The Fall, Rise, Fall and Rise of Spain
- the Romans called the Iberian peninsula Hispania (from which of course the words Spain/España derive). Diocletian created a subdivision for NW Hispania called Gallaecia; this comprised the Conventi of Astorga, Lugo and Braga
- when the Romans left, Germanic tribes swept across W Europe: what we now call France was occupied by the Franks; Hispania was occupied by the Visigoths, except for Gallaecia, which was occupied by the Suevians (411); they in turn were conquered by the Visigoths in the 6th century
- by beginning of 8th century, both the Franks, under the Carolingians, and the Visigoths were Christianised
- 711 - Tariq ibn Ziyad's army (largely Berber rather than Arab) crosses the Straits of Gibraltar (= Gebel Tariq: Tariq's Mountain) and sweeps up through Spain, overcoming Visigoths centred in Toledo, and reaching Toulouse in 721; captures Pamplona, Zaragoza and Barcelona
- ca 721 - defeat of Moors by remnants of Visigoth army at Covadonga (= Covadominica: Lord's Cave); generally depicted as 1st victory of Christian forces over Muslim ones and seed of modern Spain, Covadonga is now pilgrimage centre of cult of Virgen de las Batallas; kingdom of Asturias founded; Oviedo becomes centre of resistance to Moors
- 732 - defeat by Frankish forces between Tours and Poitiers prevents Moors establishing themselves N of Pyrenees
- 739 - Moors driven out of Galicia by Asturias
- 778-812 - Charlemagne establishes Spanish March (Marca Hispanica): Franks control Pyrenees, along with territories round Pamplona and Barcelona, but fail to recapture Zaragoza and are ambushed by the Basques at Roncesvalles, Charlemagne's only major defeat
- 814 - Charlemagne dies; Carolingian empire splinters; kings N of Pyrenees involved in numerous wars and power struggles, and play no further significant direct role in Reconquista
- 844 - supposed victory of Christians over Muslims at Clavijo, where St James' legendary intervention leads to cult of Santiago Matamoros - St James the Moor-slayer - now a somewhat controversial subject, especially as many historians doubt whether the battle even took place
- 9th century - Viking/Norman raids on N coast of Spain prompt Asturias to move court to León in early 10th century; here's a map of the status
- 930s - Count of Burgos expands his territories and terms himself King of Castile
- late 10th century, various incursions into N Spain by Al-Mansur, including sacking of Santiago in 997
- 11/12th century - numerous splits and reunifications among León, Castile and Navarre result in Castile becoming increasingly dominant
- 1072 - Galicia loses last traces of independence
- 1076 - Turks capture Jerusalem
- Castile takes Coimbra (1064) and Toledo (1085); Toledo becomes capital
- 1094 - County of Porto declares independence from Galicia/Asturias/León/Castile, becoming Kingdom of Portugal in 1139; by 1200 Portugal reaches S to the Tagus and Lisbon, taking Algarve in 1250
- 1095 - Crusades launched
- 1118 - Aragon takes Zaragoza, and in 1137 unites with Catalonia; 1149 Lérida retaken
- 1147 - Castile takes Calatrava; here's a map of the status
- 1212 - Spanish kingdoms unite (for a change) for battle of Navas de Tolosa, which marks end of Almohada Kingdom; Aragon-Catalonia takes Balearics (1232) and Valencia (1238); Castile takes Cordoba (1236), Seville (1248), Murcia (1260) and Cadiz (1262)
- 1230 - León and Castile finally unified
- Castile takes Gibraltar (1309) and Algeciras (1343)
- 1479 - Castile (Isabel) unites with Aragon (Fernando): the Reyes Catolicos (Catholic Monarchs)
- 1492 - final Moorish state, Granada, falls
- 1512 - Navarre incorporated in Castile-Aragon, which thus becomes Spain, as we know it today
- 1561 - capital moved to Madrid
- 1610 - Moors finally expelled from Spain
- 17th century - Spain begins long decline
- 1824 - disestablishment
- 1975 - death of Franco
- 1982 - Galician autonomy
- 1986 - Spain joins EU; economic boom with rapid urbanisation; influence of church declines
The Rise, Fall and Rise of the Pilgrimage
- ca 813 - supposed tomb of St James discovered; from this time, increasing numbers of pilgrims journey to Santiago; original church built
- 899 - new cathedral consecrated; bishopric transferred from Iria Flavia (Padron) to Santiago
- 934 - Voto de Santiago instituted
- 10th century - 1st recorded pilgrimages: Godescalc, bishop of Le Puy (950) and Caesarius, abbot of Montserrat (959)
- 997 - cathedral sacked by Al-Mansur
- 1075 - 2nd cathedral
- 1080 - Roman rite generally adopted instead of Mozarabic; St James Day moved from December 30 to July 25 (i.e. winter to summer), the former date kept as Translation of St James
- 1100 - Diego Gelmirez made bishop of Santiago; promotes links with Cluny; work starts on 3rd cathedral
- 1122 - Holy Years instigated; plenary indulgence for all pilgrims to Santiago in these years
- 1124 - Santiago made archbishopric
- mid 12th century - Codex Calixtinus produced; pilgrimage by now well established
- 1154 - French king Louis VII makes pilgrimage
- 1175 - Order of Knights of Santiago founded
- 1181 - Papal Bull Regis Eterni confirms Santiago's status as major pilgrimage site
- 1188 - Pórtico de la Gloria completed
- 1211 - 3rd (current) cathedral consecrated
- 1213 - supposed pilgrimage of Francis of Assisi
- from 14th century, pilgrimage declines: Black Death, wars, schism . . .
