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Spain: The Centre of the World 1519-1682
In the sixteenth century, the Spaniards became the first nation in history to have worldwide reach--across most of Europe to the Americas, the Philippines, and India. The Golden Age of the Spanish Empire would establish five centuries of Western supremacy across the globe and usher in an era of transatlantic exploration that eventually gave rise to the modern world. It was a time of discovery and adventure, of great political and social change--a time when Spain learned to rule the world.
It was also a time of great turbulence and transition, which fueled an exceptional flourishing of art and literature and inspired new ideas about international law, merchant banking, and economic and social theory. Chronicling the lives and achievements of a cast of legendary characters--great soldiers like the Duke of Alba, artists and writers like El Greco, Velázquez and Cervantes, and the powerful monarchs who ruled over them--Robert Goodwin delves into previously unrecorded sources to bring this tumultuous and exciting period to life. Spain is a revealing portrait of an empire at the height of its power and a world at the dawn of a new age.
It was also a time of great turbulence and transition, which fueled an exceptional flourishing of art and literature and inspired new ideas about international law, merchant banking, and economic and social theory. Chronicling the lives and achievements of a cast of legendary characters--great soldiers like the Duke of Alba, artists and writers like El Greco, Velázquez and Cervantes, and the powerful monarchs who ruled over them--Robert Goodwin delves into previously unrecorded sources to bring this tumultuous and exciting period to life. Spain is a revealing portrait of an empire at the height of its power and a world at the dawn of a new age.
608 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 69 reviews
September 9, 2017
Enlightening and somewhat unusual history of the golden age of Spain. It's main focus is the Hapsburg monarchs--Carlos V, Felipe II, III, and IV-- and the political and cultural world around them. It covers painters el Greco, Titian, Velazquez, Zurbaran; writers Gongora, Quevedo, Garcilaso, Lope de Vega, Cervantes, Calderón, among others. As a Spanish major many years ago I had to read all of these authors. I wish I had at that time the context and background this history provides.
It's written with a certain flair, not in the usual dry style of many histories. More of an ironic amusement at the foibles and tragic miscalculations of the monarchy, and a tone of appreciation for the enduring works of art produced under their realms.
One tip: the original Spanish versions of most of the poetry quoted in English translation is available in the footnotes. Definitely worth taking a look if you understand Spanish.
It's written with a certain flair, not in the usual dry style of many histories. More of an ironic amusement at the foibles and tragic miscalculations of the monarchy, and a tone of appreciation for the enduring works of art produced under their realms.
One tip: the original Spanish versions of most of the poetry quoted in English translation is available in the footnotes. Definitely worth taking a look if you understand Spanish.
February 4, 2021
I am appalled. Appalled! I’m not quite sure how Mr Goodwin managed to sell this, as this is neither a history of the politics of the Spanish Golden Age and neither is it a history of the arts of the time. The Siglo de Oro undoubtedly had an expression in the arts, but that doesn’t mean that one can take Cervantes and Velázques, and use them as the reason for political ascendancy—which I felt the author was doing.
I am a great fan of the literary arts and will gladly ponder a painting as well. I’ve even been known to read a poem or two, but even with all that background, I wouldn’t try to continuously use the arts as a means to explain Spanish politics. The author’s attempts at doing so were continuously clumsy and, often, infuriating, especially where there was a two chapter tangent on explaining ‘Don Quixote’ a passage at a time.
Perhaps this additional dimension that has been added to the otherwise fairly dull political history makes it more interesting? I suspect to some it might. It is definitely helpful to learn about the Spanish greats, though perhaps a separate volume dedicated to this purpose would have allowed this title to stay on course for a longer period.
That is relevant because the author often loses himself in describing Poem A, Painting B, or Novel C, such that with the notable exception of the detail that gets dedicated to the Count-Duke, Olivares, almost none of the political actors that played a role in Spanish gains are portrayed in any depth at all. Given that this work should start with a decent grounding in Los Reyes Catolicos and build from there into Karl V, that makes for a relatively sad read, and one which is unlikely to introduce the reader to many new ideas.
Throughout the book, questions such as ‘What were the Portuguese–Castilian relations like throughout the period? and ‘What made the tercios so powerful?’ are hinted at, but never answered. The few times the author does bother to involve themselves with such details, such as when describing the lack of success in 17th century Catalan revolts, the reasons given (‘Catalonian nobles were stuck in their Medieval ways’) are entirely disconnected with how the book has treated the country thus far.
As such, this title is likely to bring up a number of issues that the reader would like to know more about—and then leave them unanswered. Spend your time elsewhere.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
I am a great fan of the literary arts and will gladly ponder a painting as well. I’ve even been known to read a poem or two, but even with all that background, I wouldn’t try to continuously use the arts as a means to explain Spanish politics. The author’s attempts at doing so were continuously clumsy and, often, infuriating, especially where there was a two chapter tangent on explaining ‘Don Quixote’ a passage at a time.
Perhaps this additional dimension that has been added to the otherwise fairly dull political history makes it more interesting? I suspect to some it might. It is definitely helpful to learn about the Spanish greats, though perhaps a separate volume dedicated to this purpose would have allowed this title to stay on course for a longer period.
That is relevant because the author often loses himself in describing Poem A, Painting B, or Novel C, such that with the notable exception of the detail that gets dedicated to the Count-Duke, Olivares, almost none of the political actors that played a role in Spanish gains are portrayed in any depth at all. Given that this work should start with a decent grounding in Los Reyes Catolicos and build from there into Karl V, that makes for a relatively sad read, and one which is unlikely to introduce the reader to many new ideas.
Throughout the book, questions such as ‘What were the Portuguese–Castilian relations like throughout the period? and ‘What made the tercios so powerful?’ are hinted at, but never answered. The few times the author does bother to involve themselves with such details, such as when describing the lack of success in 17th century Catalan revolts, the reasons given (‘Catalonian nobles were stuck in their Medieval ways’) are entirely disconnected with how the book has treated the country thus far.
As such, this title is likely to bring up a number of issues that the reader would like to know more about—and then leave them unanswered. Spend your time elsewhere.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
August 10, 2015
I found the book a bit odd the way it jumped from in-depth analysis of poems or paintings to straight history. It's as if Goodwin really, really wanted to talk about poetry or paintings and got so into it, he forgot about the history. I also found the book a little confusing in its breakdown of the Habsburgs/the Holy Roman Empire/Spain. It wasn't a terrible book but I wouldn't start with it.
November 2, 2015
I thought I had a good grasp of the basics of Spanish history. I was wrong. With a light touch Professor Goodwin navigates through the Spanish archives to shed light on everything from the Armada to Velazquez.
Reads like a novel - full of biographical data and interpretation of the lives of Cervantes and his great contemporaries. Brilliant comments on painting.
Loved this book. Highly recommended!
Reads like a novel - full of biographical data and interpretation of the lives of Cervantes and his great contemporaries. Brilliant comments on painting.
Loved this book. Highly recommended!
February 28, 2017
This is the most gripping, delightful large-scale work of popular synthesis that I've read in a very long time. My only complaints are about the decision to spend an entire chapter essentially just summarizing 'Don Quixote', and about his use of adverbs like 'ironically' and 'tragically', which should be very strictly rationed.
October 2, 2021
Hay algo subversivo en el alma española. No conoce su Historia. Esa ignorancia le da vergüenza y le condena, como por lo demás todos los países, a caer una y otra vez en los mismos errores. Robert Goodwin, británico (para variar) lo describe maravillosamente bien en su libro España: Centro del Mundo 1519-1682, de la editorial La Esfera de los Libros.
