The Golden Age of Spain, 1474-1598 | Edexcel A-Level History (9HI0)

The Golden Age of Spain, 1474-1598

190 questions
19 subtopics
Paper 3: themes in breadth with aspects in depth, one option of sixteen
Paper 3

A Paper 3 option combining aspects in breadth on the growth of Spanish power and its financial and military foundations with aspects in depth on religious uniformity, the revolts of the Comuneros and the Moriscos, the price revolution, and the crisis in Aragon in 1590..

It covers spanish power in Italy and the Mediterranean, extending influence to the north and west, 1474–1598, the Spanish army and navy, 1474-1598, the changing nature and extent of financial resources, 1474–1598, jews and conversos in fifteenth-century Spain, the foundation of the Inquisition, 1478-80, the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, charles von Habsburg's accession in 1516, the revolt of the Comuneros, the impact and significance of the revolt, the extent of inflation and contemporary comment, gold and silver imports and the debate on inflation, population growth and the social impact of the price revolution, the drive for orthodoxy under Philip II, reasons for the Great Rebellion of 1568, the Granada rebellion and its repression, the Kingdom of Aragon and royal authority, the revolt in Zaragoza, 1590 and consequences of the revolt for royal power in Aragon.

Sample questions from The Golden Age of Spain, 1474-1598

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

Spanish power in Italy and the Mediterranean

What was the outcome of the Italian Wars for Spain?

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Spain won Naples by 1504 and Milan by 1535, and the Peace of Cateau-Cambresis in 1559 confirmed Spanish dominance in Italy for a century and a half.
The Spanish army and navy, 1474-1598

Who was Gonzalo de Cordoba?

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The Great Captain, who reorganised Spanish infantry and defeated the French in Italy at Cerignola and Garigliano, laying the foundation of Spanish military supremacy.
Jews and conversos in fifteenth-century Spain

What happened in the pogroms of 1391?

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Widespread massacres and forced conversions across Castile and Aragon destroyed many communities and created the large converso population.
The expulsion of the Jews in 1492

What choice did the Alhambra Decree give?

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Baptism or departure within four months, with a ban on taking gold, silver or coin out of the country.
The revolt of the Comuneros

What did Castilians resent about Charles's early court?

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The appointment of Flemish and foreign favourites to office.
The extent of inflation and contemporary comment

What remedies did contemporaries propose?

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Price controls on grain through the tasa, restrictions on export, and prosecution of speculators, none of which addressed the underlying causes.
Population growth and the social impact of the price revolution

Which basic commodity's price rose most steeply?

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Food, especially grain.
Reasons for the Great Rebellion of 1568

What term described Muslims who converted to Christianity in Spain?

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Moriscos.

The 19 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
Spanish power in Italy and the Mediterranean	Recall questions on the Italian Wars and the struggle with France, the Ottoman threat, Tunis and Djerba, and how such wide commitments were paid for.	10
Extending influence to the north and west, 1474–1598	Recall questions on Tordesillas, the government of the American empire, the encomienda system, and the annexation of Portugal in 1580.	10
The Spanish army and navy, 1474-1598	Recall questions on the tercios, Gonzalo de Cordoba, Alba and Parma, Lepanto, the Spanish Road, and why the Armada failed.	10
The changing nature and extent of financial resources, 1474–1598	Recall questions on the fiscal burden on Castile, the juros, the alcabala, the Netherlands as asset then drain, and dependence on foreign bankers.	10
Jews and conversos in fifteenth-century Spain	Recall questions on the Jewish communities, the pogroms of 1391, who the conversos were, the limpieza de sangre statutes, and the charge of Judaising.	10
The foundation of the Inquisition, 1478-80	Recall questions on why it was founded, what made it distinctive, Isabella's role, the methods it used, and its impact on converso families.	10
The expulsion of the Jews in 1492	Recall questions on the reasoning behind the Alhambra Decree, the choice it offered, how many left and where they went, and the economic and social consequences.	10
Charles von Habsburg's accession in 1516	Recall questions on how he inherited Spain and what else came with it, why he was resented in Castile, Cardinal Cisneros, and the imperial election of 1519.	10
The revolt of the Comuneros	Recall questions on its causes, who the Comuneros were, their demands, why the great nobles turned against them, and the defeat at Villalar.	10
The impact and significance of the revolt	Recall questions on the subordination of the Cortes, how Charles changed after 1522, the alliance with the nobility, the Germanias, and how historians read the revolt.	10
The extent of inflation and contemporary comment	Recall questions on how far prices rose, why contemporaries found it puzzling, the remedies proposed, the tasa, and the effect on the crown.	10
Gold and silver imports and the debate on inflation	Recall questions on the scale of bullion imports, Potosi, Azpilcueta and Mercado, the School of Salamanca, and how the silver thesis is now assessed.	10
Population growth and the social impact of the price revolution	Recall questions on population change, who gained and who lost, the effect on Spanish industry, and the social values that followed.	10
The drive for orthodoxy under Philip II	Recall questions on the Protestant discoveries of 1558, Valdes and the Index, Charles V's letter, the Carranza case, and the effect on intellectual life.	10
Reasons for the Great Rebellion of 1568	Recall questions on the morisco problem, the pragmatic of 1567, why it was so provocative, Turkish raids, and Mondejar's position.	10
The Granada rebellion and its repression	Recall questions on the outbreak in the Alpujarras, why it was hard to suppress, Don John's campaign, the dispersal of the moriscos, and the economic damage.	10
The Kingdom of Aragon and royal authority	Recall questions on the three realms and their Cortes, the fueros, why Aragon could not be taxed, the Justiciar, and the right of manifestacion.	10
The revolt in Zaragoza, 1590	Recall questions on Antonio Perez and the Escobedo murder, the use of the Inquisition, the riots, why the revolt collapsed, and the Black Legend.	10
Consequences of the revolt for royal power in Aragon	Recall questions on the execution of Lanuza, the changes made at Tarazona, why the fueros were not abolished, and what the episode shows about the monarchy.	10

The Golden Age of Spain, 1474-1598 is 190 of the 6,832 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £9

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.