TABLE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
| Before Christ (BC) | |
| 800.000. | Homo Erectus in Peninsular |
| 300.000. | Hunting camps in Soria and Madrid |
| 100.000. | Neanderthal tribe in Gibraltar |
| 35.000. | Cro-Magnon tribe in Peninsular |
| 18.000. | Cave Dwellers |
| 12.000. | Talaiotic tribe in Minorca |
| 11.000. | El Argar tribe in southeast Spain |
| 11.000. | Phoenicians found Cádiz |
| 7.000. | Neothlithic tribe across the whole of the Peninsular |
| 2.500. | Paleolithic tribe across the whole of the Peninsular |
| 2.000. | Emergence of Bronze Age in the Peninsular |
| 1.100. | Phoenicians settled in Cádiz |
| 1.000. | Tartessus kingdom |
| 775 | Phoenicians founded Málaga |
| 600 | Greeks in northeast Spain |
| 300 | Carving of La Dama de Elche figure |
| 237 | Romans reach Cádiz |
| 230 | Carthaginians settle in Barcelona |
| 228 | Carthaginians occupy southeast Spain |
| 227 | River Ebro divides Roman and Cathagenian occupation of Peninsular |
| 219 | Hannibal takes Saguntum (beginning of 2nd Punic War) |
| 210 | Romans land in Peninsular |
| 206 | Hannibal driven out of Peninsular |
| 155 | Romans invade area known now as Portugal |
| 142 | Romans eventually defeat Lusitanian leader Virathus |
| 133 | Celt-Iberian Wars |
| 82 | Roman Civil War |
| 61 | Julius Caesar governor of Hispana Ulterior |
| 55 | Pompey appointed ruler of Hispana |
| 38 | Hispana declared part of State of Rome |
| 26 | Emerita Augusta (Mérida) founded as capital of Lusitanian |
| 19 | Augustus captures Cantabria and Asturias |
| After Death (AD) | |
| 40 | First appearance of Christianity in the Peninsular |
| 58 | Reputed arrival of remains of Saint James at Compostella |
| 74 | Vespasian grants Latin status to all Hispanic Towns |
| 99 | Roman Empire ruled by first Emperor of Spanish origin, Trajan (99-117) |
| 110 | Construction of Aqueduct of Segovia commenced |
| 258 | Franks sack Tarragona |
| 306 | Granada Council of Illiberius decides on celibacy for priests |
| 312 | Constantine recognizes Christianity as a religion |
| 5th Century | |
| 409 | Vandals enter the Peninsular |
| 415 | Visigoths establish a court in Barcelona |
| 446 | Romans attempt to win back Peninsular territory |
| 476 | Romans completely overthrown |
| 484 | Visigoths led by King Alaric II established Toledo as their capital |
| 6th Century | |
| 560 | Birth of Saint Isidore (560 - 636) |
| 568 | Death of Leovigild, the last Arain King of the Visigoths |
| 589 | Visigoth King Recared converts to Catholicism |
| 7th Century | |
| 633 | 4th Synod of Toeldo adopts Latin as the official language |
| 8th Century | |
| 711 | Moors invade and defeat Visigoths at Guadelete (Emirate Period 711-756) |
| 714 | Most of the Peninsular had been occupied by the Moors |
| 718 | Count Pelayo invades from the north defeating Moors at Covadonga |
| 722 | Moors defeated by Visigoth Prince Pelayo at Covadonga |
| 724 | Garcia Ximenes founds Sobarbe (future Kingdom of Aragón) |
| 732 | Moors invasion of France halted by Charles Martel |
| 739 | Alfonso I of Asturias creates Kingdom of León |
| 750 | Alfonso I of Asturias occupies Galicia |
| 756 | Adb al Rahman I proclaims Independence of Córdoba (Caliphate Period 756-1031) |
| 777 | Invading Charlemagne defeated at Roncesvalles |
| 785 | Mosque of Cordoba commenced |
| 9th Century | |
| 800 | Tomb of St. James supposedly found at Santiago de Compostela |
| 811 | Charlemagne captures Cátalonia |
| 822 | Adb al Rahman II commences his 30 years of support for culture and the arts |
| 824 | Kingdom of Asturias becomes part of Kingdom of León |
| 852 | García I forms Kingdom of Navarra |
