Philip II’s Reign: Religious Conflicts and Imperial Expansion
Philip II (1556-1598): Religious Politics and Internal Policy
With Philip away, the last remnants of Erasmus were removed, imposing rigid political orthodoxy. Actions were taken against the enlightened faith, heretics, and suspected Lutherans. He increased the power of the Inquisition and the censorship of books. Spaniards were forbidden to study outside of Spain, except at the University of Bologna. Even the Archbishop of Toledo, Carranza, was indicted and served years in prison until the Pope called
Read MoreKarl Marx: Life and Revolutionary Thought
Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818, in Trier, a city of Prussia’s Rhenish province. He came from a wealthy and educated, although not revolutionary, family. His father was a Jewish lawyer who converted to Protestantism in 1824. After studying at the baccalaureate in Trier, Marx entered the University, first in Bonn and then in Berlin, following a law career, but especially studying history and philosophy. He finished his university studies in 1841, submitting a thesis on The Differences Between the
Read MoreRoman Architecture: Maison Carrée, Pantheon, and Colosseum
Maison Carrée
Brief Description: Rectangular temple.
Elements of Support: Cella and Corinthian order columns. The columns are attached to the wall. The capital has acanthus leaves, and the columns rest on a base.
Elements Supported: Architraved system. The entablature has three parts: an architrave with three strips, previously a frieze decorated with plant themes ran throughout, and a protruding ledge. It also features a gabled roof and a triangular pediment.
Interior Space: A rectangular cella with
Read MoreThe Fronde: Civil Unrest in 17th-Century France
The Fronde: Civil Unrest in 17th-Century France
1. Introduction
The Fronde, a series of revolutionary movements, occurred in France during the regency of Anne of Austria and the minority of Louis XIV (1648-1653). It was the last significant uprising against the French monarchy by the nobility and was followed by the Franco-Spanish War of 1653-1659. The Fronde can be divided into two distinct phases:
- The Parliamentary Fronde, or “Old Fronde,” marked the beginning of the conflict.
- The Fronde of the Princes,
The 1978 Spanish Constitution: A Foundation for Democracy
Spanish Constitution (Adopted by the Court on October 31, 1978)
Introduction
This is a selection of 6 of the 169 articles that comprise the Constitution of 1978, a legal-historical text of a political nature. Spanish democracy is defined by it. Its development was after the 1977 general elections, the first task the UCD government headed by Adolfo Suarez had to deal with as the newly elected Congress. After much-debated sessions in the Courts, the Constitution was approved in a national referendum
Read MoreKey Moments in 19th and Early 20th Century Spain
Cacique
Caciquismo was a sociopolitical system of the Restoration, introduced by the regeneration and popularized by Costa. It fostered a very negative perception of public life because it meant that everything worked based on favors the bosses (usually large rustic landowners) granted to farmers in exchange for their votes, which were also, if necessary, paid in cash. This political corruption, which distorted elections, had many other manifestations, including differing constraints through the
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