Post by Spain on Jan 5, 2011 6:11:49 GMT
♔ REINO DE ESPAÑA
Name --- Antonio Fernández Carriedo
Antonio: Latin Highly praiseworthy
Fernández: Latin Son of Fernando (daring, adventurous)
Carriedo: Latin Occupational name for a carter or cartwright
Nation --- Reino de España (Kingdom of Spain)
Aliases ---
Hispaña (Hispania) - Latin (obsolete)
al-Ándalus - Arab (obsolete)
Leon y Castilla- Spanish (obsolete)
España -- Spanish, Aragonese, Asturian, Galician
Espainia - Basque
Espanha - Portuguese (answered to selective)
Espanya - Catalan, Cebuano, Ladino
'Spana - Sometimes when he gets really casual
Toni - called by his human friends and leaders (Catalan)
Toño/Tonio/other forms of "Antoino" - called by his human friends and leaders (Castillan)
Mr. Fernández - when he is at a world conference [NOTE: Following traditional naming
convention in Spain PRIOR to 2007 law change]
bastard - affectionate nickname given by his henchmen
tomato bastard - to indicate when he is really loved
idiot -- when his friends get flustered with him
Apparent age --- 25
Actual age --- 1441 (from date Liuvigild ascended the throne)
Gender --- Male
|-|-The External-|-|
Eye color --- Olive Green
Hair color --- Chocolate Brown
Height --- 177 cm (5’9”)
Weight --- 70kg (154 pounds)
Skin tone --- Olive
Defining features --- One thing that people may notice when they first meet Antonio is that he has a very genuine looking smile. That is mostly because he is genuinely happy to be around people (unless they are out to get him, then he might not be so happy). There is always a slight twinkle in his eye, not because he's trying to charm anyone, but because there is a slight mischievous streak in him, one that he was never really able to unleash it before his strict upbringing under the Catholic monarchs (King Fernándo II y Queen Isabel I).
For the most part, Antonio's olive skin looks smooth and void of blemishes, however, if one ever gets a chance to look closely, one would see that there are traces of very faded scars, each one a representation of the wars that he had been involved in on his own land. There might a permanent bruise in the stomach from getting punched by England and France too much. While old wound caused by revolts and betrayals fade, he does experience a dull pain sometimes in his left shoulder, caused by the occasional stirrings in the Basque Country, where the Basque National Liberation Movement tries to succeed from the country often. However, if you ask Spain, he'll tell you that he suffered from growing pains a lot when he was a teenager, primarily due to the fighting that went on to unify all of the kingdoms into the Kingdom of Spain. In fact, his right knee hurt quite a bit in the past, representing the fact that it took Granada until 1492 to fall under the control of King Fernándo II and Queen Isabel I.
Additional features ---
At first glance, it is apparent that Spain is neither the tallest or the strongest looking amongst nations. After all, he just looks... average. His muscles are finely toned and tautly wrapped around his frame. However, that is not to say that the Spaniard is not strong. Despite his lanky frame, Antonio’s strength comes from many years spent either participating or getting caught up in wars. However, his physique is formed more due to years spent on naval adventures and tacking rope as oppose to participating in land battles. Though he is not muscular in comparison to other countries, he does possess endurance, which helped him endure and move forward in many of the wars that he participated in as well as in sports during the modern times.
Possessing olive skin, dark hair and green eyes, Antonio is a summation of the different kinds of people who have lived on his lands. Since he is European, he has pale skin, though due to his love for the beach and his ability to tan easily makes it hard for anyone to tell. However, as winter approaches, he does tend to lighten up over time. Since Spain's hair is curly and thick, it gives him a slight unkempt appearance, though he does make an attempt to look orderly, especially when he is in the presence of his superiors. Antonio usually keeps his hair short because it takes less time to take care of it, though there was a point in time he grew it out a little to look fashionable. His olive green eyes provide a window to his thoughts, which usually express joy or a least a very easy-going personality, is always quick to reveal what the Spaniard is thinking. However, during certain times in history, others have noted that his eyes can sometimes harbor a glint of something else.
With his dress acting as an extension of his personality, Antonio is generally not very selective in what he wears. Generally, he just wears whatever is popular during the time period, mostly because of what he is told to wear or has been brought. However, the Spaniard can look just as princely in a peasant’s outfit as when he sports a silk doublet. During the time of the Spanish Empire, he did spend a lot of time wearing the richest and finest materials as a reflection of his wealth (though he was quick to drop the clothes and slip on a more comfortable tunic when not dealing with stately affairs). He generally looks good in any color, though he is often known for wearing red and gold, the former being a reflection of his personality.
Though his clothes often evolved with the times, it is important to note that during the World War II period he can be seen sporting a khaki type uniform of which he rolled up the sleeves. He wrapped cloth around the lower part of his legs and tends to wear a black belt around his waist and across his torso. However, when he is traveling with the Division Azul, the division of Spanish volunteers who joined Germany in its war, he sports the full darker green uniform that bears his country's flag.
