The Spanish Seaborne Empire

The Spanish empire was the first of the great seaborne empire of western Europe. It lasted more than three hundred years before breaking up in the early nineteenth century in the civil wars between rival generals and liberators. This book examines the complex administration of the empire; its economy, based on gold and silver but dependent on fleets; its social structure; the influence of the Catholic Church; and the rift between American and European Spaniards. It also examines the rivalries with Portugal, England, France, and Holland for supremacy, the personalities of those involved in the struggle, and the drastic effects on the Native American population.