History of Catholic Spain and Latin America

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YehoiakhinEx232

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I’m posting this thread here because I’m not sure where else to it.

I’ve developed an interest in my own heritage which Spain and Latin America, and I was wondering if anyone has any books and material on the history of Spain and Latin America without all the secular anti-Catholic biases attached.

I’m particularly interested in on the Basque region and people, since I’ve recently discovered that, that’s where my family started, and Chile, since that’s where my dad immigrated from.
 
Here are some books about the rise of the Spanish Empire by Hugh Thomas, a first-rate historian who has made this subject his specialty, though I don’t know whether you’re going to find anything specific here either about the Basque country or about Chile.

* Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan

* Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico

* The Golden Empire: Spain, Charles V, and the Creation of America

* World Without End: Spain, Philip II, and the First Global Empire

Other books by the same author include a history of the slave trade, a history of Cuba, and a history of the Spanish Civil War. The slave trade book is the only one I’ve read, but I can confidently assure you that you’re not going to find any anti-Catholic bias in his books. He’s much too sensible for that sort of nonsense. He writes very clearly – you are never in doubt as to the point he is trying to make, and you never need to go back and reread an earlier paragraph, to make sense of his argument. He writes carefully and also very readably.
 
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Can you read Spanish? Years ago I was able to read parts of Cristobal Colon’s (Christopher Columbus’) diary online through a library in Spain. Try to find source documents like that, first hand accounts from the first priests who came here and established missions. I have Father Alfredo Saenz’ book, La Gesta De los Cristeros, about the Catholic Mexican revolt against their dictator who tried to wipe out the faith there. Very well written and well documented book with historic photos. I have several of his history books, including a 3-book series on the French Revolution.
I can’t find a complete listing of his books.

Found him in Wikipedia
 
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Happy birthday!

Would anyone fault me if I said Mysterious Cities of Gold?
 
Casilda said:
Can you read Spanish? Years ago I was able to read parts of Cristobal Colon’s (Christopher Columbus’) diary online through a library in Spain.
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I think that’s the key for older Spanish history , being able to read Spanish.

England and Spain were pretty intense rivals for a considerable period of history- the Spanish Armada and all that, rival empires. Most of what you’d read in the English language is likely to be pretty negative toward Spain.
 
While we’re on the subject, do you and/or anyone else have any good books on Catholic England, and Britain before the Protestant revolt?
 
My ex fiancée is of Basque descent, Fascinating People.
 
By the way just out of curiosity, how common is it for Basque surnames to be named after the towns from which they originated, is that Basque custom? Both Saints Ignatius of Loyola and Saints Francis Xavier are named after their hometowns (Loyola and Xavier respectively) and our family also, is named after the town where our oldest ancestor was born and made a name for himself.
 
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Several years ago, I was doing a college paper on early Latin American history and my professor recommended a entitled “The Spanish Overseas Empire” it was quite a good book, I’m having trouble finding it however. Does know anything about “The Spanish Overseas Empire?” Is it out of print, or is it still available somewhere?
 
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