Book Review - Spain's Road to Empire

Book Review:

 Spain’s Road to Empire: The Making of a World Power, 1492-1763, by Henry Kamen (2003)

Henry Kamen’s book, “Spain’s Road to Empire”, explored and studied from a political and economic point of view, where Spain began in the 15th century to where it increasingly became powerful in the 18th century. Spain was very dominant as it was in control over many different lands; Netherlands, some of Italy and parts of North Africa to name a few, which made Spain into one of the greatest empires. Kamen explains the idea that the slaves from Africa was the key in building the Spanish empire by, for example, creating bigger and stronger armies. Overall, it talks about the establishment of the Spanish empire, and how Spain grew because of the contribution of other people from other nations and not just Spain alone and also how rather than the Empire being created by Spain, Spain was created by the Empire.

Firstly, a strength of this book is that overall, his argument is alternative and brings a different aspect to how Spain grew and created its empire. Most historians believe that Spain made its empire, whereas Kamen thinks that the empire made Spain. Spain was made up of many different terrains and the population of each of these areas would not change their cultures and language rather than being completely loyal to the whole of Spain. It was only after you could see the increase in growth of the Empire that the population began to feel part of this and not only part of the area in which they were living.

A main problem concerned with Kamen’s book is the fact that he lacks consistency and only recognises certain aspects to support his argument. For example, he fails to consider the influence and involvement of the Spanish Iberians in building the empire when it doesn’t agree with his opinions, e.g. he barely mentions, if not ignores, the input of Philip IV’s army which included at least half of the Aragonese, Walloons etc., in Aragon. However, when he tires to express the idea of a Spanish empire being made up of just Spanish people that was created by and for them, he uses quotes and ideas from Frey Benito, who describes the Spanish population in a more general and wide-ranging way, therefore also subtly including the Iberians in this description. Consequently, this makes Kamen’s book seem like its trying to subtly support his ideas and arguments, and defend his own theories. In my opinion, history books should be more objective, which I think this book lacks in some places.

In this book, Kamen’s can sometimes have some subjective theories. Throughout his book, he mentions how making Spain’s allies speak the Spanish language is necessary and has a high importance as it increases dominance and power, but there is no difference in terms of other imperial policies that have taken place before, therefore it can be considered as his own personal theory that he is subtly trying to put forward. This policy can be applicable to many different examples where countries have imposed their rules. Therefore, this doesn’t exactly make Spain stand out as a World’s first superpower or World’s greatest empire.

One of Kamen’s ideas proposed that the war in which the Castilians fought against Granada was the beginning of the great empire because it gave them the knowledge of having military power. This however, may now appear as a weak argument as Ferdinand and Isabella were not really concerned with this power, nor gaining knowledge of other terrains. With them having found new land in the Atlantic didn’t mean that the power or money of Spain grew considerably, as all they were interested in was a trade-route which lead towards the East. This could perhaps provide slaves without any issue and they make also get ownership of some resources on that land.