The short version of the description would be to say that Spain looks like your typical Spaniard.
|-|-The Internal-|-|
Personality ---
Having been raised on the sunny, cheery Iberian plain, Antonio grew up carefree in spite of the fact that he had spent many of his formative years under the rule of two empires. The treatment of the Roman Empire stunted his hope for growth, after all Hispania was merely a means for Rome to feed his people. Granted, the rather carefree childhood probably prevented some emotional scars that affected his playmates of the time. That is not to say that Antonio loved being under the control of another as he frequently would try to sneak away from Rome's house or something join with his sibling, the present day Portugal in rebellion. However, it would appear that he was well treated by the Empire as he was often one of the main producers that fed the many people in Rome's house. During this time, he developed a like for agricultural things, fishing and running through fields of wheat.
As Rome's health deteriorated, Antonio was finally able to successfully get away and came under the care of the Visigoths. Though they were sometimes a violent bunch, they mistook him for an orphan from a recent conquest and took him into the Church, where he spent a devout number of hours in education and meditating on the Gospels. Having been exposed to the early version of Christianity at such a young age, the Spaniard's faith became deep-rooted.
That is not to say that he did not receive an education as he studied with the monks. However, the relatively peaceful time was not meant to be when the other empire that would rule Spain, the Umayyad Caliphate, took over his house, essentially moving in without his consent. Though Spain's caretakers, the Visigoths struggled to maintain custody of Spain and the child fought hard to avoid control under the Muslim heretics, he was unhappily incorproated into the Umayyad Caliphate. That is not to say that they were a bad influence as they stimulated Spain's intellect and set him up to be Christendom's gateway to ancient knowledge that dimmed with the arrival of the Dark Ages. With Toledo becoming a center of knowledge, he became exposed to different cultures and developed an interest in others. In turn, every aspect of his culture was somewhat influenced by the Moors, even down to his cuisine. The only thing that he stubbornly held onto was his blind devotion to Christ and waited for the day when he would be able to kick the Moors out of his house. Perhaps this would be one of the reasons why he is generally willing to accept contributions to society from those who were different from him.
Though la Reconquista would span another 800 years, Antonio would feel a sense of incompletion as he tried to reconcile his past and the aspects of his personality. I twas not until 1492 when he was comfortable with his sense of self upon the union of Castilla and Aragón, a blend of a series of cultures and intellectual ideas. Though it gave him a very rich personality, it did cause issues with the solidarity of his identity. However, he decided to go with what his masters believed in and allowed the monarchs to use the glue of Catholicism held together the different parts of his personality. Due to the fact that he saw Ferdinand and Isabella as his saviors (and in some ways, parents), he blindly and naively went along with any policy that they enforced. After all, it was for the good of the people and the ends seemed to justify the means. This would become something that would have a great influence, if not act as a driving force behind a lot of the decisions that he will make during his rise to power (it makes for a great cover for his secret thirst for power).
The Spaniard would definitely be described as adventurous, having been the first to create an empire upon which the sun never set. Though it was mostly due to Columbus's accidental discovery that Spain was even launched onto the world stage when he was, however, it was not to say that he did not enjoy it or take advantage of the new influence. After all, he was always on a mission and looking for ways to better advance his vision (by looking for ways to fund his campaign). After all, he did manage to befriend the natives in Southern America in order to keep other potential colonists from other coutnries out of the territory that he had staked for himself. Since Antonio is also very competitive, he always found himself trying to get the better of others, if he managed to find a way. During the latter part of la Reconquista, the Inquisition and the Italian Wars, Antonio developed a lust for blood and power, and was willing to fight for his ideology and justice (his view of it). However, this side of him only really surfaces during his conquests as he tends to act very peaceful when he is back in Spain. However, it would be safe to say that this part of his personality became broken during the Spanish Civil War, as the long war had taken any desire to gain control over others through conquest (though being in debt and having reached the rock bottom also had a factor in that).
However, that is not to say that he did not care for his colonies and other countries that he took under his wing since he developed an education system for the locals through the several religious orders that he sent there. However, his “boss/big brother” mentality proved to be an awkward way of showing his care and often isolated those he tried to bond with. It did not help that he also has a poor ability in assessing the situation and reacting accordingly as well, which creates a lot of tension in his relationship with others. That is not to say that his amiable personality did not earn him a few very valuable allies in the Americas and help him secure colonies there when others tried to cut into his territory. The Spaniard is also very loyal, as demonstrated when he defended Italy four different times form France and invested a lot in protecting the territory from invasion.
Perhaps it was his great achievements obtained earlier on than other nations, but he became a large target due to his wealth and the fact that he was very vulnerable. In general, Antonio is a very passionate person, willing to fight hard for what he desires and believes in, even when it is apparent that he is on the losing end. A couple of the reasons for this could have been because Antonio felt very strongly about his neighbors turning away from Catholicism (and adopting that silly Protestantism stuff) and felt like it was his mission to bring them back to the Faith. It did not help that he liked losing either, as demonstrated when he launched his Armada to England not once, but twice. The spark he had for conquest when he was younger mellowed out over the years, as shown in his attitude towards the Spanish American War (which he had worked hard to try to settle peacefully before it blew up). When it is times of peace, Antonio is very carefree and optimistic, which probably helped him get through the last century, though he does come off as an airhead.
