From 1492, the Iberian Peninsula would enjoy two centuries of unparalleled cultural development.
With the marriage of Isabella 1st of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the crowns of Castile and Aragon were united. Pope Alexander VI confers on them the title of Catholic Kings. The combined forces of these two families would bring about the fall of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spanish territory, thus putting an end to a "reconquista" that lasted nearly eight centuries.

Encouraged by this period of conquest, Isabella of Castile financed Christopher Columbus’ first voyage in search of a passage to reach India. The expedition had been rejected by the principal courts of Europe. The discovery of the New World in the sixteenth century - the Great Century – would be the motor behind the power and wealth of Iberian rulers for the next 350 years.

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