Month: September 2021

A Brief History of Spain and Volcanoes

The island of La Palma in the Canary Islands has catapulted into the news these days as a result of the recent eruption of one of its volcanoes: Cumbre Vieja. Though most people don’t associate Spain with volcanic activity, the Canaries’ volcanoes have made plenty of statements over the past 500 years, with La Palma leading the pack. In fact it is on the “Isla Bonita” (the nickname for La Palma) that some experts say a massive landslide as a result of a volcanic event could trigger a mega-tsunami that could obliterate places as far away as the entire eastern coast of the United States. And, of course, the social media has eaten this story up with delight! What’s the truth? Listen to this podcast on the hisotry of Spain and volcanoes and let us know what you think. Enjoy!

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HISTORY OF SPAIN 101, EP.1: Atapuerca and the Dawn of Time

We start off our story of Spanish history by taking a look at the very earliest periods of human (homonin) activity in Spain, which has become known to us thanks to the findings and discoveries at the Atapuerca Archeological Site in the province of Burgos. Hope you enjoy it.

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Kings and Lovers (Part 1)

Charles I of Spain doesn’t seem to be enjoying himself very much in this picture as he listens to the German singer Barbara Blomberg perform. It looks more like his gout is acting up. Nevertheless, the two would have an affair and a son, John of Austria, one of the most charismatic figures of the 16th Century. Barbara wasn’t his only lover, nor was Charles the only king to have one. In fact, the world of monarchs and mistresses seemed commonplace in most courts over the centuries, even to this day. In today’s podcast we look at how much of that was true, starting with the Ferdinand and Isabella all the way to the last Habsburg king, Charles II.

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