In modern times, anyone who gets to know the Spaniard would say that he is a nice guy, and would find it hard to believe that the man could even hurt a fly, despite his dark past. Though he was very competitive and perhaps even a little wound up in the past, he realized that being carefree felt so much nicer. Needless to say, Antonio loves people and feels very much at home striking up random conversations with random strangers and showering his affections on people. Having a very transparent personality, he is known to say what is often on his mind. He is light-hearted though often oblivious in social settings, which makes it easy to joke with him because he will usually just laugh off the awkwardness of the situation or just roll with the punches. Though he appears to be a pushover, it is generally because he is willing to let others have the last say for the sake of avoiding conflict. This easygoing personality makes it easy for him to get along with others in recent years, though he seems prone to laziness. However, when his passion is ignited, he will continue to shoot for the goal until he has achieved it.
Likes ---
• Tomatoes: After discovering these things in the New World, he liked them enough to bring them back to Europe and spread the goodness!
• Dancing: Antonio likes dancing anything, though his true passion lies in dancing flamenco. However, that is not to say that he does not know how to dance anything else. There is something about the vibrant flowers nestled in the bundled hair as ladies twirl to the rhythm that just makes him feel so happy.
• Fútbol: His number one passion. Antonio would have become a professional fútbol player if he was a normal person. If you are looking for him during the Euro Cup and the World Cup, expect to find him at some local bar, watching and cheering with his friends.
• Playing guitar: Aside from singing, playing guitar is perhaps the next easiest thing to do musically. After all, pairing that up with dancing makes the entire day that much better!
• Traveling: It is not secret to anyone that Antonio has a great streak for adventure. Given that, he likes to travel... a lot, whether it be by ship or by plane... or by horse or car. Such had paved the way to Spain's participation in the Age of Exploration.
• Churros: Antonio likes to eat these when he is looking for a quick breakfast or a quick snack. He thinks that it is delicious with a good cup of coffee.
• Sunshine: This is like water to the Spaniard. Without it, there would be no way he would manage to be the way he is now.
• Children: They're cuddly and cute and just wonderful balls of sunshine! Well, most of the time.
• Fishing: Having been taken fishing when he was a child often (Rome used Hispania to help feed his empire), there is something about basking in the sun while waiting for fish to nibble.
• Farming: Same as fishing, though Spain gets plenty of satisfaction from harvesting the fruits of his labor.
• Joking: He was not part of BFT for just the fact that the fought against Austria and any of his allies. He also enjoys it when they go on their little adventures
• Siestas: Especially after a long morning of back-breaking work, it always feels great to take a long nap or spend a lazy few hours doing other things.
• Affection: It is no secret that displays of affection are common between families and close friends. Antonio is always quick the embrace and peck the cheek, often with enthusiasm because he's always happy to see close friends.
• Pranks: When one lives a long life, one has to stay entertained somehow!
• His adorable
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Dislikes ---
• Things that are too complicated: PLease don't try to go through things in a roundabout way with Antonio. He'll either block you out or get distracted. It's not that he does not respect the person, but rather takes it to mean that someone will break down the information for him later.
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• Napoleon Bonaparte: This man convinced Antonio and his leaders to side with the French and let them stay in his house as they plotted to invade Portugal. Then the man turned on them and took control of Spain and oppressed his people. Enough said.
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• Rebellions: He can only take so many headbutts and punches and insults. It's never fun.
• Getting his Armada destroyed
Fears ---
• Whenever France decides to peak over the Pyrenees and wave at him, Spain feared that he would actually decide to cross over and move in with him. Permanently.
• It is not a surprise that the cheerful Spaniard would fear being in a situation in which he would not be able to live his carefree lifestyle. After all, without siestas, how would anyone be able to enjoy the sunshine and get their errands done if one had to work such long hours?
• Though he was very optimistic during his recession and experienced the Spanish miracle that lifted him out of that state, Antonio would prefer not to have to go through that again. He’s made enough paper flowers to last him 10 lifetimes.
Lesser known facts ---
• Everyone loves the Spaniard for his cheerful personality, but in reality there are times when the behavior acts as a mask for Antonio to hide the behind (you can sometimes tell he's gritting his teeth, though it's rare, the Spaniard doesn't really stress much). Additionally, there is a side of him that tends to be rather controlling and overbearing though he hides it well (except when he's in business mode and traveling somewhere in the New World).
• He possessed child like innocence as he carried out the Inquisition and proclaimed it in the name of God and did not realize the consequences of his actions until almost four hundred years later, when his people started to have doubts about the whole movement. Despite the remorse he had shown and the corruption that infiltrated the institution (he was disgusted when he found out people used it as a means to get rid of political enemies and rivals), he could never quite wash the guilt of taking so many lives during his lifetime.