España no se ha recobrado de ese espíritu barroco del Desengaño: ningún pueblo ha retratado jamás en sí mismo la pasión hacia la grandeza y la eternidad, y al mismo tiempo su extrañeza y su penar al descubrir que nada de eso es posible, salvo la destrucción absoluta y la carnaza de unos valores que por firmes, no dejan de ser del todo imperfectos y perecederos.
España ignora su importancia, porque los siglos que sucedieron a esa explosión planetaria (incluso cósmica) que la catapultó a los más alto del Renacimiento como potencia motora, y al Barroco como potencia artística, de desestabilización, de desencuentro consigo misma y de desencanto, han perdurado más que los brillos ya algo mohosos de una grandeza que prometía durar una eternidad.
España ignora que nada es para siempre. Y se niega a seguir viendo que todos los grandes imperios en realidad duraron lo mismo que el suyo: un siglo, con resonancias más o menos lejanas en los tiempos venideros. Por ser el primero, por ser en realidad el más poderoso, el más unificador dentro de una diversidad demasiado intensa; por eclosionar en el encuentro de mundos desconocidos; la conquista, la mezcla (¿qué otro imperio del mundo ha llevado su sangre, su fe, sus costumbres, al grado de mestizaje del español?) y el resquemor, el Imperio español, el verdaderamente planetario, ha sido denostado, vilipendiado y engañado a lo largo de los siglos por conveniencia ajena y por connivencia propia con graves consecuencias para un país que lo tiene todo: lo bueno y lo malo a flor de piel, y que sabe interpretar a través de la cultura, la belleza y la religiosidad (tenga el sesgo que tenga) esa grandeza, ese mestizaje, ese saber ocupar un lugar en el mundo y esa riqueza que representa una tierra fértil, un sol secular, un mar bendecido por la Naturaleza y un clima recio, con cielos hermosos, llenos de contrastes, y un corazón que late, a sangre y fuego, por encontrar ese pedacito de paz que le ha sido negado siempre.
Robert Goodwin ha escrito el libro que España necesitaba. En sus hojas jamás hay una excusa, jamás un juicio. A mi parecer es el primer historiador que no juzga con los ojos del Siglo XXI lo que era el mundo que va de finales del S. XV al S. XVII. No hay en toda esa erudición presentada como una novela agradable y llena de giros, con una estructura en círculos concéntricos maravillosa, una línea disonante, un dato que no encaje, la mera insinuación de un error; jamás una comparación odiosa, jamás un comentario hiriente; y siempre una admiración profunda y verdadera sobre la grandeza de un pueblo que creyó con pasión en un sueño de riquezas y poder (y que lo obtuvo) pero que ignoraba, hasta que se dio cuenta dando lugar a ese esplendor único llamado Barroco, que nada en la vida es para siempre y que todo tiene un precio: querer vivir en la ignorancia apartando la vista hacia otro lado, y reconocer en lo más profundo esos errores y juzgarse duramente por ello y enmendarse, rodeándose de pobreza y minimizándose hasta el extremo de querer desaparecer de la esfera mundial, al no considerarse digno de haber alcanzado tamaña empresa y, todavía más, de permanecer en ella hasta que se apagase el sol.
Todo en el libro de Robert Goodwin es maravilloso. Todo. La estructura con que está escrito, el lenguaje ameno, vibrante, incisivo, lleno de una profundidad intelectual que desarma, que no juzga, que saca a la luz las tripas de una forma de ser, el alma de un sueño de vida y su reflejo en las labores humanas; de un pueblo que se volvió grande de repente, que supo serlo y que cayó, pensándose pronto, víctima de errores que ha considerado siempre como propios pero que son connaturales con la naturaleza humana: Robert Goodwin nos demuestra que el Imperio español fue el centro del mundo, pero que sus errores fueron y han sido, en realidad, casi universales.
Antes del Imperio Español fue el Imperio Azteca, el Imperio Inca y Roma, y antes de Roma, Macedonia, y antes de Macedonia, Persia, y antes de Persia, Egipto y Babilonia, hasta pensar en Dalamacia y la oscura Atlántida, por resumir en unos trazos docenas de miles de años de historia humana. Todos ellos han perdurado en la memoria histórica; cómo no iba a hacerlo el primer Imperio verdaderamente mundial, cuyo orbe manejaba dos manos pálidas como si fuese una pelota de hojalata. Pero, como ocurre con las obras de Arte que el tiempo cubre de impurezas y de sombras impuestas, la historia de ese momento único en el mundo, porque fue único (jamás volvió a ver algo igual, todos los que le sucedieron no fueron más que copias basadas en su ejemplo), se vio modificada por intereses contrapuestos, por exposiciones cegadoras, por oportunos ocultamientos, es decir, por conveniencias banales, que sólo ahora, después de esta experiencia cargada de muertes y de cambio inmediato y constante, consiguen desvelarse y mostrar su esplendor, porque son hermosas en su conjunto de brillantez y oscuridad, libres por fin de intereses creados o de falsas creencias que a nada llevan.
He leído unos cuantos ensayos sesudos sobre este inmenso período hispano. Eran demasiado densos, demasiado concentrados en el detalle, pero por encima de todo, juzgaban una y otra vez cada uno de los recovecos de la historia que contaban. Si de Alejandro Magno se dice que no hay que juzgarlo sino con los ojos de su tiempo, ese principio de imparcialidad debería imperar (y de hecho, ocurre en todos los países menos en la todavía pía -por irracionalmente adherida a una culpa externa- España) en la historia hispana, pero no lo había encontrado hasta hoy. España, Centro del Mundo 1519-1682 es la joya que tanto anhelaba leer, la descripción magistral de política, cultura, costumbres y enfoque que debería tener todo historiador. Es, quizá, la primera obra moderna de historia, escrita para ser leída con facilidad sin legajos abstrusos, y llena de amor por lo que quiere mostrar, desplegando la historia de los Austrias hispánicos como un hermoso bordado en el que se plasma, a modo de Tiziano, de El Bosco, a modo de El Greco, a modo de Zurbarán y de Velázquez y de Murillo, los verdaderos colores de un imperio donde no se ponía el sol, en donde nació la Banca moderna, las costumbres que pasarían a imperar en el mundo desde entonces (apenas modificadas por el paso del tiempo), donde el estudio sobre el hombre, los derechos de los demás, la preocupación por reglar un mundo informe, el ansia, el lucro, la avidez y la piedad jugaron un papel único y dieron vida a un momento singular de la historia humana. Ese momento mágico en el que el mundo se hizo planeta ha llegado hasta nosotros a través de las costumbres, de internet, del cine, del teatro, de la literatura, de la tecnología y de los viajes eternos por mar, tierra y cielo. Robert Goodwin nos demuestra, en este fresco maravilloso, que no somos más diferentes de lo que eran esos españoles imperiales y que apenas hemos cambiado en las formas pero no en el fondo: la codicia, la imparcialidad, el ansia de posesión, pero también la piedad, el sueño de igualdad y de concordia y la preocupación por los que sufren, los desheredados y al ampulosidad de un capitalismo que nunca nos ha abandonado desde entonces… No hay mal en ningún país del mundo que España no mostrase en ese siglo único, ni ningún imperio que haya durado más que el inmenso plantea hispano; eso sí, nadie ha vivido ese surgimiento y esa pérdida con más pasión y más desconcierto que España, a la que aún hacen temblar los ecos que sobreviven en su inseguridad (en su falta de conocimiento sobre su Historia).
