Follow three remarkable immigrant groups who left their mark on Spanish culture. First, trace the impact of the Celts and the technology they brought to the region. Learn about the Phoenicians, famous as mariners, and their legacy of trade and engineering. Continue with the singular influence of the Greeks, who shaped the history and culture of the peninsula for future immigrants. This free full-length lecture comes from the course The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad. Learn more about this course and start your FREE trial of The Great Courses Plus here: www.TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/show/the_history_of_spain_land_on_a_crossroad?utm_source=US_OnlineVideo&utm_medium=SocialMediaEditorialYouTube&utm_campaign=151288 About This Course: Spain has played a unique and pivotal role in Western civilization. It has historically stood at a critical crossroad—a crossroad of geography, of cultures, of religions, of ideas, of trade, and more. Spain’s strategic location, through the centuries, has made it a magnet for multiple different peoples, and it has participated in and witnessed numerous major shifts, trends, and historical moments. Across 5000 years, from its prehistory and ancient Roman rule to the glory of Moorish al-Andalus, and from its empire building to its religious passions and kingly dynasties, Spain’s history has been extraordinarily dramatic, colorful, poignant, inspiring, and heartrending. And yet, Spain’s remarkable role has not always been detailed in standard history curricula, at times overshadowed by the high profile of other European powers. But to understand the unfolding of Spain’s epic history is to come to terms with one of the West’s great civilizations, and to grasp its enduring presence and influence on the world stage. Consider these singular features of Spanish history: The Renaissance began in Spain 15 years before the rest of Europe; Spain was both the instigator and the catalyst for the opening of the New World, spanning North, Central, and South America—leaving Spanish as the world’s second most widely spoken language, following only Chinese; Spain was a primary player in the vast commercial revolution that changed the world in the 17th century; The collapse of Spain’s great empire both prefigured and sheds light upon the later disintegration of other European empires; Spain’s 20th century history reveals much about the rise and fall of fascism in Europe. In The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad, Professor Emerita Joyce E. Salisbury of the University of Wisconsin unfurls a broad and fascinating panorama of Spanish history, spanning the centuries from the first Neolithic settlement of the peninsula to Spain’s 20th century Civil War. Linking one extraordinary era with the next, the course begins with how early Spain drew a spectrum of peoples from ancient Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, who formed vibrant communities on the peninsula. From there, you’ll witness the subjugation of the peninsula by both Rome and Gothic peoples, leading to the breathtaking drama of Islamic Spain and the Reconquista, Catholic Spain and the Inquisition, and the conquest of the New World. In the final lectures, you’ll travel into the royal dynasties and dazzling artistic heritage of the Habsburg and Bourbon kings, and you’ll track Spain’s storied emergence into the modern world. These 24 accessible and highly enjoyable lectures offer you a penetrating overview of the development of Spanish civilization. Designed for a wide audience, the course presents a comprehensive picture of Spanish life and culture, encompassing history, architecture and art, religion, science, and the humanities, as well as offering many pointers for travel in Spain, highlighting the country’s outstanding historical and cultural sights, and why they’re important. Learn more about this course and start your FREE trial of The Great Courses Plus here: www.TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/show/the_history_of_spain_land_on_a_crossroad?utm_source=US_OnlineVideo&utm_medium=SocialMediaEditorialYouTube&utm_campaign=151288 Please like/comment/share! And don't forget to subscribe to our channel - new videos are being added all the time! www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TheGreatCourses Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/thegreatcourses And on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGreatCourses Check out more of our videos in these playlists: • History: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlnbdCliaJH5gPqfxfQNBQHKC1H83XNt • Literature & Writing: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlnbdCliaJFNpF0sHnyfv6YaQyHWLnS7 • Cooking (in partnership with The Culinary Institute of America): www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlnbdCliaJFzDUkdjRybfJk_w9qKzwLW • Fine Arts & Music: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlnbdCliaJHCWKq9ecOVmPtfDD27BpgC

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