The Age of Exploration 1492-1600

 
 
-1519 Magellan, Portugese explorer, leaves Sevilla under Spanish patronage to circumnavigate the globe
 
-1519 Conquest of Mexico by Cortés.  Carlos I crowned Holy Roman Emperor Charles V

(Hernán Cortés)

 
-1520-1521 Revolt by Castilian towns when Carlos I appoints foreigner, Adrian of Utrecht, as regent
 
-1532 Pizarro takes Peru with 180 men and destroys Inca empire

(Pizarro)

 
-1540 Father Bartolomé de las Casas writes his book denouncing the oppression of the Indians

(Father Bartolomé)
 

-1554 International Catholic alliance created by marriage of future king Felipe II with Mary Tudor, Queen of England
 
-1557 First of a series of partial bankruptcies of Spain
 
-1561 Madrid becomes capital of Spain.  Building of El Escorial, near Madrid begins

(El Escorial)
 

-1568 Moriscos (converted Moors) in Granada rebel against high taxes and persecution
 
-1569 Bible published for first time in Castilian
 
-1571 Spanish victory over Turks in naval battle of Lepanto
 
-1580 Portugal unites with Spain for the next 60 years
 
-1588 Spanish Armada defeated by the British

(The Defeat of the Spanish Armada after the failed attempt to invade England)