Francia siguió a España; Inglaterra, una vez lavada su cara de ínsula pirata, alumbró el albor del S. XX… La pérdida del rango de imperio fue distinta en cada país: en Francia, a grito de Igualdad, Libertad y Fraternidad (conceptos que ya manejaban los eruditos de Salamanca, como bien deja claro Goodwin en este volumen, así que ni siquiera los Derechos Humanos nacieron en el suelo francés -Estados Unidos se había adelantado en cuanto a libertad y soberanía popular, pues cabe recordar aquí que el sanguinario paso de una Monarquía a una escueta dictadura y posteriormente al imperio de las armas napoleónicas, dejó tras de sí un reguero de sangre propia de un pueblo corto de luces y ansioso de venganzas que no se vio en el nacimiento de la nación norteamericana, al menos en sus comienzos, claro-) con la efímera y sangrienta Revolución Francesa; en Inglaterra, gracias al ruido irreverente de las guerras del S. XX, apenas si pasó desapercibido, maquillado por la máquina de propaganda y cultura que aún imperan (nunca mejor dicho) en nuestros días: ese espíritu insular, y ese asco por lo distinto, siguen tan vivos hoy como en el S. XVI: el Brexit es el mejor ejemplo de las raíces reales de un pueblo que ha cambiado apenas nada y que sobrevive con la añoranza de un imperio que apenas duró un siglo y que se desvaneció en la nada, salvo quizá en la enjoyada cabeza coronada de una Reina-símbolo-objeto, que todavía perdura gracias a una longevidad oculta en sus genes regios… En fin, como dice el dicho: en todas partes cuecen habas.
Ojalá España deje por fin ese sentimiento de inferioridad nacido de su desconocimiento, de su falta de discernimiento, de ese marcha por el desierto del desconcierto y la pequeñez. Su grandeza, que todos los demás captamos y admiramos, y que late en su Arte, en las líneas de sus novelas y poemas, en el pensamiento de sus filósofos, en las pinceladas de sus pintores, en el arrebato de sus paisajes y su gastronomía, en la belleza de sus ciudades, en el saber vivir de una raza antigua que merece disfrutar de su lugar magnífico en la Historia, y en el día a día.
Robert Goodwin muestra ese fresco, retrata esa belleza y esa podredumbre, ese saber estar y esa inestabilidad tejiendo la vida de sus principales actores, mezclando temperamentos y biografías, y mostrando, con una acerada visión del arte escrito y pictórico y escultórico y arquitectónico, los ecos del corazón de un pueblo y de un tiempo único en el mundo sin prejuicios, sin ahorrase sombras y sobre todo, por encima de todo, y en eso reside la grandeza de este ensayo, repleto de libertad y respeto y amor por España y su lugar mundial, su verdadero legado planetario, y su peso específico de olores, sabores y tactos, convirtiendo un libro sobre historia en un tratado sobre filosofía de vida y sobre arte y humanidad.
España no se ha recobrado de ese espíritu barroco del Desengaño: ningún pueblo ha retratado jamás en sí mismo la pasión hacia la grandeza y la eternidad, y al mismo tiempo su extrañeza y su penar al descubrir que nada de eso es posible, salvo la destrucción absoluta y la carnaza de unos valores que por firmes, no dejan de ser del todo imperfectos y perecederos.
España ignora su importancia, porque los siglos que sucedieron a esa explosión planetaria (incluso cósmica) que la catapultó a los más alto del Renacimiento como potencia motora, y al Barroco como potencia artística, de desestabilización, de desencuentro consigo misma y de desencanto, han perdurado más que los brillos ya algo mohosos de una grandeza que prometía durar una eternidad.
España ignora que nada es para siempre. Y se niega a seguir viendo que todos los grandes imperios en realidad duraron lo mismo que el suyo: un siglo, con resonancias más o menos lejanas en los tiempos venideros. Por ser el primero, por ser en realidad el más poderoso, el más unificador dentro de una diversidad demasiado intensa; por eclosionar en el encuentro de mundos desconocidos; la conquista, la mezcla (¿qué otro imperio del mundo ha llevado su sangre, su fe, sus costumbres, al grado de mestizaje del español?) y el resquemor, el Imperio español, el verdaderamente planetario, ha sido denostado, vilipendiado y engañado a lo largo de los siglos por conveniencia ajena y por connivencia propia con graves consecuencias para un país que lo tiene todo: lo bueno y lo malo a flor de piel, y que sabe interpretar a través de la cultura, la belleza y la religiosidad (tenga el sesgo que tenga) esa grandeza, ese mestizaje, ese saber ocupar un lugar en el mundo y esa riqueza que representa una tierra fértil, un sol secular, un mar bendecido por la Naturaleza y un clima recio, con cielos hermosos, llenos de contrastes, y un corazón que late, a sangre y fuego, por encontrar ese pedacito de paz que le ha sido negado siempre.
Robert Goodwin ha escrito el libro que España necesitaba. En sus hojas jamás hay una excusa, jamás un juicio. A mi parecer es el primer historiador que no juzga con los ojos del Siglo XXI lo que era el mundo que va de finales del S. XV al S. XVII. No hay en toda esa erudición presentada como una novela agradable y llena de giros, con una estructura en círculos concéntricos maravillosa, una línea disonante, un dato que no encaje, la mera insinuación de un error; jamás una comparación odiosa, jamás un comentario hiriente; y siempre una admiración profunda y verdadera sobre la grandeza de un pueblo que creyó con pasión en un sueño de riquezas y poder (y que lo obtuvo) pero que ignoraba, hasta que se dio cuenta dando lugar a ese esplendor único llamado Barroco, que nada en la vida es para siempre y que todo tiene un precio: querer vivir en la ignorancia apartando la vista hacia otro lado, y reconocer en lo más profundo esos errores y juzgarse duramente por ello y enmendarse, rodeándose de pobreza y minimizándose hasta el extremo de querer desaparecer de la esfera mundial, al no considerarse digno de haber alcanzado tamaña empresa y, todavía más, de permanecer en ella hasta que se apagase el sol.
Todo en el libro de Robert Goodwin es maravilloso. Todo. La estructura con que está escrito, el lenguaje ameno, vibrante, incisivo, lleno de una profundidad intelectual que desarma, que no juzga, que saca a la luz las tripas de una forma de ser, el alma de un sueño de vida y su reflejo en las labores humanas; de un pueblo que se volvió grande de repente, que supo serlo y que cayó, pensándose pronto, víctima de errores que ha considerado siempre como propios pero que son connaturales con la naturaleza humana: Robert Goodwin nos demuestra que el Imperio español fue el centro del mundo, pero que sus errores fueron y han sido, en realidad, casi universales.
Antes del Imperio Español fue el Imperio Azteca, el Imperio Inca y Roma, y antes de Roma, Macedonia, y antes de Macedonia, Persia, y antes de Persia, Egipto y Babilonia, hasta pensar en Dalamacia y la oscura Atlántida, por resumir en unos trazos docenas de miles de años de historia humana. Todos ellos han perdurado en la memoria histórica; cómo no iba a hacerlo el primer Imperio verdaderamente mundial, cuyo orbe manejaba dos manos pálidas como si fuese una pelota de hojalata. Pero, como ocurre con las obras de Arte que el tiempo cubre de impurezas y de sombras impuestas, la historia de ese momento único en el mundo, porque fue único (jamás volvió a ver algo igual, todos los que le sucedieron no fueron más que copias basadas en su ejemplo), se vio modificada por intereses contrapuestos, por exposiciones cegadoras, por oportunos ocultamientos, es decir, por conveniencias banales, que sólo ahora, después de esta experiencia cargada de muertes y de cambio inmediato y constante, consiguen desvelarse y mostrar su esplendor, porque son hermosas en su conjunto de brillantez y oscuridad, libres por fin de intereses creados o de falsas creencias que a nada llevan.