• He kind of wonders what would have happened if he remained an empire and sometimes gets nostalgic (he will sometimes try to tell his "do you remember when we had to take care of..." stories to anyone). Despite the fact that those memories cause him to become a bit whimsical, he is so content with the way he is now, he does not mind the losses he took that have brought him to this point.
• There were many times when he wanted to tell Portugal that he wanted them to try to live together again (after all, if they're so close anyway, why not just eliminate the border all together)? After all, family should stay in the same house together! He even promised to let Portugal speak Portuguese (and let them keep their own their national team).
• Despite the fact that he has a matador outfit and has done bull-fighting in the past, he actually thinks that it is a cruel sport. However, he did enjoy doing the run of the bulls growing up.
• One of the things that Spain always wanted to try to do to England if he ever won was to wax his eyebrows.
• If in a relationship, Spain is actually very loyal and considerate to his partner despite his seemingly non-committal personality. Unfortunately, his spaciness and his interest in traveling and adventure over handling foreign affairs with a velvet glove guaranteed that his relationships never lasted long.
Goals ---
• During the Middle Ages, he really wanted to see Christianity spread throughout the his colonies as he sought to expand his influence in the world.
• To exist and defend his status as an influential world power from the Middle Ages through the nineteenth century.
• To coexist with other European countries in a peaceful manner.
|-|-The Past-|-|
History ---
P/C = Proto-nation & child
C = Child
T= Teen
A= Adult
P/C
- 1100 BC: Phoenicians founded trading colony of Gadir (modern day Cádiz)
- 9th century BC: The Greeks establish their first colony Emporion (modern day Empúries), coining the term Iberia, which is named after the river Iber (Ebro).
- 210 BC: Was just an infant when found by the Roman Empire. Tried to run away, but was captured and forced into farming and exporting his goods to the rest of the empire. He met Portugal at this time, who he soon recognized to be a close relative (sibling).
- 181-133 BC: The Celtiberian Wars (Spanish Wars) fought between the Roman Republic and the Celtiberian tribes. The war ended in 134 BC when many of the Numantines committed suicide rather than surrender to Rome, placing the area under Roman control.
- 415 AD: Invasion by the Germanic tribes as the Roman Empire declined caused Spain to fall into control of the Visigoth Kingdom and eventually converted to Roman Catholicism while many of his traditions and beliefs were developed around this time. The Visigoths maintained the Roman culture in the Kingdom, preserving the interest in classical culture and respecting the concept of a legal code.
C
- 711-1238 AD: Spain found himself captured by the Moors this time. During this time, the Umayyad Caliphate casually called him "al-Ándalus" in hopes that he would recognize himself as part of the Moorish province and forget his Christian ties, and developed the strongest navy. Due to his young age, he was highly impressionable, which resulted in him being exposed to a lot of ancient text that had been lost during the fall of Rome, and was learned a lot about people from different cultures. This is also when he really begins to develop a sense of self-awareness, when he realizes that he is what would become Reino de España.
- 722-1492 AD: Began missing his independence and decided that it was time to send the Moors away. He developed some physical strength and military prowl as he fought off the Muslims, who kept trying to re-establish rule over him.
- 844 AD: Seville was sacked by Vikings
- 917 AD: The rulers of al-Ándalus attempt to reclaim territory lost over the years of invasion, though set back when a Christian king was finally able to capture Madrid in 932 AD.
- 985 AD: Barcelona sacked by al-Mansur (Almanzor), which led to a series of sacking of Christian cities and a civil war that split the Calphite into the Taifa Kingdoms; despite the war, arts flourished while the culture experienced an upswing
T
- 1039 AD: Ferdinand III proclaims himself the emperor of Hispania after being crowned king of Léon and Castille, and unifying the Northern Iberian Peninsula. During his conquest of Galicia, he happened to meet Spain en route and take him home despite his Moorish influences. Having maintained his Christian faith and memories of his time with the Visigoths, Spain soon sides with the Christian half of Spain.
- 1066 AD: Massacre at Granada results in the murder of many Jews in the area and the murder of its Jewish vizier
- 1085 AD: Toledo was lost to the Christian realms; the Muslim rulers invited the Almoracides to establish an empire in the area
- 12th century: The Almoravid empire broke up, was run over by the Almohad invastion, which was defeated in 1212.-
- 1147: The Almohads had taken control of the Almoravids’ Amghribi and Andalusian territories
- 1348-1349 AD: Grew deathly ill when he was about 10 due to the Black Plague. Though many people died, he was able to recover due to his youthful vigor.
-1469: The "unification" of Spain due to the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille (officially unified under Charles V). During this time, he begins to exert some influence in the world by conquering some nearby islands and Granada and unifying the Iberian Peninsula. He also became very curious and started to adventure out west to discover new lands. He also brought Sicily under his influence as well and the two have had a great, though turbulent relationship. By the Reconquista, he appears to be an innocent teenager though his deeds suggest otherwise.
- 1475-1479: The War of Castilian Succession erupted between Isabella I and Joanna over who would succeed Henry IV of Castille. France jumps into the conflict to back Joanna in opposition to Isabella I, because she was married to Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose rule in Italy was putting a damper on French attempt to gain control of the Italian states.
