毫无疑问,西班牙是15-17世纪的强国。从15世纪末开始,西班牙人发现并拥有几乎整个新大陆,开辟了新航线新贸易新经济,建立了世界上第一个日不落帝国;他们是荷兰联省的主人,轻松周旋于旧大陆各强国之间,他们是天主教的极端信徒,左右着教皇的宝座……可是,这样的繁荣仅仅持续了两个多世纪,到1700年,哈布斯堡王室最后一位国王查理二世逝世,马上就爆发了西班牙王位战争,结果英国再次战胜宿敌法国和西班牙,并签订了《乌得勒支和约》。而在这之前,1648年荷兰联省独立,1688年葡萄牙独立,从此,西班牙在波旁王室的带领下,走进了黑暗时代。 There is no doubt that Spain is a strong country in the 15th and 17th centuries. Since the end of the 15th century, the Spaniards have discovered and owned almost the entire New World, opened up new routes and new trade economies, and established the world’s first ever-falling empire; they are the masters of the Dutch Province, and are easily able to deal with the powers of the old continent. Between them, they were extreme believers in Catholicism and left and right the Pope’s throne. However, this prosperity only lasted for more than two centuries. By 1700, the last king of the Habsburg royal family, Charles II, died. The Spanish throne war broke out. As a result, Britain defeated its rivals France and Spain and signed the “Utrecht peace treaty.” Prior to this, in 1648 the Dutch province became independent and Portugal became independent in 1688. From then on, Spain, led by the Bourbon royal family, entered the dark age.