He leído unos cuantos ensayos sesudos sobre este inmenso período hispano. Eran demasiado densos, demasiado concentrados en el detalle, pero por encima de todo, juzgaban una y otra vez cada uno de los recovecos de la historia que contaban. Si de Alejandro Magno se dice que no hay que juzgarlo sino con los ojos de su tiempo, ese principio de imparcialidad debería imperar (y de hecho, ocurre en todos los países menos en la todavía pía -por irracionalmente adherida a una culpa externa- España) en la historia hispana, pero no lo había encontrado hasta hoy. España, Centro del Mundo 1519-1682 es la joya que tanto anhelaba leer, la descripción magistral de política, cultura, costumbres y enfoque que debería tener todo historiador. Es, quizá, la primera obra moderna de historia, escrita para ser leída con facilidad sin legajos abstrusos, y llena de amor por lo que quiere mostrar, desplegando la historia de los Austrias hispánicos como un hermoso bordado en el que se plasma, a modo de Tiziano, de El Bosco, a modo de El Greco, a modo de Zurbarán y de Velázquez y de Murillo, los verdaderos colores de un imperio donde no se ponía el sol, en donde nació la Banca moderna, las costumbres que pasarían a imperar en el mundo desde entonces (apenas modificadas por el paso del tiempo), donde el estudio sobre el hombre, los derechos de los demás, la preocupación por reglar un mundo informe, el ansia, el lucro, la avidez y la piedad jugaron un papel único y dieron vida a un momento singular de la historia humana. Ese momento mágico en el que el mundo se hizo planeta ha llegado hasta nosotros a través de las costumbres, de internet, del cine, del teatro, de la literatura, de la tecnología y de los viajes eternos por mar, tierra y cielo. Robert Goodwin nos demuestra, en este fresco maravilloso, que no somos más diferentes de lo que eran esos españoles imperiales y que apenas hemos cambiado en las formas pero no en el fondo: la codicia, la imparcialidad, el ansia de posesión, pero también la piedad, el sueño de igualdad y de concordia y la preocupación por los que sufren, los desheredados y al ampulosidad de un capitalismo que nunca nos ha abandonado desde entonces… No hay mal en ningún país del mundo que España no mostrase en ese siglo único, ni ningún imperio que haya durado más que el inmenso plantea hispano; eso sí, nadie ha vivido ese surgimiento y esa pérdida con más pasión y más desconcierto que España, a la que aún hacen temblar los ecos que sobreviven en su inseguridad (en su falta de conocimiento sobre su Historia).
Francia siguió a España; Inglaterra, una vez lavada su cara de ínsula pirata, alumbró el albor del S. XX… La pérdida del rango de imperio fue distinta en cada país: en Francia, a grito de Igualdad, Libertad y Fraternidad (conceptos que ya manejaban los eruditos de Salamanca, como bien deja claro Goodwin en este volumen, así que ni siquiera los Derechos Humanos nacieron en el suelo francés -Estados Unidos se había adelantado en cuanto a libertad y soberanía popular, pues cabe recordar aquí que el sanguinario paso de una Monarquía a una escueta dictadura y posteriormente al imperio de las armas napoleónicas, dejó tras de sí un reguero de sangre propia de un pueblo corto de luces y ansioso de venganzas que no se vio en el nacimiento de la nación norteamericana, al menos en sus comienzos, claro-) con la efímera y sangrienta Revolución Francesa; en Inglaterra, gracias al ruido irreverente de las guerras del S. XX, apenas si pasó desapercibido, maquillado por la máquina de propaganda y cultura que aún imperan (nunca mejor dicho) en nuestros días: ese espíritu insular, y ese asco por lo distinto, siguen tan vivos hoy como en el S. XVI: el Brexit es el mejor ejemplo de las raíces reales de un pueblo que ha cambiado apenas nada y que sobrevive con la añoranza de un imperio que apenas duró un siglo y que se desvaneció en la nada, salvo quizá en la enjoyada cabeza coronada de una Reina-símbolo-objeto, que todavía perdura gracias a una longevidad oculta en sus genes regios… En fin, como dice el dicho: en todas partes cuecen habas.
Ojalá España deje por fin ese sentimiento de inferioridad nacido de su desconocimiento, de su falta de discernimiento, de ese marcha por el desierto del desconcierto y la pequeñez. Su grandeza, que todos los demás captamos y admiramos, y que late en su Arte, en las líneas de sus novelas y poemas, en el pensamiento de sus filósofos, en las pinceladas de sus pintores, en el arrebato de sus paisajes y su gastronomía, en la belleza de sus ciudades, en el saber vivir de una raza antigua que merece disfrutar de su lugar magnífico en la Historia, y en el día a día.
Robert Goodwin muestra ese fresco, retrata esa belleza y esa podredumbre, ese saber estar y esa inestabilidad tejiendo la vida de sus principales actores, mezclando temperamentos y biografías, y mostrando, con una acerada visión del arte escrito y pictórico y escultórico y arquitectónico, los ecos del corazón de un pueblo y de un tiempo único en el mundo sin prejuicios, sin ahorrase sombras y sobre todo, por encima de todo, y en eso reside la grandeza de este ensayo, repleto de libertad y respeto y amor por España y su lugar mundial, su verdadero legado planetario, y su peso específico de olores, sabores y tactos, convirtiendo un libro sobre historia en un tratado sobre filosofía de vida y sobre arte y humanidad.
December 30, 2021
Completed on the second time of asking. Initially I got around half way through when I was deterred by the second half's focus on art which at the time 17 year old me wasn't that interested in. However now I was slightly more interested which helped me muddled through. This was helped by the fact I've now actually seen a lot of the works mentioned!
Overall I enjoyed this book but I did find it a little all over the place. The chronology jumps around all over the place and although it is nice exploring Spain through the eyes of different characters from the period it did mean that at times I found it hard to know how events related to each other. Broadly the book covers the rise of the first global empire under Charles I followed by consolidation under Philip II in the first half. I felt that events in the Americas where especially hard to place with the focus there being on themes such as slavery, culture and resources. All of these were very interesting but didn't quite create the full picture for me.
The second half follows the decline of the empire under Philip III and Philip IV who shied away from direct rulership leaving governance more to favorites such as the Duke of Lerma and Olivares. Various disastrous European wars (especially in the Netherlands) and money troubles contributed to the decline of the empire but interestingly at the same time art took off. This is the main focus of the second half with Cervantes, Velazquez and Zurbaran among others covered. The author has a slight tendency with any of the literature to simply cover a synopsis of the work. About 60 pages is spent on Don Quixote which I enjoyed but did spoil the entire book for me (although I am still really keen to read it). A big theme explored in the art is one of Desengano (Disillusionment) in which art and reality become intertwined often hiding the truth. This was often seen in portraits of the monarchs showing them as an ideal monarch when the truth was often very different.
I enjoyed the book and it did a pretty good job of exploring life in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. However, it would have been nicer to have a bit more of a coherent structure with more focus on the major historical events to tie everything a bit more closely together.
Best quote: " I'll befriend anyone who befriends me; and if that's no one, then Cordova. 3,000 ducats a year, my dinner-table, my breviary, my barber, and a mule will be solace enough against every rival I have" p377 (Luis de Góngora)
Overall I enjoyed this book but I did find it a little all over the place. The chronology jumps around all over the place and although it is nice exploring Spain through the eyes of different characters from the period it did mean that at times I found it hard to know how events related to each other. Broadly the book covers the rise of the first global empire under Charles I followed by consolidation under Philip II in the first half. I felt that events in the Americas where especially hard to place with the focus there being on themes such as slavery, culture and resources. All of these were very interesting but didn't quite create the full picture for me.
