Why didn't Spain get more in the Scramble for Africa? (Short Animated Documentary)

The Scramble for Africa saw many of Europe's great powers occupy and colonise much of the continent. Yet Spain, despite its long imperial history and status as a European power, barely got anything. Less than Belgium even. So why was this the case? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.
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[@Daniel-ms9ks]

What's ironic is that while Spain got the least amount of land in Africa, Spain is the only European nation left with land on continental Africa in the cities of Ceuta and Mellila

[@jaztin7960]

Yeah those territories are recognized as integral part of Spain by the UN so that's why

[@pecadodeorgullo5963]

France: do my puppets count?

[@rabertodrbigpapa9055]

They have been part of Spain (or Portugal) from centuries

[@moonshadowsong]

@@rabertodrbigpapa9055 Europe need give back Africa land or else

[@westrim]

@@moonshadowsong Or else what?

[@nicolasduhaut7331]

Every video that involves spains after the 16th century has "Spain is broke" as an answer. Truely amazing consistency for the past 400 years

[@DesignatedMember]

And the fact that they owned ginormous amounts of gold, silver and other stuff comming from Latin America

[@brandonlyon730]

@@DesignatedMember A lot of it ended up causing a ton of inflation.

[@Sarsol1989]

@@brandonlyon730 Also severely hampered domestic production of a lot of things as it was often simpler to import or hire outside of the country

[@pecadodeorgullo5963]

@@DesignatedMember makes you wonder what happned to some of that wealth (I know the silver went to China since that's what the Chinese preferred).

[@brandonlyon730]

@@pecadodeorgullo5963Ironically all of that silver also started to cause inflation problems with the Ming empire.

[@riograndedosulball248]

Also, let's address the Elephant in the room: Portugal claimed the entirety of Africa during the Berlin conference. I love the sheer amount of attitude involved on doing this.

[@LuisHenrique-vo4kn]

I mean, they weren't wrong

[@andrewklang809]

And then their best friend Britain called their bluff and screwed them up so bad they abolished the monarchy.

[@riograndedosulball248]

@@andrewklang809 yeah. The Pink Map affair was a prime example of why you should never trust the Anglo

[@xo-1320]

@@riograndedosulball248 world history in the 1800s: Never trust Britain.

[@ddandymann]

@@xo-1320 Or for large parts of the 20th century, and that's coming from a Brit. The fact that we managed to screw over the Polish twice in one war is goddam shameful.

[@joshuabessire9169]

Europe: "Criteria 1 is you have to have been there before to get a claim." Spain: "hey, that's not fair to me!" Europe: "Don't be silly, you have a whole hemisphere." United States: "Which brings us to criteria 2..."

[@gideonmele1556]

Bolivar has entered the anachronistic chat: hoooooooolaaaa

[@evilcoffeemug5605]

@@nicholascuevas7447 someone needs to read anachronistic a little closer

[@gideonmele1556]

@@nicholascuevas7447 (it was a joke about him breaking free from Spain)

[@darreljones8645]

@@nicholascuevas7447 No, Gideon didn't mean "supportive of anarchy". He meant the chat was an anachronism, i.e., something being done in the wrong time period, like Cleopatra wearing a wristwatch, or you visiting the shah of Iran.

[@StephenLobato]

Monroe Doctrine has entered the chat

[@christopherjustice6411]

History matters, once again answering the questions we never considered, but upon reflection would really like to know about.

[@TK_Brainslug]

so true

[@ansonallseitz1776]

I have actually asked a lot of the questions he answers, but only in passing thoughts. For instance, I know I have wondered why Ireland was neutral in WWII, Also why Mao never invaded Taiwan. In this example, yes I have wondered why Spain got so little territory in Africa, but only in passing thought. I always assumed was Spain's declining status among international powers. I mean, less than 20 years after the Berlin conference, the US was like, "Hey Spain, nice set of colonies you have in the Caribbean and Pacific, wouldn't it be a shame if someone hit you with a, "Big stick" and or "Rough riders?""

[@gingerale2131]

i actually always thought about this

[@tremedar]

I always just assumed the answer to be "They already owned pretty much the entirety of the western hemisphere, what could they possibly get from Africa they don't already have?"

[@trollinape2697]

Naah I think this is one of the ones a lot of us asked

[@benclarkson5928]

“For example: belgium, which had only existed for like 5 minutes at this point” had me in tears😂

[@robbuelens]

Not even that, Congo Free State was a personal property of king Leopold 2. Imagine that, the king of one of the smallest countries in Europe getting a landmass the size of all of Western Europe combined, and not even visiting it during his lifetime.

[@pacoramon9468]

Poor Spain, its exterritory got more of Africa than itself.

[@sharkronical]

@@Iason29 give it to Germany

[@Spacemongerr]

Belgium declared independence 54 years earlier.

[@USSFFRU]

@@sharkronical nah, give it to Switzerland, or better, Liechtenstein

[@ila3]

As a spanish person, I love how your channel covers lots of questions about spanish history that aren't known in the english speaking community.

[@trauko1388]

Spain was screwed by having to deal with a backward church and people who pay mind to it...

[@jesuschal3802]

As a Spaniard, I’ve never heard of this before.

