During Columbus´s first voyage on the Atlantic, 1476, the commercial fleet he was with was attacked by French sailors off of the coast of Portugal. His ship was burned and Columbus was forced to swim ashore. The sailor settled in Lisbon and married Felipa Perestrello, the two had one son, Diego, in 1480.

Columbus would eventually move to Spain after the death of his first wife. With Beatriz Enriquez de Arana in 1488 Columbus had his second son, Fernando, out of wedlock.

By the late 1400s Columbus began lobbying for finance to take men and ships to discover a route to India and Asia via an un-interrupted eastward passage. Columbus argued the circumference of the Earth to be effectively shorter, 63% the actual size. Contemporaries of Columbus however argued the circumference to be 25,000mi, while the actual circumference is 24, 901.55mi and a bit shorter at the poles, 24,859.82mi.

Columbus was first rejected for funding for a 3-ship fleet by Portugal, then again by Genoa and Venice. Finally, the explorer arrived on the doorstep of the Spanish monarchy of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon in 1486. However during this period of Spain´s history (711-1492) the Muslims dominated the attention and finances of Spain´s government for the re-conquest. Columbus would have to wait until monies were freed up or the war came to an end.

A solution came to Columbus in January 1492 when the last Muslim stronghold in Granada was captured. With the momentum of victory, the royal court decided to finance Columbus. He was outfitted with the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña. In August of 1492 Columbus set sail from Spain´s coast and was at sea for 36 days until landing on a Bahamian island in the Caribbean Ocean, claiming it for Spain.

Columbus would travel between Spain and the Americas several more times to try and fulfill King Ferdinand with the gold and riches he promised. Columbus did bring back potatoes, tomatoes, and corn to Europe which became staples and helped increase European populations. Likewise, coffee from Africa and sugar cane from Asia became booming cash crops in Latin America.

Columbus's legacy is a mixed one due to the illness and disease that spread to the New World via ship rats, i.e., small pox. However, as a result of the Spanish influence in Central and Latin America, Spanish evolved to become the dominant language of the hemisphere. Spain´s Modern Age and subsequent Golden Age are also considered to have begun from the momentum of exploration of Spain that started with Columbus.

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Allegiances were not always clear-cut during this conflict. Essentially, the ranks of the Left (also known as Loyalist and Republican) comprised workers, peasants and trade unions, but also the Spanish government, Socialists, Communists and Anarchists. The Right (also known as Nationalist), was supported by rebellious factions of the army, industry, landowners, the middle classes and the Catholic Church. For various and somewhat contradictory reasons, the Loyalists received the support of the Soviet Union and European democracies, while the Nationalists were armed and equipped by the Fascist governments of Germany and Italy.

The Spanish Civil War would prove to be both fierce and bloody. Although the resources of the two sides were not that unequal, the Nationalists were better organized and received extensive material aid from Germany. The Loyalists received very little assistance from the Soviet Union and, moreover, were divided by internal conflicts between Communist, Socialist and Anarchist factions.

While European and North American volunteers fought for the Republic in the framework of the International Brigades, and a number of foreign artists and intellectuals supported the Loyalist cause, including Ernest Hemingway (who was working as a reporter and photographer) and George Orwell (who fought on the Republican side only to be prosecuted later on and thus becoming profoundly disillusioned by the rivalry in the ranks of the Left), the Nationalists were finally triumphant.

General Franco's victory marked the beginning of a forty-year dictatorship in Spain (1939-1975). In the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Hitler sought Franco's support for his own military campaign, but Spain was in no position to provide either financial or human aid. Although the Spanish Civil War had been a training field for the battles to be waged in the Second World War, Spain would play no part in the latter but agred to sponsor a small army of volunteers known as La División Azul.

Under the Franco regime Spain suffered international isolation, although in varying degrees. In 1955 the country was accepted as a member of the United Nations, and in 1970 General Franco named prince Juan Carlos his successor as the future king of Spain, thereby re-establishing the monarchy. Upon the dictator's death in 1975 King Juan Carlos I was crowned and the country set out on the long journey back to full democracy in Spain.