| 873 | Wilfredo (the Hairy) (873-898), becomes Christian ruler as Count of Barcelona |
| 899 | Vision of Santiago de Compstela |
| 10th Century | |
| 905 | Sancho I (905-926), claims new province of Navarra as his Kingdom |
| 913 | León is chosen as the Christian Capital |
| 929 | Abd-ar-Rahman III declares his Emirate as the Caliphate of Córdoba |
| 932 | Count Fernán Gonzales becomes the first Count of Castille |
| 936 | Palace of Medina Azahara at Córdoba commenced |
| 951 | Moors recognize Kingdoms of León and Navarra |
| 976 | General Al Mansur reconquers León, Pampalona and Barcelona |
| 976 | Mosque of Córdoba completed |
| 981 | Ramiro III of León is defeated by Moors at Rueda |
| 997 | Al-Mansur destroys the shrine of Santiago de Compostela |
| 11th Century | |
| 1010 | Palace of Medina Azahara at Córdoba sacked by Berbers |
| 1001 | King Sancho III of Navarra (1001-1035) |
| 1002 | Civil Wars begin in Al-Andulus |
| 1031 | Power of Córdoba broken into small kingdoms (Reinos de Taifas Period 1031-1492) |
| 1035 | Sancho III kingdom divided between Ramiro in Aragón and Fernando 1of Castille |
| 1037 | Fernando I unites for the first time kingdoms of León and Castille |
| 1065 | Death of Fernando II causes Civil War between his two sons |
| 1081 | El Cid sent into exile |
| 1085 | Toledo taken from Visigoths by Alfonso VI with El Cid |
| 1086 | Almoravids tribe arrive to help remaining Moors and defeat Alfonso IV at Badajoz |
| 1093 | Alfonso IV of Castille gives future Portugal to his daughter as wedding present |
| 1094 | El Cid becomes ruler of Valencia |
| 1099 | Death of El Cid |
| 12th Century | |
| 1110 | The Almoravids have control of Al-Andulus |
| 1118 | Great Mosque of Córdoba completed |
| 1118 | Afonso I captures Zaragoza |
| 1126 | Birth in Córdoba of philosopher ibn-Rushd (1126-1198) |
| 1137 | Kingdoms of Aragón and Catalunya united by marriage under Ramon Berenquer IV |
| 1139 | Portugal becomes its own kingdom |
| 1147 | Almohades tribe make Seville their capital |
| 1151 | Almohades retake Almaria |
| 1152 | Alfonso II of Aragón brings through inheritance the County of Barcelona |
| 1158 | First Knights Order of Calatrava established |
| 1172 | Almohades capture Seville replacing decadent Almoravids |
| 1195 | Defeat of Alfonso VIII of Castille by Moors at Alarcos |
| 13th Century | |
| 1212 | Almohades defeated by Christian army at Las Navas de Tolosa |
| 1215 | Salamanca University founded |
| 1229 | Jaume I of Aragón retakes Mallorca |
| 1230 | León and Castille reunited in a kingdom by Fernando III |
| 1232 | Nasrid tribe establish Grenada as their capital |
| 1232 | Palace of Alhambra commenced |
| 1235 | Ibn Nasr founds Kingdom of Karnattah (Granada) |
| 1235 | Jaume I of Aragón captured Valencia, Alicante and Balearic Islands |
| 1236 | Córbada taken by Fernando III |
| 1248 | Fernando III takes possession of Córdoba and Seville |
| 1250 | Under Alfonso X the town of Toledo becomes seat of learning |
| 1253 | Peace agreement between Spain and Portugal |
| 1280 | Except for Granada all the Peninsular was in the hands of Christian Kings |
| 1284 | Alfonso X (the Wise), abdicates in favour of his son Sancho IV |
| 1285 | France invades Cátalonia |
| 1291 | Aragón rules Sicily |
| 1298 | Construction of Barcelona Cathedral commenced |
| 14th Century | |
| 1309 | Fernando IV captures Gibraltar |
| 1312 | Dissolution of Knights Templars |
| 1340 | Alfonso XI wins at Rio Salado using artillery in battle for the first time |
| 1355 | Pedro (the Cruel) of Castille (1350-1369) |
| 1355 | Birth of Saint Vincent Ferrer of Valencia (1355-1419) |
| 1369 | Pedro (the Cruel) murdered and throne taken by Enrique II |
