| Ancient Spain |
| 41 000 BC |
Evidence of cannibalistic societies are found in the region of today's Spain |
| 28 000 BC |
Neanderthals inhabit the lands of Spain |
| 12 500 BC |
The first discovered cave paintings are found in the Altamira Cave, Spain |
| 500 BC |
The lands of Spain are partially settled by Greek colonizers |
| 218 BC |
The Romans take over the Greeks and settle in the region |
| AD 53 |
The Roman Emperor Marcus Trajanus is born near today's Seville |
| 633 |
A holy gathering, or Synod, is held in Toledo to accept the Latin language and gain control over election of Spanish kings |
| 711 |
Muslim invasion occupies Spain |
| 938-1002 |
Spain is devastated by attacks of the vicious Moorish leader Al-Mansur |
| 976 |
A large Muslim mosque is built in Cordoba |
| 994 |
A famous Muslim author and historian, Muhammad ibn Hazm, is born |
| Medieval Spain |
| 1075 |
A Cathedral is built over the tomb of St James', the patron saint of Spain |
| 1085 |
Toledo is freed from Muslim rule by the Spanish ruler Alfonso VI |
| 1100-1200 |
Spanish peasant, San Isidro, becomes famous for his goodness to the poor, and becomes the patron saint of farmers and Madrid |
| 1118 |
Alfonso of Aragon frees the city of Saragossa and expands his Christian kingdom, much to the dismay of Muslims |
| 1212 |
Muslims are seriously affected by the Spanish Crusade |
| 1218 |
The University of Salamanka is established by king Alfonso IX |
| 1221 |
Alfonso the Tenth (the Wise) is born and becomes king of Castille and Leon |
| 1227 |
The Gothic Cathedral in Toledo is under construction |
| 1236 |
Cordoba is freed of Muslim rule, by Ferdinand III of Castille and Leon |
| 1385 |
Portugal fights the Castillians and gain independence |
| 1451 |
Isabella of Castille is born, and becomes Queen of Spain and patron of the explorer Columbus |
| 1452 |
The next king of Aragon, Ferdinand II, is born |
| 1469 |
The prince of Aragon, Ferdinand II, marries the princess of Castille, Isabella. A new epoch for Spain began |
| 1474 |
Isabella declares herself Queen of Castille and Aragon |
| 1480 |
Ferdinand and Isabella persecute Jews and heretics in the Holy Inquisition |
| 1481-1530 |
The Inquisition burns thousands of people at stakes |
| The Golden Age of Spain |
| 1486 |
Christopher Columbus pleads to Isabella to fund his expedition to the West Indies |
| 1492 |
Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon defeat the Muslims. The leader of the Muslims, Boabdil, surrender to the joint forces of Spain. The Moors are forever driven away |
| 1492 |
Columbus discovers a new land, later to be America |
| 1494 |
Columbus' discovered lands are divided between Spain and Portugal |
| 1510-50 |
Spain receives thousands of pounds in gold shipments from the new land |
| 1513 |
Florida is discovered by Huan Ponce de Leon |
| 1516 |
The University of Seville is founded. The Habsburg Dynasty is established by the grandson of Ferdinand of Aragon, Charles V |
| 1528 |
England and France join efforts to wage war against Spain and its naval supremacy |
| 1536 |
Pedro Mendoza establishes the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| 1547 |
The father of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, is born |
| 1571 |
Under the rule of Philip of Spain, the Spaniards claim the Philippines after its discovery by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi |
| 1571 October |
Spain and its Allies defeat the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Lepanto |
| 1580 |
Spain defeats Portugal in the Battle of Alcantara. Philip is proclaimed king of Portugal |
| 1587-88 |
The Spanish Armada, the most fierce naval power, is defeated by English commander Sir Francis Drake, during the rule of the English Queen Elisabeth the Great |
| 1591 |
The Running of the Bulls is established in Pamplona |
| 1635 |
The French Cardinal Richelieu begins war with the Spanish Habsburgs |
| 1649 |
The Black Plague devastates Seville |
| 1700s |
Bull fights as a sport is established |
| 1746-1828 |
One of the most famous Spanish painters, Francisco Jose de Goya, is born. At the fall of the Cortes in 1824, he goes into voluntary exile in Bordeaux, where he dies |
| 1783 |
Spain recognises the independence of the U.S |
| 19th and 20th Century |
| 1810 |
Argentina announces independence from Spain, as well as Columbia and Chile, and Paraguay the next year |
| 1824 |
Peru gains independence from Spain |
| 1836 |
Mexico declares independence |
| 1881 |
Pablo Picasso is born in the town of Malaga, Spain |
| 1892 |
The Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, is born |
| 1893 |
The famous painted Joan Miro is born |
| 1898 |
Cuba gains independence from Spain with the support of the U.S |
| 1936-39 |
Some 350,000 are killed in the Spanish Civil War, when communists fight monarchists |
| 1946-50 |
Franco begins to rule Spain, but does not receive support from European countries |
| 1955 |
The United Nations (UN) accept Spain as a member |
| 1959 |
The Basque Separatist Organization, ETA, is founded to terrorise the country and win independence for the Basques |
| 1975 |
Franco dies and the monarchy is restored with King Juan Carlos to the throne. Spain is no longer a dictatorial country, but democratic |
| 1982 |
Spain joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |
| 1986 |
Spain joins the European Economic Community (EEC) |
| 1992 |
The Summer Olympics are held in Barcelona |