How Spain’s Greed Collapsed Its Empire

Simple History October 29, 2025
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Welcome to the Official Simple History Channel. Simple History® visualizes the past, bringing history to life through animation. Witness how people lived throughout history: their culture, developments in technology, epic battles and events. Explore what it was like to be in the trenches of the First World War, a plundering pirate in the Caribbean or a factory worker in the Industrial Revolution! Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London) Have a business proposition such as a sponsorship proposal? get in touch by email below! For business enquiries: [email protected] Fan mail/art: [email protected] Discord server: https://discord.gg/JZsPQXHeYC Simple History started in September 2013 with its first book title 'Simple History: WWI'. Copyright: DO NOT reupload our content on Youtube or other social media without expressed permission.

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Spain’s Golden Age was fueled by New World treasure — but that same gold led to its collapse. Discover how endless wealth brought debt, decline, and the fall of a once-mighty empire. This video was made possible thanks to everyone on the Simple History Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/simplehistory Check out our other Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPdc6bs3I8s6Y4QE_3g3MZw Discord server: https://discord.gg/JZsPQXHeYC Become a Simple History member: https://www.youtube.com/simplehistory/join Copyright: DO NOT translate and re-upload our content on Youtube or other social media. SIMPLE HISTORY MERCHANDISE Get the Simple History books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Turner-%60/e/B00H5TYLAE/ T-Shirts https://teespring.com/stores/simple-history-official-merch Simple history gives you the facts, simple! See the book collection here: Amazon USA http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Turner/e/B00H5TYLAE/ Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-Turner/e/B00H5TYLAE/ https://www.facebook.com/Simple-History-549437675141192/ https://twitter.com/SimpleHistoryYT Further Reading: Spain's Road to Empire: The Makings of a World Power, Henry Kamen. 2002. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, Eduardo Galeano, 1971. Hamilton EJ. Imports of American Gold and Silver Into Spain, 1503 - 1660. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1929. O'Brien PK, De La Escosura LP. The Costs and Benefits for Europeans from their Empires Overseas. _ Revista de Historia Económica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History, 1998. Hamilton, Earl J, American Treasure and the Price Revolution in Spain, 1501-1650. New York: Octagon, 1934. Domínguez Ortiz, Antonio, The Golden Age of Spain, 1516-1659. New York: Basic Books Inc, 1971. Credit: Simple History Creator: Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London) Video Directors: Lav Velimirovic, Ognjen Jovic Script Review: Peter Turner Script Writer: Robert De Graaf Narrator: Chris Kane (https://vocalforge.com) Artists: Fiona Phan, Selma Belegic, ShyShelly Animators: Nancy Bhalla, Krishna, Guillermo G. Caasi. Jr, Ravina Bheda, Rommel Ponferrada Editor: Artem Dobrohodov, James Dowse Thumbnails: Fiona Phan, ShyShelly Brand Partnerships: Justin St-Laurent Senior Production Manager: Umar Ijaz Simple History Channel Manager: James Dowse