| 1385 | Portuguese army led by João I defeats King Juan I of Castille at Aljubarrota |
| 1386 | English invasion of Galicia ended in Treaty of Bayonne |
| 1388 | Spanish limited involvement in Hundred Years War |
| 15th Century | |
| 1401 | Cathedral of Seville commenced |
| 1411 | Peace agreement signed between Spain and Portugal |
| 1442 | Alfonso V adds Naples to his Kingdoms |
| 1451 | Birth of Isabel of Castille |
| 1454 | Enrique IV of Castille (1454-1474) |
| 1465 | Civil War in Castille |
| 1469 | Marriage of Fernando and Isabel unites Castille and Aragón |
| 1473 | Siege of Barcelona |
| 1474 | Isabel of Castille (1474-1504) |
| 1476 | Isabel of Castille defeats Juana la Beltraneja at Toro |
| 1478 | Spanish Inquisition commences under Tomás de Torquemada |
| 1479 | Fernando II of Aragón (1479-1516) |
| 1481 | First "auto de fe" takes place in Seville |
| 1487 | Málaga surrenders to Christian army |
| 1491 | Christians commence siege of Granada |
| 1492 | Moors defeated by the surrender of Granada |
| 1492 | Christopher Columbus first reaches America |
| 1492 | The court rules to expel Jews from Spain |
| 1493 | Pope Alexander VI issues edict giving Spain all lands 100 leagues west of Cape Verde |
| 1494 | Treaty of Tordesillas over boundary of Castille and Portugal and 100 leagues to 370 |
| 1495 | Spain joins the Pope, Milan and Venice in the Holy League against France |
| 1495 | Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean become Spanish territory |
| 1496 | Foundation of first Spanish town in America - Santo Domingo |
| 16th Century | |
| 1502 | Remaining practising Moors expelled from Spain |
| 1503 | Casa de Contrtación established in Seville |
| 1504 | Juana "la Loca" of Castille (1504-1555) |
| 1512 | Full unification of Spain achieved by adding Navarra |
| 1513 | Vasco Nuñez de Balboa sights Pacific Ocean |
| 1516 | Carlos I of Spain (1516-1556) |
| 1519 | Carlos I of Spain becomes also Emperor Charles V of Holy Roman Empire |
| 1519 | Portuguese explorer Magellan sails from Seville |
| 1519 | Mexico conquered by force led by Cortés |
| 1521 | Castilian rebel nobles defeated at Villalar |
| 1527 | Carlos I sacks Rome |
| 1532 | Inca Empire destroyed by Pizarro |
| 1534 | Founding of the Order of Jesuits by St. Ignatius |
| 1535 | Carlos I successfully attacks Tunis |
| 1535 | Carlos I inherits Kingdom of Milan |
| 1540 | Father Bartilomé de las Casa denounces oppression of Indians by Spain |
| 1541 | Birth of painter El Greco (1541-1614) |
| 1547 | Carlos I defeats Protestants in battle at Muhlburg |
| 1547 | Birth of writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), author of "Don Quixote" |
| 1554 | Marriage of Felipe II to Mary Tudor of England |
| 1556 | Felipe II of Spain (1556-1598) |
| 1557 | First of a series of bankruptcies of the State |
| 1559 | Peace between Spain and France made at Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis |
| 1561 | Palace of El Escorial commenced |
| 1561 | Madrid chosen as capital of Spain |
| 1562 | Saint Teresa of Avila founds Order of reformed Carmelites |
| 1562 | Birth of playwright Lope de Vega (1562-1635) |
| 1556 | Carlos I of Spain abdicates his throne |
| 1557 | Battle of San Quenten in Flanders |
| 1567 | Duke of Alba sent to squash Protestant rebels in the Low Countries |
| 1568 | Moriscos (converted Moors to Christianity) revolt in Granada |
| 1569 | First bible published in the Castilian language |
| 1571 | Spanish led by Don Juan of Austria defeat Turks in naval battle at Lepanto |
| 1579 | Union of Utrecht of northern Europe to defeat Spain |
| 1580 | Spain takes and declares Portugal joined under the Spanish crown |
