The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad

By: Joyce E. Salisbury, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Joyce E. Salisbury

Spain has played a unique and essential role in Western civilization. To understand the unfolding of Spain's epic history is to come to terms with one of the West's great cultures, and to grasp its enduring presence and impact on the world stage.

In these 24 accessible lectures, Professor Salisbury presents a broad and enthralling panorama of Spanish history, covering the centuries from the first prehistoric settlement of the peninsula to Spain's 20th-century civil war.

Linking one seminal era with the next, the course begins with how early Spain drew a range of peoples from ancient Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, who formed vibrant communities on the peninsula. From there, you'll witness the rule of the peninsula by both Rome and Visigothic peoples, leading to the spellbinding drama of Islamic Spain and the Reconquista, Catholic Spain and the Inquisition, and the opening of the New World. Finally, you'll travel into the kingly dynasties and the dazzling artistic heritage of the Habsburgs and Bourbons, and you'll track Spain's emergence into the modern world.

Together with the unfolding of Spanish history, Professor Salisbury illuminates Spain's iconic cultural forms - such as flamenco music and dance, and the ritual of bullfighting - and its phenomenal contributions to art, architecture, literature, music, theology, and learning.

Across the centuries, you'll explore jewels of Spanish architecture, from the resplendent Moorish Alhambra and Alcázar of Seville to the sublime Sagrada Familia cathedral of modernist Antoni Gaudí. And you'll encounter Spain's geniuses of the visual and written arts, including such masters as the painters Velasquez, el Greco, Goya, and Picasso, and writers from the philosophers Averroes and Maimonides to literary greats Lope de Vega and Cervantes.

Travel with us to this remarkable culture, and savor the beauty and the great human drama of the history of Spain.

©2017 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2017 The Great Courses

Religion

I was surprised at how much religion interface was part of the nation. In hindsight, it makes sense. I did not like the reader, yet I think this may be an individual thing, in which her voice & tone annoy me.

👍

She is definitely reading a script. most of the courses feel more like a live lecture, this took a while to adjust to. But she is incredibly knowledgeable on the topic and this was everything I hoped it would be.

Spain's Evolution & Global Contributions ...

Great overall evolutionary timeline of Spain's Multicultural influences, politics, economics, art, civil strife, it's empire & The Americas.

A revealing history of the Habsburg's domain & demise within Spain's evolution, that is rarely mentioned or at least I was unaware of.

Fills in many gaps, where world history overshadowed Spain's own civil wars & involvement in or lack of in World Wars.

Very enlightening... Thanks !

Good overview

Thought this series provided a good overview of Spain which provides good overall knowledge but not depth. Put another way is a good starting point for those who do not know a great deal of the history and can use this for more targeted research. One minor irritation was that she pronounces Barcelona - Barthalona

Engaging and enlightened

The lecture series clearly solidifies Spain's critical role as an everpresent crossroads of world cultures, wealth and power.
It also brings surprises in the roles played at key turning points in world history ad a fulcrum for change.

Engaging and Informative

I highly recommend this course, it was truly wonderful. A lot of the great courses are rather dry but this one is far from it, it was both interesting in content and fun in narration. You can truly feel the joy of the professor on topics she enjoys and it makes you pay attention in ways other courses do not as well as informing on a subject that is incredibly fascinating.

Great for general knowledge

Excellent, I loved it. It is better to read it before going a trip to Spain!

A good primer on Spain.

Not a bad set of lectures. I felt like there wasn’t enough focus on more recent events, since it stuck mostly with the middle ages/renaissance time period.

Definitely a good look though over Spain. If you have the time for the lectures, you should listen to it.

Fascinating

I didn’t know much about the history of Spain. I learned a lot listening to the lecture series.

Wonderful

This really helped a lot for our upcoming trip to Spain. There is so much history in that country. I can’t wait to see it.!