A Brief History of Spain

A wonderfully concise and very readable history of Spain, perfect for travellers

This is the extraordinary story of Spain, from early tribalism and Roman rule to the Moorish conquest, Spain's eighteenth-century revival under the Bourbons, the Peninsular War and revolution in Spanish America right up to the catastrophic civil war and Franco's totalitarian regime. A key theme from Columbus's first voyage in 1492 was Spain's trans-oceanic empire which was central to the country's global impact. And the story continues with a look at contemporary Spain, not least Catalonia, and its future.

Black succeeds in covering not only political and military history, but also environmental and cultural factors. He looks, too, at what makes Spain's regions distinct, and how the history of the Iberian peninsula, could, at various points, have taken some very different turns.

Jeremy Black is one of the UK's most respected and prolific historians. He is Professor of History at Exeter University and a renowned expert on the history of war. His recent books include A Brief History of Italy and The World of James Bond, which offers a historian's perspective on the Bond novels and films. He appears regularly on TV and radio, including BBC Radio 4's In Our Time.