The Peninsula was at first politically divided by the Romans into two provinces, Hispania Citerior (Hither Spain) and Hispania Ulterior (Farther Spain); Hispania Citerior comprising the eastern and north eastern districts, and Hispania Ulterior the southern districts, and the western as far as they had been subjugated. Afterwards, when the whole Peninsula had been conquered, it was divided into the three provinces of Tarraconenisis (the eastern and northern districts), Bntica (the southern district, or Andalucia), and Lusitania (the western dis trict, or Portugal, and certain portions of Spain). This political division subsisted till the reign of Constantine the Great. During this period Spain was considered one of the most valuable and flourishing provinces of the Roman empire. According to Pliny, it contained 360 largo cities. The organisation of the Spanish provinces is fully stated by Pliny (Hi, 1, ke.).
Abont the beginning of the 5th century the &eves, the Alans, and the Vandals crossed the Pyrenees, and settled in the Spanish Peninsula. They were succeeded by the Visigoths, who in A.D. 411 entered Cata lonia, and in a short time compelled the Alans and Vandals to quit Spain for Africa. After a series of battles the Visigoths subdued the Soaves, and retained the command of the Peninsula till the year 711, when Tarik Ibn Zayad, after defeating the Gothic) armies on the banks of the Guadalote, took their capital city, Toledo. In a very few years the Moors obtained possession of the whole of the Peninsula, with the exception of the mountainous districts of the north, where they were successfully resisted. A series of battles gradually extended the Gothic conquests and power southward [Asisooic), till at length, in 1402, the Moorish capital [0 assrstros] was taken by assault by the armies of Fernando and Isabel. On the death of Isabel in 1506 the crown of Castilla devolved on her daughter wife of Philip, archduke of Austria • and on the death of the latter, on his son Carlos I., afterwards Austria; V. and Emperor of Germany. Fernando died January 23, 1510, after appointing Cardinal Xinienes regent of Castilla till the arrival of his grandson Carlos, who was then only 16 years of ago. names governed the kingdom till 1518, when Carlos I. seemed the government of Spain. In the following year he was elected Emperor of Germany. With him commenced the dynasty of the house of Austria in Spain. After a reign of nearly 40 years he resigned all his power and possessions to his son Felipe II., and in 1557 retired to a monastery near Placencia In Estremadura, where he died in 1553. During the reign of Felipe II. the Moors were com pelled by religious persecution to quit the kingdom, and to settle in Africa. Felipe died in 1598, and was succeeded by his son Felipe III.,
who died in 1621. He was succeeded by his eon Felipe IV., whose reign lasted till 1665, in which year he died. Ile was succeeded by his son Carlos IL, who died in 1700. Felipe V., who succeeded, was the second son of Louis, dauphin of France, and the first king of Spain of the house of Bourbon. He died In 1746, and was succeeded by his son Fernando VI., who died in 1759, without issue. His suc cessor, Carlos HI., was a son of Philip V. and king of the Two Sicilies. His death took place in 1788, when he was succeeded by his son Carlos IV. In 1807 the French armies began to enter Spain for the purpose of obtaining possession of the kingdom. On the 19th of March, 1808, Carlos 1V. abdicated in favour of his eon, Fernando VII. In the following May Carlos 1V. and Fernando VII. signed a convention at Bayonne, by which they ceded the Spanish monarchy to Napoleon Bonaparte. But the inhabitants of Portugal and Spain refused to submit to the domination of the French. They rose almost universally against the invaders, and having entered Into alliances with Great Britain, the Peninsular war was commenced, and continued till 1814, when the French were finally driven over the Pyrenees, and pursued into France.
After the capitulation of Paris In March, 1814, Fernando VII. regained his throne, and reigned till September 29, 1833, when he died, having left by his will his infant daughter Isabel heir to his throne. The queen-mother, Christina, was appointed queen-regent (Reba Gobernadorn). Immediately afterwards Don Carlos, the late king's brother, laid claim to the throne on the ground that by the Salle law females were declared ineligible. A civil war ensued, which lasted till September, 1840, when the partisans of Don Carlos were finally defeated.
Early in 1854, In consequence of the arbitrary and unconstitutional measures of the Spanish government, insurrectionary movements occurred in Barcelona and other places. On the 22nd of February the whole kingdom was declared in a state of siege. On the 15th of July the city and garrison of Barcelona issued a prommeiameuto' (a public declaration) against the government. This was followed, July 17, by an insurrection in Madrid. The streets were barricaded, and the people fought against the soldiers till July 19, when the ministry fled, the soldiers gave up the contest, and a National Junta was established. Espartero was reinstated in power; the constitu tional government was re-established; and the queen-mother was banished from the kingdom, August 28, 1854.