The second half follows the decline of the empire under Philip III and Philip IV who shied away from direct rulership leaving governance more to favorites such as the Duke of Lerma and Olivares. Various disastrous European wars (especially in the Netherlands) and money troubles contributed to the decline of the empire but interestingly at the same time art took off. This is the main focus of the second half with Cervantes, Velazquez and Zurbaran among others covered. The author has a slight tendency with any of the literature to simply cover a synopsis of the work. About 60 pages is spent on Don Quixote which I enjoyed but did spoil the entire book for me (although I am still really keen to read it). A big theme explored in the art is one of Desengano (Disillusionment) in which art and reality become intertwined often hiding the truth. This was often seen in portraits of the monarchs showing them as an ideal monarch when the truth was often very different.
I enjoyed the book and it did a pretty good job of exploring life in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. However, it would have been nicer to have a bit more of a coherent structure with more focus on the major historical events to tie everything a bit more closely together.
Best quote: " I'll befriend anyone who befriends me; and if that's no one, then Cordova. 3,000 ducats a year, my dinner-table, my breviary, my barber, and a mule will be solace enough against every rival I have" p377 (Luis de Góngora)
July 18, 2018
Disappointed is an understatement! This book is a boring history of art in Hapsburg Spain suited solely for advanced learners of art history. I had hoped to read about Spain's rise from a cultural and geopolitical point of view with particular interest of when the massive oversea empires of Portugal and Spain were under one Crown. Book is way too long and meanders with no focus but does have an impressive photo collage. Either way, avoid as there are superior books about Spain.
April 25, 2021
A mix of political history with in depth cultural history as well covering the time period regarded as Spans golden era. The story covers the history and then delves into the ongoing cultural developments of that time (poetry, painting etc). Whilst it helps to provide context to each other it also seems to interrupt the flow of the story - with the topics being treated as two separate things rather than intertwined.
February 8, 2018
I'm back after a 5 week hiatus and finished Spain: the centre of the world 1519-1682 by Robert Goodwin on January 28. The book aims to cover the development of Golden Age Spain as both a geopolitical and cultural superpower during this period. Interestingly, Goodwin further delineates the history into 2 parts. The first part "gold" is preoccupied with political, institutional and military history and spans roughly the coronation of Charles V and the conquest of Mexico to the aftermath of the Spanish armada. The second part, "glitter" is much more concerned with the artistic and cultural side of history, especially from 1600 to the 1680s. It details the contributions of luminaries such as Velazquez and Cervantes; along with more obscure religious figures from Seville and elsewhere in the penninsula.
Overall, I found the book entertaining and written in a "popular" historical style without veering into sensationalism; I'd give it around 8.5 out of 10. The only main criticism that I have is that there is less coverage of "the world" at this time outside of the Netherlands, France and Italy. While Mexico is mentioned it occupies far less space compared to the Iberian penninsula. That said I would recommend it to both general readers and scholars on the subject.
Overall, I found the book entertaining and written in a "popular" historical style without veering into sensationalism; I'd give it around 8.5 out of 10. The only main criticism that I have is that there is less coverage of "the world" at this time outside of the Netherlands, France and Italy. While Mexico is mentioned it occupies far less space compared to the Iberian penninsula. That said I would recommend it to both general readers and scholars on the subject.
June 23, 2021
An enlightening read providing perspective on Habsburgs, Americas, gold, painting, don Quixote and much more during Spain's Golden Age
March 6, 2023
First part was average, second part was much much worse.
January 23, 2023
Not Everyone Thought Genocide Was A Good Idea
Spain was at one time a global superpower. Their time to shine was from 1519-1682. They shined especially brightly because they tapped into a funding source that was without equal. The Indigenous people of the Americas were loaded down with incalculable amounts of gold, silver, and precious gems. All one needed to do was vanquish these people and take their stuff.
The slaughter of indigenous people by European colonizers is well documented; what isn’t is the small but consistently outspoken and activist resistance movement against such atrocities led by committed Christians. For example, in 1542, Dominican Friar Bartolome de Las Casas wrote a book full of withering criticism for the butchery he witnessed in the new world. He returned to Spain and battled all the way up the food chain until he had an audience with King Charles and his ministers. To them, he complained that Spain had “waged unjust and cruel wars against Indians who were no danger to anyone.” Las Casas was vicious in his criticism that Spanish overlords had enslaved them and “forced them into mines where in the end they all die because of the incredible toil involved in extracting the gold.” Las Casas told King Charles it was his moral responsibility to free the Indians from Spanish bondage, which was “worse than what was imposed upon the Israelites by Pharaoh.” Another new world preacher by the name of Montesino’s thundered forth his message:
By what law do you hold these Indians in such horrible and inhuman slavery? By what authority have you waged such a detestable war against people who lived peacefully and quietly? Why do you murder them in order to acquire ever more gold? Be sure, like the Moors and Turks who are without the faith of Jesus Christ; you can never save your souls! p16
Support for these frontier preachers already had a ready ally in the Vatican. In 1537 Pope Paul III issued the Papal Bull Sublimus Deus, Which declared that “It is the work of the devil to suggest the Indians were dumb brutes created for our service” instead, they must be allowed to “freely and legitimately enjoy their liberty and the possession of their property nor should they be in any way enslaved” p.99
Not everybody was thrilled with the opinions of these religious radicals from the frontier or their backers from the Vatican. But Las Casas, ever the indomitable force, would not be denied until the issue was front and centre among the Spanish empire’s power brokers. The opinions of Aristotle, that ancient luminary of philosophy, were inserted into the debate. He taught that humanity was divided into natural masters and natural slaves. The people of the new world were natural slaves; therefore, the humane thing would be to subjugate them so they could live according to their natural standing.
The argument faltered when it was pointed out that new world people had intelligent leaders, developed cities, complex infrastructure and well-developed civilizations. So the argument turned in a new direction led by a man named Vitoria. He agreed that Spanish expansion and exploitation were bad unless the cultures it encountered were decidedly evil. In this case, it would be necessary to subjugate them so they could be properly civilized. Vitoria was ready with examples of indigenous tyrants and stories of child sacrifice and cannibalism. The culture of the indigenous peoples of the new world was reprehensible, so it was just to wage war against it.
Finally, Sepulveda put a potentially lethal combination of these two lines of argumentation before the king.
“These are sub men with scarcely a trace of humanity, who, with their savage customs, not only lack culture but neither have writing nor conserve their history. What can we expect from people so given to every kind of passion and buggery, many of whom eat human flesh? They are as inferior to the Spaniards as children to adults, women to men…almost…as monkeys are to men” 104
Las Casas was not intimidated at all. He argued against Aristotelian ideas and for the concept that all people, in the eyes of a loving God, were created equal. Las Casas was the first in modern history to espouse a basic concept of universal human rights. Las Casas gave no quarter to those who argued for the destruction of a corrupt society so that it could be remoulded into a better Christian one. He fired off his retort against such lunacy.
If we send an armed phalanx of Christians shooting rifles and cannon with their flashes of light and terrible thunder if pottery shakes and the earth trembles, the sky is hidden in heavy darkness, the old, the young, and women are killed, homes are destroyed, and everything resounds with warlike fury… What will the Indians think about our religion? 106
Las Casas was incredulous that some would think that through war and massacre, the good news of Jesus might come to the heathen. For Las Casas, the gospel of Jesus could only be served on a platter of peace and freedom.
Las Casas won the years-long debate. First, in 1542 Kind Charles ordered an end to the enslavement of new world peoples by Spanish overlords, and in April of 1550, King Charles ordered the suspension of all conquests in the New World.
Sadly, the efforts of Las Casas and his supporters did little to relieve the suffering of the first peoples of the Americas. When the new laws made there way to the Americas, the colonists revolted, killing crown leaders and religious people alike. The Conquistadors and their offspring were not about to relinquish the power and wealth they had built into their society based on the words of a few religious quacks and a monarch with an oversensitive conscience half a world away. Enforcement became a significant problem, and in the end, all these efforts did little to prevent the destruction of the new world’s native population.
