Spain’s Explorers And Their Discoveries – Costa Blanca Life

An urge developed in Western civilisations to explore and find out more about the world  begun during the 15th and 16th century and Spain was no exception. This started an era of bold exploration from Spain by conquistadors who were driven by a thirst for adventure, wealth and religious zeal had begun. They chartered unknown parts of the globe, enabled new trading routes and their voyages reshaped the landscape impacting on history, culture and the economy of the Americas and other far flung locations.

The Age of Exploration

Maritime innovation and technological progress equipped explorers from Spain with more advanced ships like the caravel and the galleon which were equipped with more sophisticated navigating systems and instruments allowing them to embark upon daring expeditions of discovery across the oceans. These voyages were nearly always backed by the Spanish Crown seeking to increase their wealth and power through trade and colonisation.

Explorers of Spain and their Discoveries

Many countries claim responsibility for the legendary voyages of Italian born Christopher Columbus. His travels led to the discovery of the Americas paving the way for many  of the opportunities and challenges the new world had to offer. During a lot of his expeditions Christopher Columbus was sailing for and representing the Spanish.

Hernán Cortés discovered and conquered the powerful Aztec Empire in Mexico when he ventured to their capital Tenochtitlan. This altered the history of the area forever. Juan Ponce de León’s led the first official European expeditions to Puerto Rido and Florica. He started his career as a volunteer with Christopher Columbus. It is said that when he first landed in Florida he was searching for the fountain of youth, although this is unlikely and he was probably just looking for new lands. However hid did inadvertantly did discover the gulf stream noting in his journal that his ship had entered “a current such that, although they had a great wind, they could not proceed backward!. His adventures led to the colonisation of Puerto Rico where he became Governor and was later made a Knight of the Realm by King Ferdinand during a short return to Spain in 1513. 

Francisco Pizarro begun life in poverty and chose to persue his fortune and adventure in the New World accompanied by fellow explorer Vasco Núñex Balboa crossing the Isthmus of Panama and becoming the first Europeans to see the Pacific Ocean from the American side. He served as mayor of the newly founded city of Panama for a few years and undertook two failed expeditions to Peru before finally succeeding in his attempts to conquer this land leading to the downfall of the Inca Empire, which was one of the most advanced civilisations in the Americas at that time. 

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was sailing as a representative of the Crown of Spain and was the first to land in the Phillipines on the island of Homohon in 1521, he was killed on the island of Mactan later that year. Nonetheless his voyage marked the start of the Spanish colonisation of the islands. Later that century the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu and extablished the first permanent Spanish settlement and it was he who named the islands Las Islas Filipinas in honour of King Philip II of Spain. The Philippines became a majoy trading centre and source of wealth for the Spanish Empire and remained a colony of Spain for over 300 years. 

The Legacy of the Spanish Conquitadors

The conquistadors’ legacy reached far and wide but, it brought about the decline of many indigenous civilisations introducing European culture, language and religion ot the areas they conquered. Vast colonial empires were established including the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the Viceroyalty of Peru both of which became centres of wealth and power.  However, the take over of these countries had a devastating effect on the local population causing disease, warfare and forced labour with led to the death of large numbers of Native Americans and other indigenous people. Exploitation and enslavement also caused more suffering to the people who had previously called these lands home. 

Seafaring Costa Blanca

Both Alicante and Valencia have been important trade routes in Spain throughout history pariticularly during Medieval times when Valencia imparticular was important for the silk trade. However, during the era of exploration they did not play as an important role as those ports on further south in Spain whose location on the Atlantic where most ship building took place and explorers begun their journeys. Later, however, the Costa Blanca ports have also played important roles in trade with other parts of the world from Alicante and ship building in Valencia.

Conclusion

Even though there are some dark and disturbing historical results for indigenous population conquered by Spain during this time, the voyages did lead to great discoveries. The explorers helped us to learn more about the world we live in and expanding the human knowledge and shaping the modern world. Global trade led to exchanges of goods, ideals and cultures and the legacy the explorers have left continues to influence the history, culture and language of many countries throughout the world today.