The Spanish Reconquest

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the Spanish Reconquest and the battle against the Moors placed Christianity and the Christian identity at the heart of the Spanish soul. The paper goes on to show how a new Spain was formed through battle and piety, notably through the Spanish Inquisition and absolute monarchy. The paper asserts that while Spain is no longer as "Spanish" as it once was, the legacy of the Reconquest lingers on.

From the Paper:

"The history of nations is more than the story of past events, it is tale of the formation of character and values, of lessons learned and dreams lost and found. The Spanish Reconquest shaped the lives of the Spanish People in nearly every imaginable way. The battle against the Moors placed Christianity, and the Christian identity, at the heart of the Spanish soul. It inculcated the values of perseverance, stoicism, honor, while stoking the fires of hidden passions. In the Eighth Century, Muslim conquerors from North Africa overran the Visigothic Kingdom, setting a motion a primary process that lasted for nearly eight hundred years, and secondary processes that continue to reverberate down to this day. The ancient Iberian identity was threatened with obliteration, but it re-emerged stronger than ever. A new Spain was formed, one which was forged in battle and piety."

Sample of Sources Used:

• James, Douglas. "Christians and the First Crusade: Douglas James Explain Why So Many in the Christian West Answered Urban II's Call to Arms Following the Council of Clermont in 1095." History Review (2005): 34+.
• McManamon, John M. "Catholic Identity and Antisemitism in a Eulogy for Isabel "The Catholic"." Journal of Ecumenical Studies 42.2 (2007): 196+.
• O'Callaghan, Joseph F. A History of Medieval Spain. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1975.
• Perez-Diaz, Victor. "State and Public Sphere in Spain during the Ancient Regime." Daedalus 127.3 (1998): 251+.
• Truxillo, Charles A. By the Sword and the Cross: The Historical Evolution of the Catholic World Monarchy in Spain and the New World, 1492-1825. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001.

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