Robert Goodwin concludes with a sobering summary of that “perfect storm” that decimated native peoples within Spanish dominions:
Indigenous American (Populations) collapsed by 95% in the first century or two after Columbus. Many were worked to death in the silver mines and sugar mills. With their traditions and culture terribly crippled, many lost the will to procreate; many died of despair or alcoholism and suicide. Some must have fled to areas not controlled by Spaniards, others had children by Europeans or Africans, so their descendants became part of the casta society. But the vast majority were slaughtered by European diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, plague and influenza, to which they had no natural immunity, while mumps may have made as much as a third of the adult male populations sterile. p. 258
Greed and the quest for power are titanic forces that control men and destroy what’s good in the world. Historically, there is only one predominant counterweight to these natural forces—the message of peace and freedom found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Vatican of the 16th century understood this, and so did a handful of frontier preachers. Sadly, this good message did not overcome its towering opposite in the New World, and the gruesome end of entire civilizations resulted.
August 17, 2024
This book was a densely packed and very informational read that was fun, slow, and intriguing at a vast majority of parts. Slow in a good sense. The book telling of a very peculiar time frame, from when Cortes’ men landed in Seville with treasure from the new world in 1519 to 1682, at the death of the last golden age artist of Spain. I liked how the information was told and how the time frame made sense with the golden age era, nothing was out of place in the grand scope of things and everything was fit neatly into that 160 or so years.
The book was written in honestly beautiful prose and flowed so well within the paragraphs, it was entrapping and made you wanna read more. It was slow to take in the information because it was so dense but that’s not bad.
A common complaint I have seen is that it jumps around a bunch and seems disjointed. The book is broken into 2 large parts that focus on the kingly side more so in part 1 and the art side in part 2 though with big overlap in both I’d say. The book was honestly disjointed a bit and some things made me say “why did it flow to that?” And also it made not much sense in spots why it was bringing certain things up but it all wrapped up in the end of each chapter, in my opinion at least. I think it could’ve been better formatted but still it was totally fine with me and I had no major complaints about that, I see how some could though. I really love Spanish history so anything relating to it will be good. Another minor complaint I have is that some of the wording didn’t fit but also some totally did so again it’s personal preference I think there too. Really nothing major complaints wise there.
I recommend it to people who are already into Spanish history and wanna learn more, it’s not super beginner friendly perhaps and you have to be familiar with certain things like artists, books, kings to an extent even, etc.
4.5/5
The book was written in honestly beautiful prose and flowed so well within the paragraphs, it was entrapping and made you wanna read more. It was slow to take in the information because it was so dense but that’s not bad.
A common complaint I have seen is that it jumps around a bunch and seems disjointed. The book is broken into 2 large parts that focus on the kingly side more so in part 1 and the art side in part 2 though with big overlap in both I’d say. The book was honestly disjointed a bit and some things made me say “why did it flow to that?” And also it made not much sense in spots why it was bringing certain things up but it all wrapped up in the end of each chapter, in my opinion at least. I think it could’ve been better formatted but still it was totally fine with me and I had no major complaints about that, I see how some could though. I really love Spanish history so anything relating to it will be good. Another minor complaint I have is that some of the wording didn’t fit but also some totally did so again it’s personal preference I think there too. Really nothing major complaints wise there.
I recommend it to people who are already into Spanish history and wanna learn more, it’s not super beginner friendly perhaps and you have to be familiar with certain things like artists, books, kings to an extent even, etc.
4.5/5
June 6, 2018
Charting the rise and deterioration of the first global empire as it began its pillage of the New World under the tutelage of the Habsburg monarchy, expanding throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, “Spain” tells the story of this 400 year superpower. While not directly addressing the question of Catalonia that has grabbed media attention in recent years, there is much about the Catalans here for those who are interested in learning more about that region.
The book is divided into sections covering the age of chivalry, age of bureaucracy, and the ages where Spain’s literary and artistic culture were its main influencers and power symbols.
‘It is fair to say,’ wrote Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa in the 1600s, ‘that the spirit of man slept the deep sleep of ignorance before it was awoken by the invention of printing, because back then the intolerable costs of books meant very few could read, only the rich, while the poor were damned to ignorance. Today, everyone can learn and give themselves up to virtue for books are now moderately priced.’ ~400 years later it costs virtually nothing to get information, and more information is available at the touch of a button than ever before in history.
As the American empire makes its zombie-walk through a pivotal period in its history, seemingly unaware of the deep consequences of every step currently being taken, this review of a “how did the first major empire reach its zenith and recede” is instructive for those willing to be instructed.
The book is divided into sections covering the age of chivalry, age of bureaucracy, and the ages where Spain’s literary and artistic culture were its main influencers and power symbols.
‘It is fair to say,’ wrote Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa in the 1600s, ‘that the spirit of man slept the deep sleep of ignorance before it was awoken by the invention of printing, because back then the intolerable costs of books meant very few could read, only the rich, while the poor were damned to ignorance. Today, everyone can learn and give themselves up to virtue for books are now moderately priced.’ ~400 years later it costs virtually nothing to get information, and more information is available at the touch of a button than ever before in history.
As the American empire makes its zombie-walk through a pivotal period in its history, seemingly unaware of the deep consequences of every step currently being taken, this review of a “how did the first major empire reach its zenith and recede” is instructive for those willing to be instructed.
July 31, 2019
It started out strong when it when it was a history of Charles V and Philip II, but it seemed to decline as the Spanish Empire did. Seemingly significant events (the rebellion and break-off of Portugal; the Thirty Years War; the conquest of Peru) passed practically unremarked upon and multiple long, plodding chapters were devoted to summaries of the plot of significant books or plays, or ponderous descriptions of baroque art. The chapters felt disorganized, like more thought had been placed into making individual sentences or paragraphs punchy than about conveying a clear narrative. (Not that history always has to have a clear narrative, I guess.)
All in all an informative but disappointing history of Spain's golden age.
All in all an informative but disappointing history of Spain's golden age.
February 22, 2016
Now here's an odd one. It's a history of Imperial Spain told mainly through the arts. Goodwin has a highly discursive style, which normally puts me off completely, but he won me over with his wonderful turn of phrase and his great love for the subject. This one is decidedly not for everyone. Read a few pages before you buy it.
March 3, 2024
Epic, lengthy (490 page) book that is especially in the second half as much art history as history, author Robert Goodwin covered the Golden Age of Spain, the “century and a half” (1519-1682) when the “Hapsburg dynasty made Spain the economic and military centre of its world, the heart of the first global empire on earth.” Though to varying degrees battles, economics, and demographic trends common to a more typical work of history are discussed, the author focused on telling “that epic history through the stories of two dozen emblematic Spaniards and their monarchs” and especially in Part II, an analysis of various works of literary and visual art both for their own sake and what they tell the reader or viewer of Spanish politics and culture. The book is divided into part I, “Gold,” with six chapters devoted to “the age of chivalry: Charles V” and six chapters devoted to “the age of bureaucracy: Philip II.” Part II, “Glitter,” had five chapters under the header “the age of peace: Phillip III and the Duke of Lerma” and four chapters under “the age of decline: Philip IV and the Count-Duke of Olivares.”
