Military history of Spain

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|- ! style="padding: 0 5px 0 5px; background-color: #ccccff;" | History of Spain series |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Prehistoric Spain |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Roman Spain |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Medieval Spain |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | - Visigoths |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | - Al-Andalus |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | - Age of Reconquest |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Age of Expansion |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Age of Enlightenment |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Reaction and Revolution |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | First Spanish Republic |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | The Restoration |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Second Spanish Republic |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Spanish Civil War |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Spain under Franco |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Transition to Democracy |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Modern Spain |- ! style="padding: 0 5px 0 5px; background-color: #ccccff;" | Topics |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Economic History |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Military History |- | style="font-size: 90%; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | Social History |} The military history of Spain includes the history of battles fought in the territory of modern Spain, as well as her former and current overseas possessions and territories, and, the military history of the Spanish people regardless of geography. Contents 1 Iberian battleground 1.1 Islamic conquest 1.2 Reconquista 1.3 Unification 2 Colonial conquests 3 European struggles 3.1 Italian Wars 3.2 Decline 4 Napoleonic Era 4.1 Colonial collapse 5 Reaction, Regencies, and Republic 5.1 Carlist Wars 5.2 Campaigns abroad 5.2.1 Italian expedition of 1849 6 Modern period 6.3 Spanish Civil War 6.4 World War II 6.5 Post World War II 7 Spanish military linguistic influence 8 Notes 9 References Iberian battleground Spain was a frequent site of conflict in the ancient world, first as a Carthaginian possession and then as a Roman province. Islamic conquest For more details on this topic, see Al-Andalus. After its conquest of North Africa, the Caliphate invaded Spain and quickly conquered it. Reconquista For more details on this topic, see Reconquista. The Iberian peninsula—both Spain and Portugal—were eventually lost by the Caliphate. Unification In the fifteenth century, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were gradually unified into a single Spanish state. Colonial conquests Spanish conquistadors conquered enormous tracts of land in the New World. Hernán Cortés toppled the Aztec Empire, and Francisco Pizarro followed with his conquest of the Inca and their allies. European struggles Spain fought a protracted series of wars with England, France, and the nascent Dutch state, culminating in her defeat at the Battle of Rocroi. Italian Wars For more details on this topic, see Italian Wars. Spain played a major role in the Italian Wars, first as Aragon and then as part of the dominions of Charles V. Ferdinand I of Aragon agreed to partition the Kingdom of Naples with Louis XII of France during the Second Italian War. This created a substantial Spanish presence in Italy that would cause Ferdinand to be drawn into the War of the League of Cambrai. After the ascension of Charles V to the throne, Spain continued to participate in the Italian Wars, this time as part of the joint Habsburg possessions. Spanish troops fought in Navarre during the Italian War of 1521, and in Lombardy and the Low Countries after that. Decline With French ascendancy in Europe under Richelieu and Louis XIV, Spain ceased to be a first-class power, and became a prize in the War of the Spanish Succession. Napoleonic Era The French Republic and Napoleon launched several invasions of Spain, culminating in the Peninsular War. Spain changed sides several times during the Napoleonic Wars Colonial collapse Spain lost most of her colonies to independence movements in Latin America and to the United States after the Spanish-American War. Reaction, Regencies, and Republic For more details on this topic, see Mid-nineteenth century Spain. In the 19th century a series of military coups, political disturbances, and civil wars shaped Spanish policy and the Spanish state. Carlist Wars , Second Carlist War, Third Carlist War Three Carlist Wars shook Spain in the 19th century. Campaigns abroad Spain continued to participate in colonial expeditions despite its economic and political difficulties. In 1849 a regiment was dispatched to Italy to support the French against the Roman Republic. Leopoldo O'Donnell's ministry was successful enough in restoring stability at home that it was able to project power abroad; Spain participated in the French expedition to Cochin China, the allied expedition sent in support of the French intervention in Mexico, an expedition to Santo Domingo, the Chincha Islands War, and most importantly, a successful campaign into Morocco that earned Spain a favorable peace and new territories across the Strait of Gibraltar. O'Donnell, even while president of the government, personally took command of the army in this campaign, for which he was named Duque de Tetuán. Italian expedition of 1849 For more details on this topic, see Roman Republic (19th century). In 1848 popular convulsions swept the Papal States, forcing Pope Pius IX to flee Rome for the fortress of Gaeta while the masses clamoured for liberal reforms and formed a republican government. From the start of the crisis Spain made clear its decision to support, by arms if necessary, the Pope's safety, and to restore his temporal authority. Spanish proposals for joint action by the "Catholic Powers"—Spain, France, Austria, Bavaria, Tuscany, Sardinia, and Naples-Sicily—were rejected by the Italian states on the grounds that an invitation of Austrian authority over their internal politics was unacceptable. Spain ignored her diplomatic setbacks and organized, without hesitation, an independent expedition to make good her promise. In February 1849, five warships, including the frigates Isabella II, Lepanto, Valador and Mazzaredo, steamed to Gaeta from Barcelona. Three more from Cadiz followed in May, bearing troops from the Regimiento Inmemorial del Rey under General Fernando Fernández de Córdova [link]. In total, 4,000 Spanish soldiers were deployed in Gaeta and placed at the Pope's disposition. This marked the Spanish Army's first expeditionary venture into Italy since the War of the Austrian Succession a hundred years prior. Spanish columns secured the region and assisted the French in their operations at Itri. The Spanish did not, however, join the French army in its terrible and bloody assault on the Republicans in Rome, and little fighting took place at Gaeta. Before returning to Rome in 1850, Pope Pius personally reviewed and thanked his Spanish succourers. The Spaniards unfurled the standard of Castile and laid it at Pius's feet, asking him to tread his holy feet upon the flag according to the army's ancient customs. Having completed this ceremony, the Pope was ordered to forfeit his shoes—having touched Castile's colours, the Papal shoes could no longer tread on any but Spanish ground! In this manner ended Spain's last Italian campaign. Modern period Spanish Civil War For more details on this topic, see Spanish Civil War. In the 1930s, Spain was engulfed in a brutal civil war. World War II During World War II Spain stayed neutral, despite attempts by Germany to convince it to join the war. Spanish volunteers fought with the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. Post World War II Spain became a member of NATO after the war. Spanish forces were involved in the occupation of Iraq following the end of Gulf War II. Most of them were pullled out after the Madrid train bombing. Spanish military linguistic influence Historically, many Spanish military terms have been influential and adopted in English and other languages. These include grenade (from "granada," "pomegranate"), fifth column, admiral (from Arabic "Amir-al-bahr," "commander of the seas," adopted by the Spanish Catalans), colonel (Latin term made famous by the Spanish tercios), and guerilla. Notes References This does not cite its . You can Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.   From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details. Search Titles 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ? E-mail this article to: Personal Message: