Spain: The Center of the World, 1519–1682

Goodwin (Crossing the Continent 1527-1540), a research and teaching fellow at University College London, effectively illustrates how Spain achieved a golden age with the attainment of unprecedented power over the Holy Roman Empire—and how its very unwieldiness cost Spain considerable wealth and stability, worsened by fiscal and political mismanagement. Charles V’s military accomplishments and Philip II’s continental power plays provided the bulk of Spain’s strength before giving way to weaker rulers whose eras ironically ushered in glittering poetic innovations, striking polychrome art, and lasting literary characters. Densely packed with historical and cultural details, these “Gold” and “Glitter” elements dovetail with an astute portrayal (inspired by Don Quixote) of Philip IV’s misguided favorite, the Count-Duke of Olivares, who as prime minister oversaw the Spanish Empire’s final descent. Goodwin’s belief in Spanish superiority results in occasional overgeneralizations (the Barber of Seville as the “most enduring character” and Velazquez’s Rokeby Venus as the “most stunning” female nude) and the near-omission of or ambiguity concerning relevant European figures such as England’s Elizabeth I and Charles I. Nevertheless, Goodwin successfully shows that significant achievements in art and culture, as well as colonial successes, allowed the diminishing powerhouse to keep her sparkle amidst the turmoil of decades of economic and military instability. Illus. [em](July) [/em]