In modern times, Spain has often been perceived as different from other countries in Europe, with a pejorative connotation to that difference. In part, at least, that perception stems from a lack of knowledge about the history of Spain. Yet, in a certain sense Spain is different from the rest of Europe, in the diversity of its population and in its close contacts with civilizations outside Europe, in historical times and into the present as well. In writing this book, we have aimed to survey the long and complex history of Spain and its regions in a form accessible to an interested readership from various backgrounds. Whether those readers are serious students of Spain or casual travelers, we hope this book will provide a useful introduction to the complex history of a fascinating country. To best accomplish this, we pay due attention to all of the periods of the Spanish past, rather than concentrating on the more recent centuries. We also try to pay due attention to the many voices contending over the Spanish past.

As we planned and produced the book, we identified a series of themes that we could follow through the millennia. Among the themes we chose were the diverse populations mentioned above and the difficult and varied ecology of the Iberian Peninsula. The location of Spain between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean – and, by extension, between Europe and Africa – placed it in continual contact and potential conflict with other countries and other civilizations, from prehistoric times through the medieval centuries. In the early chapters, we discuss how waves of in- and out-migration by a diversity of peoples shaped not only the demographic character of Spain but also its political and social character. For example, medieval Spain had a unique history in the coexistence of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities. At the same time, however, centuries of conflict between Christian and Islamic political power eventually forged religious militancy on both sides. In the Christian kingdom that emerged victorious at the end of the medieval period, religious identity permeated every aspect of Spanish life. The implications of that religious identity – and opposition to it – persist even into the present day, and one cannot understand Spanish history without taking it into account.

Another theme we follow is the challenge of power.