Spain Timeline
BCE
1800 - The Bronze Age begins in the Iberian Peninsula. The El Argar civilization begins to form.
1100 - The Phoenicians begin to settle in the region. They introduce iron and the potter's wheel.
900 - The Celtics arrive and settle northern Spain.
218 - The Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome is fought. Part of Spain becomes a Roman province called Hispania.
19 - All of Spain comes under the rule of the Roman Empire.
CE
500 - The Visigoths take over much of Spain.
711 - The Moors invade Spain and name it al-Andalus.
718 - The Reconquista begins by the Christians to retake Spain.
1094 - El Cid conquers the city of Valencia from the Moors.
1137 - The Kingdom of Aragon is formed.
1139 - The Kingdom of Portugal is first established on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
1469 - Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon are married.
1478 - The Spanish Inquisitions begins.
1479 - The Kingdom of Spain is formed when Isabella and Ferdinand are made King and Queen uniting Aragon and Castile.
1492 - The Reconquista ends with the conquest of Grenada. The Jews are expelled from Spain.
1492 - Queen Isabella sponsors the expedition of explorer Christopher Columbus. He discovers the New World.
1520 - Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes conquers the Aztecs Empire in Mexico.
1532 - Explorer Francisco Pizarro conquers the Incan Empire and establishes the city of Lima.
1556 - Philip II becomes King of Spain.
1588 - The English fleet led by Sir Francis Drake defeat the Spanish Armada.
1605 - Miguel de Cervantes publishes the first part of this epic novel Don Quixote.
1618 - The Thirty Years' War begins.
1701 - The War of the Spanish Succession begins.
1761 - Spain joins the Seven Years' War against Great Britain.
1808 - The Peninsular War is fought against the French Empire led by Napoleon.
1808 - The Spanish American wars of independence begin. By 1833, the majority of the Spanish territories in America have gained their independence.
1814 - The Allies win the Peninsular War and Spain is free of French rule.
1881 - Artist Pablo Picasso is born in Malaga, Spain.
1883 - Architect Antoni Gaudi begins work on the Sagrada Familia Roman Catholic church in Barcelona.
1898 - The Spanish-American War is fought. Spain gives up Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the United States.
1914 - Spain remains neutral as World War I begins.
1931 - Spain becomes a republic.
1936 - The Spanish Civil War begins between the Republicans and the Nationalists led by Francisco Franco. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy support the Nationalists.
1939 - The Nationalists win the civil war and Francisco Franco becomes dictator of Spain. He will remain dictator for 36 years.
1939 - World War II begins. Spain remains neutral in battle, but supports the Axis Powers and Germany.
1959 - The "Spanish miracle", a period of economic growth and prosperity in the country, begins.
1975 - Dictator Francisco Franco dies. Juan Carlos I becomes king.
1976 - Spain begins a transition to a democracy.
1978 - The Spanish Constitution is issued granting freedom of speech, press, religion, and association.
1982 - Spain joins NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
1986 - Spain joins the European Union.
1992 - The Summer Olympics is held in Barcelona.
1996 - Jose Maria Aznar becomes Prime Minister of Spain.
2004 - Terrorists bomb trains in Madrid killing 199 people and injuring thousands.
2009 - Spain enters economic crisis. Unemployment will rise to over 27% by 2013.
2010 - Spain wins the FIFA World Cup in soccer.