European Maritime Expansion and the Americas: 15th and 16th Centuries
The Main Objectives of Travel in the Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, European commerce with the East was done through Constantinople until the Mediterranean and thence across Central Asia.
Portuguese Expeditions
The Portuguese were the first to venture south along the Atlantic:
- African Route: Sailing west, they reached the islands of Madeira (1418) and the Azores (1431). Later, they followed the African coast to the south and reached the Gulf of Guinea (1460). Further on, Bartolomeu Dias reached the
16th Century Novel: Chivalry, Picaresque, and Cervantes
The Novel in the 16th Century
In the sixteenth century, different types of novels emerged: the chivalric romance, the pastoral novel, and the picaresque novel.
Chivalric Romances
These are stories full of extraordinary events occurring in imaginary places. Knights are the protagonists, and the stories exalt love and adventure. A model for these novels is the story of King Arthur.
Pastoral Novels
With very little action, these novels feature idealized shepherds, usually focused on their feelings, in an
Read MoreByzantine Empire & Germanic Kingdoms: A Historical Timeline
The Byzantine Empire: A Legacy of Rome
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, emerged as a continuation of Roman civilization. It successfully repelled barbarian invasions and thrived under a new name from the 6th century onward. Emperor Justinian, aiming to restore the Roman Empire’s former glory, initiated territorial expansion, reaching the Western Mediterranean, including the Balearic Islands and southern Hispania. However, from the 11th century, the empire faced decline
Read MoreCatalan Poetry: Key Figures and Masterpieces
Bonaventura Carles Aribau: *The Fatherland*
Bonaventura Carles Aribau (1789-1862) was a promoter of European liberal Romanticism. He was a journalist, but his ideology was not revolutionary. In the mid-twenties, he lived in Madrid and worked for Gaspar de Remisa (a banker). At the end of his life, after disappointments and poor returns, he went back to Barcelona. He is the symbol of the *Renaixença*, as he wanted to join the home language. He wrote *Oda a la Pàtria* in 1832, and it was published
Read MoreBaroque Art: Contrasts, Themes, and Key Figures
Baroque Contrasts and Themes
The Baroque era juxtaposed luxury and poverty, religious fervor with sensuality and cynicism, and idealism with a stark view of reality. Key themes include disappointment and pessimism, often treated with irony and humor. Baroque art is characterized by its excess and lack of balance.
Baroque Theater
The Corral de Comedias, or neighborhood courtyards, served as open-air theaters. Stages were built against walls, with men standing and women seated in front. Love was a central
Read MoreSpanish Theater: Evolution and Key Authors (Early 20th Century)
Spanish Theater in the Early 20th Century
The theatrical genre is subject to conditions peculiar compared to other genres. It suffers more from censorship and must meet business demands, as it is limited by the capacity of its public criticism. Different types of theater are highlighted: one in which rates are less relevant, with authors such as those from the Generation of 98, modernist drama, comic theater, the Vanguards, and the Generation of 27; and on the other hand, authors are grouped with
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