-1478: Formal establishment of the Spanish Inquisition when King Ferdinand II met with Pope Sixtus IV and convinced him to turn the inquisition in Spain over to the power of the monarchs. The first auto de fé would take place in 1781 at Seville and its first Grand Inquisitor recognized in 1783. It can be said that this is the beginning of the development of the religious zealot in Spain as he avidly tries to unite the kingdom under one Faith and moves on to take this mission into his colonies as he acquires them.
A
-1492: Treaty of Granada signed, which completes the Reconquista and completely expelled the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula; during this time, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I finally grant Christopher Columbus funding to find a passage to the Indies by traveling west. During what could be considered his adolescent years, Antonio enjoys his first tastes of traveling far distances because he finally got to venture out and see a lot of different kinds of things.
-1494-1498: First Italian War begins, Spain becomes involved when he joins the war with Holy Roman Empire and a series of Italian powers against France. The victory eventually causes Charles VIII to abandon the campaign and return to France.
-1500-1504: Spain joins the Second Italian War with the intention of helping France conquer the Italian principles with the intention of splitting the booty with his neighbor. However, disagreement over the division causes him to turn against France and fight him. The end of the second Italian War placed Naples under the control of Spain.
-1506-1700: Spain witnesses the marriage of Joanna of Castile and Philip of Burgundy and begins his ascent onto the world stage. This eventually leads him into becoming part of the Habsburg Household when Charles V inherits the Spanish crown and that of the Holy Roman Empire.
-1519: Charles V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor, giving Spain control of a large part of Europe. France tries to invade Italy in 1521, having felt bitter about not being able to receive the title. Since then, France and Spain enter into a constant war for the control of Italy.
-1520s: Large silver deposits are extracted in Mexico and sent back to Spain, providing the empire with an abundant amount of funding as it
- 1521: The death of Charles V ends up with the division of the Habsburg empire with Spain going to Phillip II and Austria going to Ferdinand.
- 1568-1609: Experienced the Dutch Revolt, which caused Netherlands to leave Spain’s empire. Spain had originally kept the country from leaving, but after almost a decade long struggle, he let the country leave. However, as a result of the war, it had further aggravated the poor relationship with England and agitated his relationship with France. Additionally, since the Ottoman Empire joined the war against Spain, the kingdom felt a bit more annoyed with the Middle Eastern kingdom. That relationship would further deteriorate during the late 16th century when they send more pirates after their ships.
- 1580-1640: The formation of the Iberian Union when the Portuguese empire is incorporated into the empire, though it ends in 1640. Due to the amount of experiences he had serving under the rules of the past few monarchs.
- 1585-1604: Though the war was never declared, Spain experienced a great deal of grievances when Queen Elizabeth I commissioned the pirates to attack his fleets. Since the struggles almost bankrupted him and barred further exploration in America, he developed a dislike for England and his backhand tactics. Additionally, he would try to invade England as a means to stop the privateering as well as put down the Protestant nation which had executed Queen Mary of Scots. The relationship between England and Spain became very sour ever since.
- 1588: The defeat of the Spanish Armada proved to be devastating to the Empire, which was unable to successfully defeat the English at sea and also ended up losing almost the entire fleet. This also prevented the Spanish from successfully cutting off the aid that the English gave to the Protestant rebels in the Netherlands.
- 1618: Philip III form a truce with the Dutch, settling its dispute with the kingdom for now
- 1635: Franco-Spanish War erupts when France joins the Thirty Years War which ends in 1660 with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees. The French territory bordering the Spanish Netherlands and gives up its support for Portugal in the Portuguese Restoration War.
- 1640: A war with central Europe led the rebellion of Catalonia and Portugal; Italy was also lost, though the Catalonia independence was squandered and French forces expelled from Spain; Spain is left without a leader at the end of the period
- 1701-1714: The War of Spanish Succession attempted to unite Spain and France together, though it ended up splitting up the Spanish Empire. The war pitted Spain against Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, Prussia, Habsburg Monarchy and Portugal.
- 1715: Philip V, the first Bourbon king, signed Decreto de Nueva Planta, which revoked the power of the kingdoms forming Spain and unified them under the laws of Castille; the French influence caused Spain to become a cultural and political follower of France
- 1740-1748: War of Austrian Succession caused Spain to end up joining France and Prussia in the war. However, since he was pretty weak at this time, due to the fact that he was still recuperating from the last war, he managed to survive and even gained several parts of the former Holy Roman Empire.
- 1775: Almost as if he was trying to get back at England for all he had done, Spain provided the United States of America with aid in its fight for independence, which then caused England to have to give up Florida and Minorca to Spain at the end of the war.
- 1793-1795: Spain tried to take advantage of France, which looked like it was going through an identity crisis, except ended up getting betrayed by his own people, who accepted Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother as their leader. During this time, the relationship between Spain and France was mended as Spain became a client of the French. However, he realized that his relationship with France was not working as he kicked the French out in 1814 and reinstalled his own monarch. This also ruined Spain, who had lost many of his colonies during this time and found himself experiencing a financial crisis.