An important theme to the author is the stark differences between “a sixteenth-century Spain built by gold and armies” and “the politics and glitter of seventeenth-century Spain,” when with the succession of Phillip III, Spain’s gaze turned inward, when rule and leadership became replaced with “a strange new authority based on art and display” and also the time of desengano, or “disillusionment,” when people both consciously blurred the line between “reality and representation” and also wondered about it when they encountered it. That while Spain entered an age of decadence, “what fabulous decadence it was” as it was the Spain of “Cervantes’s literary success; of the great court painter Diego Velazquez; the ‘painter of monks’ Francisco de Zurbaran and Bartolome Esteban de Murillo, two great masters of religious painting and the Baroque; Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molin and Calderon de la Barca, three of the greatest playwrights in the age of Shakespeare, the period that saw Don Juan Tenorio first walk the stage; when Gongora and Quevedo were at their poetic peaks; when Holy Week matured into the great public spectacle it remains today.” There are artists that are discussed before the age of glitter to be sure, with quite a bit of time spent on El Greco and the Escorial, both from the reign of Philip II, but not only is most of the art analysis is in the Glitter section, that is in fact most of what the Glitter section is, with many pages devoted to for instance a rather detailed analysis of _Don Quixote _ as well as a lengthy look at Don Juan, “surely the most iconic secular figure in western culture…a byword for a disturbingly alluring and utterly unbridled sexuality, a frighteningly compelling and unscrupulous master of seduction.”
To be fair, the Glitter section definitely goes into politics and culture, using the art analysis as a segue, something I thought effective. A lot of time is spent on the life and personality of Olivares, someone the author had a very low opinion of, at various times taking about his “delusional fiction,” his “deranged imagination,” his “fragile sanity,” and how he was “pathologically deluded,” a figure that I thought in the end came off as kind of sympathetic.
Though the book is geared towards looking at prominent personalities of Spain’s Golden Age and key pieces of art, there was occasionally some good analysis of geopolitics and economics, for instance a really interesting analysis of how the work of “the ‘Defender of the Indians, Bartolome de las Casas” and Dominican scholar Francisco de Vitoria and how a litigious and legally minded Castilian society was “led leading theologians and jurists to discover the first principles of international law and to sow the seeds of the concept of human rights.” Another example is how “the silver that flooded into Spain from the Americas" lead to the birth of international merchant banking and “the first ever recognizably modern economy” (and later ended up in “the first sovereign default in history”).
The book is a long read and some of the art analysis could at times be tedious. Though there are two section of color plates, including reproductions of a number of the paintings analyzed by the author, not every painting discussed at length was included. I though the best art analysis, certainly to me the most interesting, was that of _Don Quixote_, both in being just interesting to read and showing the reader what the book shows of Spanish society, culture, and politics of the time, as well as a nice discussion of the tremendous debt literature owes to the novel. I was surprised but pleased in the end how much time was spent in discussing Seville, giving a decent feel for the city in the Golden Age.
I would not recommend this as your first book for an in depth read on Golden Age Spain, as I would recommend reading something less personality and art focused first. _ Imperial Spain, 1469 – 1716_ by J.H. Elliott is a good place to start as it will give a good grounding in overall trends and themes of the period as well a good coverage of major events.
Several helpful black and white maps at the beginning. Includes a lengthy section of notes, a bibliography, and an index.
An important theme to the author is the stark differences between “a sixteenth-century Spain built by gold and armies” and “the politics and glitter of seventeenth-century Spain,” when with the succession of Phillip III, Spain’s gaze turned inward, when rule and leadership became replaced with “a strange new authority based on art and display” and also the time of desengano, or “disillusionment,” when people both consciously blurred the line between “reality and representation” and also wondered about it when they encountered it. That while Spain entered an age of decadence, “what fabulous decadence it was” as it was the Spain of “Cervantes’s literary success; of the great court painter Diego Velazquez; the ‘painter of monks’ Francisco de Zurbaran and Bartolome Esteban de Murillo, two great masters of religious painting and the Baroque; Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molin and Calderon de la Barca, three of the greatest playwrights in the age of Shakespeare, the period that saw Don Juan Tenorio first walk the stage; when Gongora and Quevedo were at their poetic peaks; when Holy Week matured into the great public spectacle it remains today.” There are artists that are discussed before the age of glitter to be sure, with quite a bit of time spent on El Greco and the Escorial, both from the reign of Philip II, but not only is most of the art analysis is in the Glitter section, that is in fact most of what the Glitter section is, with many pages devoted to for instance a rather detailed analysis of _Don Quixote _ as well as a lengthy look at Don Juan, “surely the most iconic secular figure in western culture…a byword for a disturbingly alluring and utterly unbridled sexuality, a frighteningly compelling and unscrupulous master of seduction.”
To be fair, the Glitter section definitely goes into politics and culture, using the art analysis as a segue, something I thought effective. A lot of time is spent on the life and personality of Olivares, someone the author had a very low opinion of, at various times taking about his “delusional fiction,” his “deranged imagination,” his “fragile sanity,” and how he was “pathologically deluded,” a figure that I thought in the end came off as kind of sympathetic.
Though the book is geared towards looking at prominent personalities of Spain’s Golden Age and key pieces of art, there was occasionally some good analysis of geopolitics and economics, for instance a really interesting analysis of how the work of “the ‘Defender of the Indians, Bartolome de las Casas” and Dominican scholar Francisco de Vitoria and how a litigious and legally minded Castilian society was “led leading theologians and jurists to discover the first principles of international law and to sow the seeds of the concept of human rights.” Another example is how “the silver that flooded into Spain from the Americas" lead to the birth of international merchant banking and “the first ever recognizably modern economy” (and later ended up in “the first sovereign default in history”).
The book is a long read and some of the art analysis could at times be tedious. Though there are two section of color plates, including reproductions of a number of the paintings analyzed by the author, not every painting discussed at length was included. I though the best art analysis, certainly to me the most interesting, was that of _Don Quixote_, both in being just interesting to read and showing the reader what the book shows of Spanish society, culture, and politics of the time, as well as a nice discussion of the tremendous debt literature owes to the novel. I was surprised but pleased in the end how much time was spent in discussing Seville, giving a decent feel for the city in the Golden Age.
I would not recommend this as your first book for an in depth read on Golden Age Spain, as I would recommend reading something less personality and art focused first. _ Imperial Spain, 1469 – 1716_ by J.H. Elliott is a good place to start as it will give a good grounding in overall trends and themes of the period as well a good coverage of major events.
Several helpful black and white maps at the beginning. Includes a lengthy section of notes, a bibliography, and an index.
August 31, 2017
Much of my reading these days has to do with places to which I will travel. I leave for Southern Spain on 12 October and have already read several, most recently, before this one, the entire Don Quixote. I had read the first part in my teens, but that was more than 50 years ago and the memories are very vague and tied up frequently with Man of La Mancha - a good musical but not to be mistaken for Cervantes's great proto-novel.
Among the many benefits I received from Robert Goodwin's closely researched and for the most part very well written (if a tad floridly at times for my taste) was a detailed plot summary and more importantly a good analysis of this, one of the most important works of fiction in world history. And I think him for that and for much other information either new to me or fleshed out for me.
The book covers the era of the Spanish Hapsburg's which saw some of Spain's greatest achievements and embarrassing failures, including the conquering of the "New
World, whose riches drove the golden age, the Hapsburg rulers from Charles V to Philip IV, successful military campaigns but also disasters such as the Spanish Armada's humiliation in the English Channel, and much more.Goodwin divides the book into two parts, one that seems to be a bit more history straight, no chaser, the second dwelling on figures such as Cervantes and other writers (Garcilosa, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina and more) as well as Velasquez and other painters.
I'm not sure his separation was all that successful, as there is a good bit of "straight" history in part two and some rather complicated portraits of personalities in part one, but it really didn't matter to me, as what Goodwin wrote deepened my understanding of the people and the era. He also dwelled more than I expected on Seville, where I will spend much of my time while there, and less but a significant amount on Granada, where I will also stay.
I'm not sure if I would have read this as I had already read more than one history of Spain, but those histories must of necessity gloss over details of this fascinating period. If you're a history buff you'll enjoy it, and if you like the history of arts and culture there is even more reason to read it. I hope some of you will.