| 1581 | The Netherlands led by William of Orange declare independence |
| 1584 | Birth of writer Tirso de Molina (1584-1648) |
| 1587 | Sir Francis Drake attacks Spanish fleet off Cádiz |
| 1588 | 1st Spanish Armada destroyed by English fleet |
| 1584 | Palace of El Escorial completed |
| 1591 | Birth of painter Jusepe de Ribeira (1591-1652) |
| 1596 | 2nd Spanish Armada failed to reach England due to weather |
| 1597 | 3rd Spanish Armada failed to reach England due to weather |
| 1598 | Felipe III of Spain (1598-1621) |
| 1598 | Birth of painter Franciso de Zurbarán (1598-1664) |
| 1599 | Birth of painter Diego da Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660) |
| 17th Century | |
| 1600 | Capital of Spain moved temporary to Valladolid |
| 1600 | Birth of playwright Calderón (1600-1681) |
| 1605 | Publication of first two sections of Cervantes book "Don Quixote" |
| 1609 | King Felipe III orders the expulsion of all Moriscos (converted Moors) |
| 1609 | Expulsion of last Moor (Moriscos) from Valencia |
| 1609 | Poems published by Lope de Vega |
| 1617 | Birth of painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) |
| 1619 | Construction in Madrid of Plaza Mayor |
| 1621 | Felipe IV of Spain (1621-1665) |
| 1621 | War of Low Countries (Netherlands and Belgium area) resumes |
| 1622 | Velázquez moves from Seville to Madrid |
| 1623 | Royal Court appoints Velázquez as "Official Court Painter" |
| 1625 | Spanish defeat English invasion of Cadiz |
| 1625 | Capture of Breda in the Netherlands after siege lasting one year |
| 1640 | Portuguese revolt and separate from Spain |
| 1640 | Catalonians declare for King Louis XIII of France (Guerra de Segadors, 1640-1652) |
| 1641 | Portugal enthrones Duke of Bragança as new King João IV |
| 1643 | Spanish army defeated by France at battle of Rocroi |
| 1643 | Fall from power of Count-Duke Olivares |
| 1648 | Netherlands achieve limited independence from Spain by Treaty of Westphalia |
| 1652 | Spanish army recaptures Catalunya which had sided with France |
| 1656 | Spain declares war on England |
| 1659 | Treaty of Pyrenees with France and Louis XIV marries daughter of Felipe IV |
| 1665 | Felipe V of Spain (1665-1700) |
| 1670 | Spain officially recognizes Portuguese throne |
| 1676 | Don Juan attempts to dethrone Carlos II |
| 1683 | French army of Louis XIV attacks Catalunya and Netherlands |
| 1686 | League of Augsburg joins Spain with other countries against France |
| 18th Century | |
| 1700 | Ends Hapsburg and replaced by Bourbon - Felipe V (1700-1724) |
| 1701 | War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) |
| 1713 | By the Treaty of Utrecht both Gibraltar and Netherlands are taken from Spain |
| 1714 | Barcelona siege and sacked by Felipe V |
| 1724 | Felipe V abdicates to son Luis I (1724-1724) |
| 1724 | Felipe V (1724-1746) |
| 1727 | Spain attempts to blockade Gibraltar |
| 1728 | Treaty of Seville brings peace to Europe |
| 1734 | Spanish forces take Sicily and Naples |
| 1743 | Spain and England at war over American colonies (War of Jenkins Ear) |
| 1746 | Fernando VI (1746-1759) |
| 1746 | Birth of painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828) |
| 1757 | Seven Years War between England and France (Spain fighting for France) |
| 1759 | Carlos III (1759-1788) |
| 1761 | Spain invades Portugal and England takes Cuba |
| 1763 | Treaty of Paris brings temporary peace with England |
| 1767 | King Carlos II expels Jesuit Order from Spain and Colonies |
| 1778 | Cátalunia was given permission by the crown to trade with American colonies |
| 1779 | Spanish again besiege Gibraltar |
