Spain’s Golden Age: Renaissance and Baroque Eras

Item 6 – Golden Age: Renaissance and Baroque

1. The Historical Framework

The Golden Age of Spain spans from the end of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella (late 15th – early 16th century) to the death of the last Habsburg ruler, Charles II (1700). During this period, Spain reached its peak in political power and territorial expansion. The discovery of America (1492), strategic marriages with the Habsburgs, and the brief annexation of Portugal added vast territories to the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, creating a vast empire. However, by the 17th century, Spain was in decline.

Continual wars drained the nation’s resources, severely impacting the economy. The state treasury faced bankruptcy, forcing Charles V to borrow heavily from major European bankers.

Culturally, and especially in literature, the 16th and 17th centuries are undoubtedly the most important period in the history of Spain.

2. Religious Problems in Spain

In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs conquered Granada and issued two significant decrees: the establishment of the Tribunal of the Inquisition (which already existed in Europe but was dependent on Rome) and the expulsion of the Jews (which had detrimental effects on the economy and culture).

Conversos were Jews who converted to Catholicism, some of whom secretly maintained their original faith or became agnostic. The descendants of the conversos were known as New Christians, including notable figures like Luis Vives, Teresa of Jesus, and Fray Luis de León.

3. Reformation and Counter-Reformation

The 15th-century Renaissance saw a growing interest in the reform of religious orders and the purity of belief.

Erasmus of Rotterdam was one of the most influential authors of the 16th century, known for his intellectual stature and the wide dissemination of his work. He advocated for a return to the Christianity of the Gospels, emphasizing tolerance towards other religious faiths and a genuine, informal, and interiorized faith.

Counter-Reformation: In the mid-16th century, the Catholic Church convened the Council of Trent to address the various Protestant reforms (Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, etc.) and initiate its own religious reform. Philip II became a staunch defender of this movement.

4. The Renaissance

4.1 The Renaissance Mind

It is challenging to synthesize the Renaissance mindset, as it encompassed diverse and sometimes contradictory ideas. However, Renaissance thought was fundamentally shaped by two key aspects: humanism (valuing humans above all other realities) and the adoption of classical culture as a model.

The Renaissance originated in the Italian city-states, which aspired to become republics modeled after classical examples. This required training in rhetoric, which was considered essential for persuasion and emphasized pedagogy inspired by Quintilian, contrasting with older medieval teaching methods. Knowledge, partially present in medieval society, was sought in antiquity.

4.2 The Perfect Courtier

In The Courtier (1528), Baldassare Castiglione described the ideal Renaissance gentleman. The perfect courtier should possess certain physical, intellectual, and moral virtues: a well-proportioned physique, agility, strength, skill in dancing, singing, and music, creativity, literary critical thinking, wit in conversation, and skill in love. The golden rule was naturalness.

The worst flaw, in any aspect, was considered to be negligence or excessive care.

4.3 A Time of Progress

Applying ancient methods also led to the discovery of their errors. Aristotle, doctors, naturalists, and others were criticized, and a belief in progress emerged, suggesting that modern individuals surpassed the ancients. This idea had some precedents in medieval authors like John of Salisbury (12th century), who stated, “The moderns are dwarves, yes, but standing on the shoulders of giants,” implying a broader perspective.

In Spain, the Renaissance arrived later than in Italy. Notable Spanish humanists and representatives of the Renaissance included Elio Antonio de Nebrija (humanist and grammarian), Luis Vives, El Brocense, and the brothers Alfonso and Juan de Valdés.

4.4 Mannerism

Mannerism is the transitional movement between the Renaissance and the Baroque. In art, it was used to identify those who developed their works “in the manner” of Michelangelo. This trend reacted against classicism, rejecting rigid rules and freely using forms.

In literature, Mannerist works, such as those by Góngora and Lope, have a highly elaborate structure (1560-1600) and exhibit extraordinary compositional perfection.

5. The Baroque

5.1 Baroque Mentality

The essential feature of the Baroque mentality is a lack of self-confidence, reflecting the fear of social decline and contrasting with the common desire to prosper and gain honor and wealth. This era saw a love for festivities, especially theater, and luxury. Another significant theme was honor.

Religious and philosophical ideas were conservative, with limited freedom of expression.

Artifice is a defining characteristic of the Baroque, involving the distortion and concealment of reality to elicit admiration, surprise, and deception. The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracián best reflects the intended behavior of the Baroque individual.

5.2 A New Aesthetic

The Renaissance and Baroque differed significantly in their conception of literature and language.

Classical literary models shifted, with a preference for the Latin Silver Age over the Golden Age.

6. Castilian in the Spanish Golden Age

Castilian Spanish was widely spoken throughout the Iberian Peninsula, and its pronunciation and vocabulary were evolving towards their modern forms. In 1492, Nebrija composed a Castilian Grammar, believing that Castilian had reached perfection and that other languages might disappear. Castilian became the most important Romance language, leading to the publication of more grammar books, dictionaries, etc., such as the Treasury of the Castilian or Spanish Language by Sebastián de Covarrubias (1611).