- 1801: Spain and France joined together to fight against Portugal in the War of the Oranges after the country refused to join on the French side in a war against Britain. Spain gains the town of Olivenza out of the war.
- 1805: Battle of Trafalgar caused Charles IV to reconsider his alliance with the French and break off the Continental System
- 1808-1809: Spain went through a series of loss of colonies and experienced a series of rebellions. It was a period of turmoil inside as nationalism developed in the country, which drained Spain's financial resources; Napoleon invades Spain during the Peninsular War, triggering the War of Independence
- 1812: The first modern Spanish Constitution was created (La Pepa).
- 1813: French defeated at the Battle of Victoria by the Duke of Wellington, Spain and Portugal; King of Spain restored to power the following year.
- 1820-1823: Trienio Liberal broke out after the end of the Napoleonic Wars between the royalists and the liberals. The war ends with royalist victory (with French interference) and restores King Ferdinand VII on the throne.
- 1824: The last Spanish army in America was defeated at the Battle of Ayacucho.
- 1833-1839: First Carlist War breaks out because KingFerdinand VII leaves no male heirs. His brother Carlos takes over as Spain begins to turn back to absolutism. Eventually the Cristinos win and make liberal reforms to the country, but was met with resistance.
- 1846-1849: The Second Carlist War (Matiners’ War) breaks out in Catalonia, but was poorly organized and eventually suppressed in 1849.
- 1870-1871: Franco-Prussian War breaks out over heightened tensions between France and Prussia, one of the reasons which involved the possibility that Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern, would succeed the Spanish throne, a couple years after Isabella II was exiled in 1868; Eventually Amadeus of Savoy is crowned King of Spain the following year (no actual Spanish involvement in the war, but another example of succession issues).
-1872-1876: The Third Carlist War breaks out as rebellions break out in Navarre, Catalonia, Valencia and Aragon. However, the Carlist forces are unable to win, leaving Spain strangely conflicted.
- 1873: Formation of the first Spanish Republic.
- 1868-1878: Ten Years war begins against Cuba, who was rebelling against Spanish rule after sugar mill owners declared the island's independence; abolition of slavery in colonies.
- 1874: King Alfonso XII was crowned after the Spaniards agree to return to the stability created by a monarchy.
- 1898: Spanish-American War broke out when the United States could not stand the way Spain had treated Cuba for its acts of rebellion. After a few months, Spain had to give up the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the USA and left the Western Hemisphere. This caused his relationship with the United States to be bitter during the time and caused him to not talk to Cuba for a while, Spain’s relationship with these countries gradually improved over time.
- 1931: Second Spanish Republic created; women’s suffrage observed.
- 1936-1939: Spain then went through an identity crisis as he ended up going through a civil war. During this time, Spain found himself attempting to recover politically and economically, so he ended up becoming isolated. During this time, he was fascist, as Franco took over and ruled the country as a dictatorship. However, he did appear sympathetic to the Axis powers despite taking a neutral standing (though he did swear this was the last time he was going to have a civil ear).
- 1939-1945: Though officially declared neutral by Franco but burdened by the $2 million debt it owed, Spain unofficially sent volunteers to help Nazi Germany in fighting its eastern front. Dubbed "Division Azul," the men were sent into the Soviet Union to fight.
- 1955: Spain formed a friendship with the United States, who needed his help to protect southern Europe during the Cold War. During this time, Spain experienced the “Spanish miracle” and industrialized. As a result, he recovered from the long sickness caused by his declining economy. During this time, he became more carefree than he was before.
- 1982: Spain joined NATO and four years later, joined the European Union. During this time, he experienced a period of economic recovery and became a strong performer in the EU.
- 1996: Spain adopts the Euro, dropping its local currency.
- 2004: A bomb goes off during rush hour at a train station in Madrid; the event is presumably linked to al-Quaida, though no direct link was revealed, though a suspect was arrested and sentenced
- 2005: Spain becomes the first country to give full marriage and adoption rights to same sex couples.
- 2010: Spain wins its first World Cup Championship in South Africa!
|-|-The Style-|-|
Roleplay example ---
I love those who can smile in trouble,
who can gather strength from distress,
and grow brave by reflection.
Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm,
and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principles unto death.
– Leonardo de Vinci
who can gather strength from distress,
and grow brave by reflection.
Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm,
and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principles unto death.
– Leonardo de Vinci
2 May 1808
As the sunlight fell upon Madrid in the late morning, coloring the streets in bright gold and yellow, a pair of men ran, their breathing hitched as they sprinted down the unusually empty road. Though it was not uncommon for the city’s youth to be sprinting across the pavement, the intensity in their eyes would cause any passer-by to stand in alarm. It was not because of their appearance since their dress signified that they were not the impoverished, though they were not exactly part of the rich either. But rather, normally, the strums of the flamenco guitar echoed down the narrow streets of Madrid as the old man serenaded the people as they began their morning strolls.