Among the many benefits I received from Robert Goodwin's closely researched and for the most part very well written (if a tad floridly at times for my taste) was a detailed plot summary and more importantly a good analysis of this, one of the most important works of fiction in world history. And I think him for that and for much other information either new to me or fleshed out for me.
The book covers the era of the Spanish Hapsburg's which saw some of Spain's greatest achievements and embarrassing failures, including the conquering of the "New
World, whose riches drove the golden age, the Hapsburg rulers from Charles V to Philip IV, successful military campaigns but also disasters such as the Spanish Armada's humiliation in the English Channel, and much more.Goodwin divides the book into two parts, one that seems to be a bit more history straight, no chaser, the second dwelling on figures such as Cervantes and other writers (Garcilosa, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina and more) as well as Velasquez and other painters.
I'm not sure his separation was all that successful, as there is a good bit of "straight" history in part two and some rather complicated portraits of personalities in part one, but it really didn't matter to me, as what Goodwin wrote deepened my understanding of the people and the era. He also dwelled more than I expected on Seville, where I will spend much of my time while there, and less but a significant amount on Granada, where I will also stay.
I'm not sure if I would have read this as I had already read more than one history of Spain, but those histories must of necessity gloss over details of this fascinating period. If you're a history buff you'll enjoy it, and if you like the history of arts and culture there is even more reason to read it. I hope some of you will.
November 3, 2020
A speedy romp through a storied period of Spanish history that I didn't (and probably still don't) know enough about. Other reviewers have noted that it does occasionally veer off into lengthy discussions of particular works of art that a more straightforward history book wouldn't do. Some of these diversions really worked and helped to bring out a broader and deeper picture of what was going on in the popular consciousness at the time, but some definitely outstayed their welcome. This may be more of a book to pick at than to read from cover to cover or listen to as an audiobook.
My main reservation, aside from the lengthy detours, is that I don't feel that there was much of a through-line to the book other than a somewhat forced "gold v glitter" division, which means I found it difficult to place personalities and events without backtracking. I will probably read more about particular elements that I found more interesting, so this was a good jumping-off point, but not the perfect history by any measure.
My main reservation, aside from the lengthy detours, is that I don't feel that there was much of a through-line to the book other than a somewhat forced "gold v glitter" division, which means I found it difficult to place personalities and events without backtracking. I will probably read more about particular elements that I found more interesting, so this was a good jumping-off point, but not the perfect history by any measure.
June 14, 2025
I really enjoyed the first half of this book however the second half is more focused on art and literature which just isn't as interesting to me. To be fair, the author makes this very clear in the introduction so it probably is unfair of me to state this as the reason I didn't love it, but, ultimately, that is the reason!
The book is well written and well paced so if you love the cultural aspects of this period as much as the politics, this is the book for you! I raced through the first half as there was an interesting and well paced mix of politics, personal history, Spain and the New World, and art and literature - the balance in the first half really worked for me. I found the second half more of a chore, far too much detail, at least two chapters on Don Quixote (although I must be honest, I am now reading that) which was just too much for me. I am quite familiar with Charles V and Philip II so I would have liked to have learnt more about Philip III and IV rather than just the cultural aspects of their reigns.
The book is well written and well paced so if you love the cultural aspects of this period as much as the politics, this is the book for you! I raced through the first half as there was an interesting and well paced mix of politics, personal history, Spain and the New World, and art and literature - the balance in the first half really worked for me. I found the second half more of a chore, far too much detail, at least two chapters on Don Quixote (although I must be honest, I am now reading that) which was just too much for me. I am quite familiar with Charles V and Philip II so I would have liked to have learnt more about Philip III and IV rather than just the cultural aspects of their reigns.
July 19, 2017
I am always fascinated by books about the Habsburgs, especially the spanish branch. This book discusses Habsburg Spain in a detailed manner, divided into parts, which in the first part the reigns of Charles V and Philip II brought Habsburg into world's first global power. The second part deals with Spain's decline as a superpower, which ironically, coincided with the flourishing of spanish art, literature and culture. Far from strictly describing Habsburg dynasty, the book features a large cast of famous people during the rule of Habsburgs, such as Miguel de Cervantes, Titian, and many more. Although the topic is one of my favorites, I must refrain from giving the book five star for its mostly boring second part, especially if you are not an art enthusiast.
March 19, 2019
This was generally a good book. It approaches the history of Hapsburg Spain from more of a cultural perspective than a purely political one, which is refreshing. The author does seem to have a tendency to try and make his writing lyrical and elevated, almost like poetry. This has the advantage of making some passages exceptionally elegant or memorable, but the downside of other sections making me wish that the author was less attached to his thesaurus. I had the pleasure of an extended summer trip in Spain when I was younger and was able to visit many of the places mentioned in this book, which made the book all the more enjoyable for me. To rely get the most out of the book, I recommend looking up images of the places he talk about so you can absorb the feeling of those places.
June 28, 2023
This book is a very readable introductory work about the Spanish Golden Age. It looks at both the politics and geo-politics, and the culture of the era. Very comprehensive but accessible to the introductory reader. I particularly liked the fact that the author explains Habsburg Spain's involvement in the Netherlands and other parts of northern Europe (in addition to discussion of its colonial empire). The book also has particularly good chapters on the development of the Spanish legal system, and Spanish religion (with several chapters on the latter subject). Very good introduction for anyone interested in Spanish history or European/world history of the 16th and 17th centuries.
January 19, 2025
For a book which is supposed to describe the history of Spain during its golden age, it focuses enormously on painters, sculptors, dramatists, etc. I thought the focus on art history was excessive during the first two-thirds of the book. Then I got to the third part, which turned out to be focused on art almost exclusively.
Frustrating and disappointing, and for someone whose interest is not in art, boring.
If you want to write a book on art history, then write a book on art history! Don’t write a book on art history and toss in a few mentions of politics, then pretend as if you’ve written a general history of the period.
Frustrating and disappointing, and for someone whose interest is not in art, boring.
If you want to write a book on art history, then write a book on art history! Don’t write a book on art history and toss in a few mentions of politics, then pretend as if you’ve written a general history of the period.
February 6, 2022
An interesting overview of Spain and its culture. I would have preferred more on Spanish politics, religion, society and economy than the arts.
At points it was fascinating, such as on brief discussion of law and lawyers. In comparison whole chapters were dedicated to single books or artists. We spent an inordinate amount of time in Seville, which whilst an essential part of Spanish history was not the only city in the nation.
Worth reading, not essential.
At points it was fascinating, such as on brief discussion of law and lawyers. In comparison whole chapters were dedicated to single books or artists. We spent an inordinate amount of time in Seville, which whilst an essential part of Spanish history was not the only city in the nation.
Worth reading, not essential.
August 21, 2022
An interesting essay about the Spanish Golden Age, with the book split between the history and the great works produced in the time. It does not however talk about the Spanish colonies in America, or in Africa or Asia as much as he should. Most of the book stays strictly in Europe, and specific parts of the book just did not interest me as much as others. A fine book, but their are better out there.
July 25, 2024
This isn't the best book to go to for your first overview of this period of Spanish history, but it's a nice addition if you already have your foundations down. This book leans on the more impressionistic side in covering a wide variety of political and cultural/artistic figures in sometimes small spurts, but overall this is the book that provides added depth and understanding of the period that builds on more foundational political skeleton type books.
August 19, 2024
I enjoyed this very much. I was quite familiar with the 'Golden Age' which I studied at A level and the decline of Spain which I covered at university. It was a nice to revist these themes and the familiar characters. But Goodwin also had something new for me with his age of glitter. This the idea that ater the political/economic high point came a time of cultural peak. I learned lots about the artists and writers of this age of glitter. I highly recommend.
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