- 16th century - rise of Protestantism (Luther, Erasmus, Calvin) in other European countries continues decline of pilgrimage
- 1492 - Hospital Real de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago founded
- 1589 - Drake, English hero (according to English) or pirate (according to Spaniards) attacks A Coruña; relics of St James hidden
- 17th-18th century - France too turns against pilgrimage, culminating in anti-clericalism of Revolution
- 17th century - entrance stairs and twin towers of cathedral built
- 1750 - west, Obradoiro, facade of cathedral added; Voto de Santiago now provides some 2/3 of cathedral's revenues
- 1834 - Voto de Santiago abolished
- 1879 - relics of St James rediscovered
- 1882 - First printed edition of last book of Codex Calixtinus, by Father Fidel Fita, published
- 1938 - publication of Jeanne Vielliard's translation Le Guide du Pèlerin
- 1949 - Las Peregrinaciones a Santiago de Compostela by Vázquez de Parga, Lacarra and Uría Ríu published
- 1950 - Société des Amis de St Jacques founded in Paris
- 1959 - Amigos del Camino de Santiago founded in Estella
- 1971 - Caminos a Compostela by D Elías Valiña Sampedro, priest at O Cebreiro, published in Vigo; new improved version published 1982, later taken over by Everest
- 1973 - Abbé Georges Bernès, priest at Tillac near Auch, publishes Guide du Pèlerin, later taken over by Rando Edns
- 1980s - D Elías sets about marking Camino Francés with yellow arrows
- 1987 - Centre d'Études de Recherche et d'Histoire Compostellane founded by René de la Coste-Messelière; Federación Española de Asociaciones del Amigos del Camino de Santiago also founded
- 1987 - Council of Europe declares pilgrimage routes European Cultural Routes
- 1993 - Unesco declares Camino Francés World Heritage Site
- 1993 - pilgrimage takes off in this Holy Year; see graphs
Parallels
It's not hard to see how closely the fates of Spain and the pilgrimage are entwined. Most of Iberia falls to the Moors, some resistance is offered by the Carolingians but their descendants become preoccupied with their own power struggles, Christianity is limited to coastal regions in N Spain, beset by marauding Vikings. Moors are part of the Arab and African world; Christians, part of Europe. Which way will Spain go? Into this situation steps the Church. Very conveniently, the tomb of one of the more important apostles is discovered right in the far NW corner of the peninsula. The pilgrimage is strongly encouraged by both church and state, promoted by monastic orders such as Cluny, and policed by orders of knights. The reconquest of Spain is billed as a crusade because it is the home of Santiago, almost as important as the Holy Land. And the pilgrimage is an integral part of efforts to link Spain with Christian Europe. Without the Moorish invasion, Santiago would probably not exist. And without the links beyond the Pyrenees, in which the pilgrimage played a leading role, Spain might very well now speak Arabic and Galicia might very well be part of Portugal.
The Church wins this battle, but by 1300 the reconquest is almost complete and the struggle for Spain over. The pilgrimage is, in geo-political terms, no longer needed. Spain becomes a mighty nation but, despite huge wealth from the Americas, overreaches itself, descends into power struggles, and goes into a long decline. Huge wealth from the Voto de Santiago enables Santiago to continue to develop and become the largely Baroque city we see today, but the Church is beset by schisms and power struggles; the pilgrimage goes into a long decline. Spain becomes a backwater, and Galicia becomes a backwater within a backwater, mainly known for its emigrants.
In the latter half of the 20th century, westerners have increased wealth and leisure time, and become interested in travel and culture. Spain expands economically again, and reintegrates itself in the world beyond the Pyrenees. It decentralises many government functions to the regions, including Galicia. Materially, Spaniards and other westerners are better off than ever before, but the feeling remains widespread that materialism is not everything. They rediscover the simple life of walking the Camino, and the pilgrimage expands again.