Instead, masses of civilians, young and old, some men, some women, were out and about. Their strides were full of intention and the expressions on their faces, purposeful. Though while those people were headed for one direction, these two men ran in the opposite direction, each carrying a sheathed sword with them as they ran. Almost knocking over a couple women who were on their way to the market to buy ingredients to make supper for the evening, they muttered their apologies over their back. After all, they were on a mission this morning, determined to get to their destination as quickly as possible. After making a few twists and turns through alleyways and main roads, they reached a plain looking house sitting on the eastern edge of the city.
Reaching the door, the first of the two pounded on the door aggressively, the sound shouting desperation with each sequential knock. “Antonio! Antonio!” he cried as he knocked on the door, while the other one looked up and down the street, caution written across his face.
The door slowly opened, allowing the light to shine in and illuminate an olive green eye. When the eye lit up in recognition, the door opened wider as the man ushered them inside. “Hey, Sergio, Andrés, come in!” he said, “no need to stay outside!” Once they were inside, he closed the door quickly, letting them take their seats in the wooden makeshift chairs that were set at the table by the entrance. Antonio remained standing as he studied them closely, curiosity clearly reflected in his eyes as he studied them.
Ever since his return to Madrid, after a narrow escape from house arrest in Bayonne, Antonio Fernández Carriedo had been lying low, not even bothering to return to his home. After all, if Francis had discovered that he had run back to Spain, there would have been a fair chance that a troop would be dispatched to drag him back again, something that he would much rather avoid. During his time spent in hiding from the French and their spies, renting a unit from a family that he had known for years (it had been easy to pass off as just another Fernández), he had started to meet secretly with other Madrileños, people who were disgruntled with their latest occupants, discontent with the French interference with their affairs.
In all honesty, Antonio felt the same sentiments as many of them, the feeling of betrayal felt like a stab to the heart, especially since it was Francis who did it of all people. They had fought like brothers, both with and against each other, and even seen their masters marry their children to each other! To have this happen suddenly caused the Spaniard to feel even worse about welcoming the French army to his house like his people did, thinking that Francia just wanted a more favorable attacking position so that they could conquer the Portuguese together!
But all he could do was grimace bitterly whenever he had recollections of the moment when his people, his lands fell into French control.
“So what brings you here?” Antonio asked as he looked over the two men, “we know that it can’t be about a divine revelation, no?” He ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair, recently cropped during his stay in Bayonne, to help keep his appearances “neat.” He had met these men while he was frantically seeking a refuge in the city, knowing that as long as The French were in the city, he could not return to his own home, even though it was so close by.
“Antonio,” Andrés started, “after our meeting yesterday, we were just in the streets when we overheard some of the franceses talking about how that leader of theirs issued an order for Infante Francisco de Paula and Infanta Maria Luisa be taken away! They’re doing it today, people are gathering in el Plaza de Oriente!”
Alarmed, Antonio merely stared at Andrés in silence, processing what he had just heard. “¿C-cómo?” he asked in disbelief, it had only been recently that King Fernándo had left for Bayonne in hopes of having talks in regards to Portugal. Though it was apparent that they were holding the king ransom, albeit unofficially, things were starting to look even more unfavorable for them. By holding the king and el infante prisoner, it could only give Francia an easier access to the Spanish throne, something that could not, must not, happen.
“It’s in el Plaza de Oriente?” he repeated rhetorically as he sighed, clearly distracted in his thoughts, though both Andrés and Sergio both nodded affirmatively. Without a word, Antonio left the room disappearing behind the doorframe and returning with an old musket that he had acquired over the years, though it was a pain to reload it to fire, and a sword. Though rare, the Spaniard did not smile, but instead wore a face of irritation as he strapped on a sheath for his sword and threw the gun over his shoulder. “Well, looks like we’ll be looking to drive out some franceses, no?” he tried to say playfully, though the words were clearly forced, “we have to stop them from taking away our infante y infanta!”
With that, the pair got up, following Antonio out of the house quickly, breaking into a light run after the Spaniard locked up his house. A couple people ran past them, crying, “¡Que nos lo llevan!” and informing the city about the French’s treacherous plans. Other people were headed west towards el Palacio Real, carrying whatever form of weapon they could find, ranging from muskets to knives and swords or whatever else they could find in their homes. Though there was only a cluster of people running around where they were, the numbers increasing as they had passed Buen Retiro, causing Antonio to desperately hope that they would be able to reach the palace in time.
In the distance, Antonio could hear the cries of the Madrileños, their resounding disapproval of the French clearly filling out the plaza as they approached. He muttered a small prayer to San Diego for guidance, for whatever happened today to end in their favor even if he would be fighting someone who he had thought was a close friend. Then as a second thought, he muttered a prayer to San Nicolás as well, for the infante and infanta to be safe and that they had not been taken away. If that happened, all the planning that he had done, the time he had spent meeting and plotting to drive the French out would be in vain.