| 1780 | Sea battle off Cape St. Vincent between Spain and England |
| 1782 | Count de Floridablanca expels English from Island of Menorca |
| 1783 | Treaty of Versailles and Spain accepted independence of American States |
| 1788 | Carlos IV (1788-1808) |
| 1790 | Spain hands Vancouver Island to England |
| 19th Century | |
| 1801 | Treaty of Amiens confirming Menorca as a Spanish territory |
| 1805 | Spanish and French fleets defeated by England at "Battle of Trafalgar" |
| 1808 | France invades Spain - Napoleon places brother José on throne (1808-1814) |
| 1808 | Spanish War of Independence (1808-1813) |
| 1809 | English army invades north coast of Spain |
| 1809 | English army helped by Spanish beat French forces at Talavera |
| 1812 | Liberal revolt at Cádiz declares liberal constitution |
| 1814 | Congress of Vienna and Spain not invited |
| 1814 | Fernando VII (1814-1833) |
| 1814 | Inquisition re-established in Spain |
| 1816 | Argentina declares its independence |
| 1818 | Chile and Venezuela declare their independence |
| 1819 | Columbia declares its independence |
| 1819 | Spain cedes Florida to the American States |
| 1821 | Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Panama and San Domingo, all declare independence |
| 1823 | Invited French forces re-establish power of throne of Fernando VII |
| 1824 | Peru obtains Independence from Spain |
| 1824 | Birth of composer Joseph Anseim Clavé (1824-1874) |
| 1833 | Regency of Maria Cristina (1833-1841) |
| 1833 | 1st Carlist War (1833-1836) |
| 1836 | State impound all Monastic property for later sale to the public |
| 1841 | Regency of Espartero (1841-1843) |
| 1843 | Isabel II (1843-1868) |
| 1852 | Birth of Antonio Guadi (1852-1926) |
| 1868 | General Prim leads revolt and deposes Isabel II |
| 1871 | 1st Republic of Spain declared by General Prim which lasted one year |
| 1871 | Amadeo I (1871-1873) |
| 1872 | 2nd Carlist War (1872-1875) |
| 1874 | Revolt led by General Martins Campos in favour of the House of Bourbon |
| 1875 | Alfonso XII (1875-1885) - reinstatement of House of Bourbon |
| 1881 | Birth of painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) |
| 1882 | Construction of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona commenced |
| 1883 | Birth of painter Juan Gris (1883-1927) |
| 1885 | Earthquakes in Andalucía |
| 1886 | Alfonso XIII (1886-1902) - Regency of Maria Cristina |
| 1888 | Universal Exhibition of Barcelona |
| 1892 | Birth of General Francisco Franco Bahamonde (1892-1975) |
| 1893 | Opera public in Barcelona bombed by Anarchists |
| 1893 | Birth of painter Joan Miró |
| 1897 | Prime Minister Cánovas del Castillo assassinated |
| 1898 | Spanish-American War gives independence to Cuba, Puerto Rico and Philippines |
| 20th Century | |
| 1902 | Alfonso XIII (1902-1931) - dissolved Regency of Maria Cristina |
| 1904 | Birth of painter Salvador Dalí e Domènch (1904- ????) |
| 1906 | Spain and France given joint control over Morocco |
| 1909 | "Semana Trágica" - Workers revolt against army conscription in Barcelona |
| 1912 | Prime Minister José Canalejas assassinated in Madrid |
| 1914 | Outbreak of 1st World War (1914-1918) and Spain declares neutrality |
| 1921 | Spanish army defeated at Anual in Morocco |
| 1923 | Primo de Rivera comes to power with backing of Alfonso XIII |
| 1923 | Birth of painter Antoni Tàpies |
| 1927 | Spain defeats Berbers at Alhucemas in Morocco |
| 1929 | International Exhibitions at Barcelona and Seville |
| 1930 | Primo de Rivera resigns |
| 1931 | Republicans win election causing Alfonso XIII to abdicate |
| 1931 | Pact of San Sebastian and Declaration of 2nd Republic of Spain (1931-1939) |
