kingdom. The three main axes of their policy to transform the state were:

1. Strengthening the Power of the Crown: This involved the submission of the nobility, campaigning for beneficial works, propagandist efforts, and reducing the role of the Cortes. From the beginning, they personally led their reign, not permitting disobedience.
2. Modernization of the State: The strengthening of royal power and increased revenue allowed the state to modernize, establishing a permanent army, a network of Corregidores (royal representatives in cities), the Santa Hermandad (rural police), and councils of jurists and specialists.
3. Political and Religious Unity: Their aspiration was to create a strong, united peninsular state, both politically and religiously. This included the incorporation of Granada, the reformation of the church and religious clergy, and the implementation of religious unity through the Court of the Inquisition and the expulsion of Jews.

Key Stages of the Reconquista

The process of reconquest unfolded in three main stages:

1. 8th-10th Centuries: This period began with the Battle of Covadonga (722) and included the Berber revolt (741). Greater progress was made on the plateau in the Douro Valley and Ebro frontier.
2. 11th-13th Centuries: This era saw the crisis of the Caliphate, leading to decisive changes. In the 11th century, Alfonso VI conquered the Taifa of Toledo, and the Aragonese reached the Ebro. The 12th century saw the rise of military orders and the Treaty of Cazorla (1179). The 13th century was marked by the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), and the reigns of Jaime I 'the Conqueror' and Alfonso X.
3. 15th Century: In the 15th century, the Catholic Monarchs used a border clash in the Cádiz area as a pretext to declare war on the Kingdom of Granada. They employed new military techniques, such as artillery, and in 1492, they subjugated the last Muslim stronghold on the peninsula.