At first when they reached Plaza de Oriente, the crowd was too dense for them to try to make an attempt to get closer to the palace gates because of the sheer number of angry citizens who were there already. Antonio slowed down to catch his breath, taking a look around to see how filled the plaza had become. As far as he could tell, the center had been filled completely, packed and threatening to overflow to the sides. Frowning a little, Antonio tried to push through the crowd to keep the pillar from blocking his view. However, he found it difficult, as each person was too engrossed with throwing colorful insults at the French official who entered into Palacio Real.
Then suddenly, one of the men pointed at the palace, muttering before it spread throughout the crowd like wildfire. “The infante is crying!” some members of the crowd shouted, “que nos lo llevan!” Watching as the people in the crowd gradually join in chanting, Antonio could not help but feel a sense of national pride welling up in his chest, a sense of unity forming as several people starting to wave their weapons, passion coloring their words as they cried. The Spaniard could not help but go with the flow as he joined in as well. “Que nos lo llevan!” he cried loudly, his voice fiery as he raised his gun in the air as he pumped his arm, “Que nos lo llevan! He doesn’t want to go with you! Just go back to where you came from!” He could feel the unease in the crowd as they pushed back and forth, deep anger growing as the French troops tried to hold them off from advancing any further, but paid no attention as he moved with the swaying.
Then suddenly, almost as if the crowd had lost its self-restraint, a few of the men in the front started to advancing onto the French soldiers, grabbing them and pulling them into different directions. Or at least, that was what it looked like from where the Spaniard was standing. “What’s going on?” Sergio asked him as he strained to see over the heads of the people who were there.
“It looks like the crowd is getting sick of dealing with the soldiers, so they’re fighting back,” Antonio replied, deciding against telling him that it looked like they were getting torn apart. For a few seconds, the Spaniard paused to wipe the sweat that started to drip down the nape of his neck and across his brow, keeping it out of his vision. Then he turned his head, something catching his attention as he saw another French patrol rush over and try to wrestle the struggling men from certain death at the hands of an angry, bloodthirsty Spaniard crowd.
Just as they retreated, the mob seemed to lose its cool, advancing again towards the palace, just as a group of armed men marched in, wearing a uniform that could only belong to the French army. Antonio watched in alarm as the brigade loaded their guns before pointing them at the crowd. Though the crowd had been rowdy, acting out of anger and defiant in the face of the French army, Antonio’s eyes widened in disbelief as the troops pointed their guns at the crowd.
Without warning, gunshots ripped through the air, creating a cloud of smoke as people in the crowd fell over, wounded by the soldiers. However the action only appeared to agitate the crowd further as some picked up the fallen and carried them off while the rest of them merely charged forward as the soldiers stopped to reload, brandishing their own swords and knives. Antonio turned to look at Andrés and Sergio for guidance, only to see that the two of them were feeling as strongly about the situation as he was. Sergio had already taken out an old cutlass that had been passed onto him while Andrés had already unsheathed his own sword.
With people pushing around them from all sides, nudging them towards the palace as they shouted in anger, Antonio could see that he did not really have any choice at this point but to charge forward and challenge the French. Slinging his gun back over his shoulder, the Spaniard withdrew his sword, crafted finely in the last decade for battle. He would have thought that he would be using it in a war, but in his eyes, this was just as much a legitimate war. After all, he was fighting for his own existence, his own sovereignty and his own people. As the sunlight glistened off the pristine blade, he yelled as he rushed forward.
“Viva España!”
Notes:
- For those of you who don't know, Bad Friends Trio (BFT) consists of France, Prussia and Spain
- Dos de Mayo is the day that the Spaniards finally decided to rise up against the French occupants who had taken over in March. Napoleon's loss of confidence in the political stability of Spain and his decision to take over the kingdom. During this time, Napoleon was trying to force the king to step down to install his brother Joseph on the throne, but the Spaniards felt very strongly about that and finally decided to fight back when Murat (a French commander) tried to take away the former monarch's children. Fed up, the many rebellions sprung up around the kingdom, triggered by the strong sense of Spanish identity (sentimiento nacional).
- L'Amour de Soi: Love of Self; Jean-Jacque Rousseau's political theory talks about this notion that man has these primal instinct for self-preservation, not too different from that of an animal. As a result, this desire to sustain himself will often drive his need to survive in society.
- L'Amour-Propre: Self Love; According to Jean-Jacque Rousseau, there is also the notion that is opposite of l'amour de soi, a notion that man also receives self-esteem based on society's perception of them. As a result, man could never obtain true happiness in society.
- Infante y Infanta: Prince and Princess
- Que nos lo llevan: They are taking him away! The crowd started yelling when they heard that Infante Francisco de Paula started crying (some accounts say while standing in the balcony), which the crowd took to mean that he did not want to go to France.
- Madrileños: People who were born and live in Madrid
- San Diego: St. James, the patron saint of Spain
- San Nicolás: St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children
- Viva España!: Long live Spain!
|-|-The Player-|-|
Username --- Micky
Age --- 23
Time zone --- GMT -6h
Notes --- To all Spain's colonies. I purposely left you all out because I did not want to dictate how you portrayed your character and force you to see our relationship in a certain way. So let's try to discuss what would tthings look like, just know I don't really do the whole "dating/having a relationship" with my colonies thing.