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Learn and Live Spanish in Spain

don Quijote is a prestigious and well-known organization dedicated to teaching Spanish abroad. Over 125,000 students have learned, lived and enjoyed a full Spanish immersion experience in our Spain and Latin American destinations since 1986.

Daniel de la Roca

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Flamenco shoes are specially designed for flamenco dancers who perform a specific dance that accompanies flamenco music. The term “flamenco shoes” generally refers to the female flamenco dancer’s shoes because in most case the male flamenco performer wears boots. These special flamenco shoes are particularly important because they are used as percussive instruments that accompany the music. This is because the flamenco shoes have special nails in the heels and toes that enhance the sound of the movements.

Flamenco is a Spanish art form that fuses music, singing and dance, all done in a specific style. In fact, the styles are so specific to flamenco that they can be described with their own terms: “toque” refers to flamenco guitar playing, “cante” refers to flamenco singing and “baile” is the term used for the special flamenco dance style.

Flamenco performances are common during religious festivals, celebrations, ceremonies and rituals. Flamenco shows have long delighted both Spaniards and foreigners alike and continue to be a major tourist attraction in Spain. In fact, in November of 2010 UNESCO declared flamenco in Spain as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

For those just starting to learn how to dance Flamenco, it is probably not necessary to buy flamenco shoes yet. Since most flamenco shoes are high-heeled, a sturdy pair of jazz or ballroom dance shoes should be adequate for beginners. As you advance with flamenco dancing, you will eventually need to purchase a good pair of flamenco shoes because the sound produced by them is vital as the shoes tap the flamenco rhythm and this requires training and a specific technique.

A traditional flamenco shoe is often red or black and matches the beautiful flamenco dress of the dancer. The heel of the shoe can vary in length but often measure between one and three inches (2.5-7 cm). Flamenco pumps also generally feature a strap or ties that cross the foot and lace up above the ankle designed to keep the shoe securely in place. Depending on your flamenco outfit, you can decide which color and type of flamenco shoes are best.

Flamenco shoes can be purchased worldwide, although most serious dancers prefer to order them from traditional Spanish shoe makers who can produce handmade and customized shoes. The cost is not excessive for an authentic pair of Spanish flamenco shoes. Proper shoes can make all the difference in the world to a dedicated flamenco dancer who knows that the rigors of flamenco foot stamping can be difficult on the feet.  

In order to choose the best flamenco shoe, it is important to take some things into consideration: color, material (leather, suede, synthetic), heel type (standard, carrete, cubano), heel size, buckle versus straps and whether or not you want the nails pre-installed (they are often sold without nails to practice). Additionally, the quality of flamenco shoes vary based on experience levels: amateur or training flamenco shoes, semi-professional flamenco shoes, professional flamenco shoes and elite flamenco shoes, for the accomplished flamenco dancer.

Some Famous Spanish Flamenco Shoe Makers

• Ainhoa: Angel Blanco’s small shop is located in Madrid and produces 100% artisan flamenco shoes and boots for all levels.
• Menkes: This prestigious flamenco brand uses modern technology while maintaining the traditional and artisan concept of flamenco shoe making. They guarantee their flamenco shoes for 50 years.
• Roberto Garrudo: Robert Garrudo produces high quality artisan flamenco shoes and pride themselves on their high level of quality service. The shoes are made from top quality materials with attention to detail and are comfortable and flexible.
• Buleria Sabates: This Spanish shoe company located in Alicante is specialized in originally designed women’s flamenco shoes. Their shoes are handmade with top of the line materials.
• Gallardo: This brand is completely made by hand in the traditional way. It is a well recognized brand known for its excellent quality and comfort, used by many flamenco artists and dance companies. Gallardo can also customize your flamenco shoes.

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