Article extracted from: http://www.abc.es and sends our Chany partner Luna
The English Empire, its many names and countless men and their circumstances remains El Dorado for many historians. And the words and books that enlighten us on this exciting journey arriving from continuing, curiously, almost paradoxically, from the desks and computers of that time was the perfidious Albion, the enemy to death on the stormy waters of the Ocean Sea, and from which for many years and many titles but we get new illuminating the pages of John H. Elliott, Henry Kamen and the latest to land in our libraries, Lord Thomas of Swynnerton, namely, Hugh Thomas, his signature walk home in the many books he has dedicated to our country.
fifty years ago, Thomas entered the Iberian arena through the front door to "The English Civil War ', this book secret to the transition with which many españolitos to one of the two Spains I knew the heart had frozen almost the first time an objective and "scientific" about the Civil War. Since then, Hugh Thomas has never been away from our long history. A few years ago published "The English Empire, from Columbus to Magellan" and now delivers the following: "The English empire of Charles V" (Planeta). A third section devoted to the Age of Philip II closes the trilogy.
twenties of the sixteenth century. Carlos I of Spain and V of Germany has since 1517 among us, after spending his entire life in Flanders. "His stay in Spain was really important to him, but, above all, Charles was a international man, a worldly man who spoke French, Flemish, German and some Italian, and English, has defended himself English historian. But he came to have enormous sympathy for the country. In fact, chose to die Yuste, where he possibly spent the happiest moments of his life. "
Prince education in Flanders during his youth was intense and was in charge of his aunt Margaret and directors Guillermo de Croy and Adrian of Utrecht, later Pope as Adrian VI. "His statement was fine," says Thomas, but especially learned something crucial for a prince and a man of his power: his teachers knew how to instill and teach them that their role, their place was a real job. She loved the music, for example, knew well to Erasmus, and their small "Memories" is a book that it will be worth reading. "
At that settles his royal court in Valladolid there were plenty of men of culture as Alonso Valdes, Peter Martyr, Chancellor Gattinara, humanists and men born in the Renaissance. But was that peculiar world Pisuerga installed on the banks of a fief of modernity? "Modern" really what the word modernity? Rather, I think it was a court with signs of the times, but still other medieval world. Maybe Charles himself, who as the kings of the Middle Ages never had a fixed address. However, it was a man of his time traveling with your files and tapestries in tow. It is difficult to have a concrete opinion about it. But it is absolutely certain that he possessed a great sense of duty and honor, and she was and was fully aware that it was someone very important. However, it is curious that this man who was practically master of the world at the end of his life for what was really worried was his collection of watches. "
is not gold that glitters
The imperial game was played in Spain at that time as well as in Europe, thousands of miles away in America. Our pawns and bishops were fighting there copper. Forged the legend and wrote, in clean two-handed sword, history. Types of heroism, valor and courage almost Homeric, but his moral standing and cruelty, even today, five centuries later, is debatable. People like Cortes, Pizarro, Pedro de Valdivia, Orellana, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Hernando de Soto ... whose violence was generally an expression of his loneliness, isolation and terror in a world completely unknown.
"Of course, they were very interested in the gold and riches," continued Hugh Thomas. But not only that. Also for glory and sincerely for the spread of Christianity. Although there is more and no less importantly, a tremendous spirit of curiosity. They kept things interesting and new look. For example, they could make a long march in search of Amazon ...».
The book also includes appendices succulent. One of them deserves special attention, dedicated to the figures. On income of the Indies (in maravedíes) Stocks (specifying whites, blacks, mulattos and Indians), on shipments of precious metals on navigation (2,500 vessels plied the Atlantic during the reign of Charles V 800 wrecked or disappeared .) And is that the conquerors were not so stranded as it seems. The cards could take years to be answered, but especially in Mexico, as Thomas points out, is "remitted to the Court and the Indian Council services and merits letters, written to a lawyer and numerous witnesses. Through them you can follow the life and everything they did the conquistadors in the Indies. "
this side of the pond, in addition to receiving gold and riches as rain in May to fund the wars in Europe were very aware of what was happening overseas, as Hugh Thomas says: "It was like when Europeans China and India met. America was a new world, and what happened there was really important, and beyond the massacres, battles and gold was well aware of it. " Among
espadazo, downloads musket, and the carnage, a man was moving very own ideas: Bartolomé de las Casas, raising his voice and the word of Christ in Indian defense. "It was not a normal religious people who like the powerful. He had great personal charm, was insistent, eloquent and even bold, not in vain did ten times across the Atlantic. I think it's one of the most important men in the history of Spain, and I believe that we won the battle, but in America the settlers continued to do what they wanted without taking into account their effective arguments. Carlos V and Felipe II took good note of their ideas. "
0 comments:
Post a Comment