| 1933 | General election places power back in right-wing political parties |
| 1934 | Revolt by miners in Asturias suppressed by General Franco |
| 1936 | Republican Popular Front wins election on 16th January |
| 1936 | Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) starts on 17th of July |
| 1936 | General Franco declared Head of State on 26th of September |
| 1937 | German planes bomb in April the Basque town of Guernica |
| 1938 | Republicans defeated in battle for Teruel |
| 1938 | Nationalists bomb Barcelona |
| 1939 | Nationalists take Madrid, Valencia and Alicante |
| 1939 | General Franco declares end of Civil War on 1st of April |
| 1939 | Law of "Political Responsibilities" introduced |
| 1914 | Outbreak of 2nd World War (1939-1945) and Spain declares neutrality |
| 1940 | Hitler meets with General Franco at Hendaye |
| 1945 | End of World War II and Spain is politically unaccepted by rest of Europe |
| 1947 | Francisco Franco appointed Regent (1947-1975) |
| 1953 | Spain signs co-operation agreement with USA |
| 1955 | Spain is accepted as a member of United Nations |
| 1956 | Spain hands independence to Morocco and loses Ceuta and Melilia |
| 1959 | Founding of separatist Basque movement "ETA" |
| 1962 | Spain's application for EC membership rejected |
| 1962 | Prince Juan Carlos marries Princess Sofia of Greece |
| 1962 | Tourism becomes an a serious new income for Spain |
| 1968 | Spain grants independence to Equatorial Guinea |
| 1969 | Prince Juan Carlos named as Crown Price and successor after General Franco |
| 1969 | Border access between Spain and Gibraltar closed by Franco |
| 1970 | "Burgos Trials" - opponents of Franco regime placed on trial |
| 1973 | ETA assassinates Admiral Carrero Blanco |
| 1975 | Juan Carlos I (1975-) - return of House of Bourbon upon death of General Franco |
| 1975 | Spain and USA sign agreement for military USA basis on Spanish soil |
| 1975 | Languages of Cátalan, Basque and Galicia are official languages of Spain |
| 1976 | Spain cedes Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauretania |
| 1977 | Communist Party is legalized |
| 1977 | Free elections brings UDC Party and Adólfo Suárez with a centralist government |
| 1978 | New Democratic Constitution introduced |
| 1980 | Spain becomes member of NATO |
| 1980 | Catalonia and Basque regions become legally autonomous |
| 1981 | Adólfo Suárez resigns and succeeded by Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo |
| 1981 | Military officers led by Colonel Antonio Tejero stage unsuccessful coup |
| 1982 | New elections brings PSOE Party to power led by Felipe González |
| 1983 | Semi-autonomous 17 regional governments established |
| 1986 | Election brings back Socialist Workers Party under Felipe González |
| 1986 | Spain joins European Community (later changed to European Union) and NATO |
| 1989 | Spain holds rotating Presidency of EC for first time |
| 1991 | Madrid hosts Bush-Gorbachev Summit |
| 1992 | Barcelona Summer Olympics |
| 1992 | Expo 92 -International Exposition in Seville |
| 1993 | Felipe González wins third term in office |
| 1994 | Scandals in government begin to sway public away from González |
| 1996 | Election won by Partido Popular and a coalition led by Jose Maria Aznar |
| 1998 | ETA announces a ceasefire |
| 21st Century | |
| 2000 | Partido Popular wins second term in office |
| 2000 | Real Madrid makes history by winning 8th European Football Cup |
| 2004 | al-Qaeda explodes bombs on 11th March in Madrid killing 191 of the public |
| 2004 | PDSE led by José Luis Zapatero is elected to rule the country |
| 2008 | PDSE led by José Luis Zapatero is relected for second term |