Characteristics of the Spanish Urban System
Characteristics of the Spanish Urban System
The Spanish urban system consists of a set of interconnected cities, characterized by their size and function. Spain has 15 urban agglomerations exceeding 500,000 inhabitants, including the metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona. Following these 15, there are several cities with populations between 150,000 and 400,000 inhabitants, reflecting the recent growth of medium-sized cities. In conclusion, the spatial distribution of cities is centered around
Read MoreEconomic and Societal Structures
Energy
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy sources are not primarily dedicated to electricity production. Thermal energy, usually produced by primary energy sources like solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels, uses combustion heat to create steam under high pressure. This steam drives turbines, which in turn generate electricity. Thermal hydraulics play a role in electricity production during periods of low rainfall. The great advantage of this production is its regularity. However, its drawbacks include the
Read MoreMedieval Spain: Society, Religion, Economy, and Culture
Society and Economy in Medieval Spain
Social Organization and Classes
Medieval Spanish society was hierarchical, with the nobility and high clergy at the summit. These lords, ranging from powerful magnates to humble gentlemen, were bound by personal relationships based on vassalage and fiefdom. Members of the clergy, such as bishops and abbots, also held positions of power and influence, some even leading troops into battle. The most powerful clergy served in the curia regia, the king’s advisory
Read MoreThe Byzantine Empire: Rise, Fall, and Cultural Legacy
The Division of the Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE with the deposition of Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor. This marked the end of antiquity and the beginning of the Middle Ages, a period that lasted until 1453 or 1492. The Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, continued until 1453.
Historical Evolution
In the early 6th century, the Byzantine Empire encompassed the Balkans, Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt—fertile territories and important
Read MoreImperialism and Colonialism in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Imperial Expansion
From Colonialism to Imperialism
The former colonial powers were already in the late nineteenth century a very secondary place:
- Spain: only kept Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines
- Portugal had Angola and Mozambique in Africa, Goa, Indonesia, and Macau in China
- The Netherlands retained Java.
Throughout the nineteenth century there was a strong current of European emigration that placed its surplus population abroad. On the other hand, the crisis of the 70s drove the countries to seek
Read MoreAl-Andalus and the Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Overview
1. Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus refers to the Iberian Peninsula territory under Muslim rule from 711 to 1492. After the 711 invasion, Muslims controlled nearly the entire peninsula within eight years, except for some inaccessible northern areas. Muslim Spain comprised three historical stages:
- The Emirate
- The Caliphate of Cordoba (912-1031)
- The Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1492), a period of disintegration into multiple kingdoms, ending with the Catholic Monarchs’ conquest of Granada in 1492.
Andalusian rulers held
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