r royal absolutism in Castle. The judicial system was reformed, and the power of the nobility was weakened. After the fall of Granada in 1492, the last Moorish stronghold, the royal power increased even more. In 1485, a Genoeses navigator approached the Catholic monarchs Fernando and Isabella, for financial help in exploring new lands. Christopher Columbus promised them new territories, and abundant riches. After holding him off for seven years, on October 12, 1492, Christopher landed in the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. He claimed the new land, which he mistook for India, for the Spanish Crown. Later to come Spain conquered huge empire in the Americas, notably in Peru and Mexico. Hernan Cortes took down the Aztec empire in Mexico from 1519 to 1521, and Francisco Pizarro destroyed the Inca Empire of Peru, from 1531 to 1533.After Fernando death, in 1529, his grandson Charles I replaced him. During the years of 1521 to 1556, Charles waged war five times against the French, and this made Spain a dominant power in northern as well as southern Italy. In 1556 Charles relinquished the Spanish throne to his son, Philip II, who served as ruler during Charles' many absences. The French Wars were ended by the Treaty Cateau-Cambresis in 1559, and thus started the "Golden Age" of culture and art. In 1571, Spain took the lead in the Holy League, which defeated the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto, permanently weakening Turkish maritime power. With territories in Asia, Africa, and Brazil, Portugal's union with Spain created the Largest Empire in the world.Things took a turn for Spain in 1588, when the Spanish Armada was defeated by England, thus destroying Spain's sea power. By the end of 16th century, the economic and political glory of Spain had declined drastically, and the cultural leadership of Europe had passed to France. A series of weak kings and ambitious ministers contributed further to Spain's downfall. The Thirty Yea...