[@ila3]

Spain was screwed by many things, but probably Ferdinand VII is the major cause.

[@trauko1388]

Culearse a las primas fue lo que cagó a España, los Habsburgo terminaron tarados y los españoles con rey francés. De ese hoyo no te saca nadie.

[@ffarkasm]

Yes, and most cases the answer is Napoleon. Even when he isn't mentioned.

[@achinthmurali5207]

"I'm convinced Spain is the strongest nation on earth. It's been trying to destroy itself for hundreds of years and it still hasn't been able to." -Otto Von Bismarck

[@wizardsummoner9124]

Probably not a real quote but true nonetheless.

[@Huggy_WuggyOfficial]

“Estoy firmemente convencido de que España es el país más fuerte del mundo. Lleva siglos tratando de destruirse a sí misma y todavía no lo ha conseguido”. “La nación más fuerte del mundo es, sin duda, España. Siempre ha tratado de autodestruirse y nunca lo ha conseguido. El día que dejen de intentarlo, volverán a ser la vanguardia del mundo”.

[@rao803]

Do you have any source to prove the truthfulness of that quote?

[@steelbear2063]

We have a similar joke in Russia. Though it's about Russia being so rich that the thieves in government can't steal it all despite constantly trying

[@Huggy_WuggyOfficial]

@@rao803 spanish civil war, and many more

[@ItsElvisOsceola]

The Spanish colonies in Africa were originally going to James Bisonette, but he politely declined the offer

[@arun_is_too_common]

He was given the entirety of africa

[@jamesbissonette8002]

Prefer to support creators, not empires.

[@arun_is_too_common]

@@jamesbissonette8002 why not you could have easily become the holy Roman emperor

[@gideonmele1556]

@@arun_is_too_common he was once but abdicated realizing that one man best not rule so great an expanse

[@XXXTENTAClON227]

@@arun_is_too_common he can do more than just Rome

[@theskycavedin9592]

We also have to acknowledge that the Europeans who took land, even Belgium, actually had forces in the regions they claimed. Belgium/Italy/Germany bought and occupied land wherever they had claims, which encouraged Britain and France to expand their territory in their areas of influence.

[@JBinero]

Belgium didn't take any land. Belgium got its first colony in Africa in the 20th century when they took it from Leopold II after it became clear what crimes he had been overseeing there.

[@UndeadSoldier32]

@@JBinero Not only that, but Leopold's long-term scheming to establish the Congo Free State (which he wanted because he'd have autocratic powers there he didn't have in Belgium, on top of all of its natural resources) was instrumental in getting the Scramble for Africa started in the first place. He didn't attend the Berlin conference, but Otto von Bismarck even acknowledged how vital Leopold was as a catalyst near the conference's close. At the time he was considered an antislavery, philanthropic hero, and that's partially because of how expansive his propaganda network was.

[@JBinero]

@@UndeadSoldier32 Even before the conference Leopold had tried to establish colonies elsewhere. He received funds from the Belgian government after he fired all governments that didn't want to give him the loan to "spread human development".

[@chadsupporter4093]

Belgium had one of the strongest and well trained armies and special forces in their colony compared to the French and the British

[@ThrE3-GeS]

@@chadsupporter4093 everyone can say that

[@idek6585]

"Spain was one of the worlds most successful imperial powers" Until post-Napoleon

[@Lay.s.]

all of our problems re rooted in napoleon

[@aleksandarvil5718]

And USA founding

[@febrian0079]

Everyone was gangsta until Napoleon

[@johnd.2114]

He basically destroyed most of the Spanish empire

[@adriancampos8640]

@@aleksandarvil5718 We worked with France to make the US a thing, then we got less than nothing out of it.

[@PakBallandSami]

Spanish history is such an interesting topic form the romans to the Arad's time it has been one of the most fascinating places and the the fact that it had such a large empire at a time and how it fall apart so much to learn and you covering it is the best part and also really like you art style keep making them

[@llamingo696]

After Napoleón they never be the same

[@matimele1]

Who's Arad?

[@enternamehere4124]

@@matimele1 whit Arad's he's refering to Al-andalus

[@trauko1388]

Spain was screwed by having to deal with a backward church and people who pay mind to it...

[@matimele1]

@@enternamehere4124 oh alright thanks

[@Yokosumari23]

I like to think James Bisonnette and Kelly Monkeymaker are the parents of History Matters, and while separated from each other, still manage to have common ground with donating money and supporting their son's passion of sharing history.

[@kellymoneymaker3922]

😆

[@whitemountain_]

@@kellymoneymaker3922 The legend herself!

[@kellymoneymaker3922]

@@whitemountain_ ✌️❤️♻️

[@Zraknul]

History matters fanfic.

[@lucianobattistoniromero4618]

The lore deepens

[@Yakozaball]

Much Love to Spain from Italy 🇮🇹❤️ 🇪🇦

[@danetplanet0055]

Sono italiana e spagnola 🇪🇸 ♥ ️🇮🇹

[@scintillam_dei]

Italia y Espaa están en mi mapa inmenso y realistico de América con toda África, el Japón y mucho más para Age of Empries 2 HD.

[@TylerSolvestri]

Me gusta el merengue Italiano 😩😍🔥

[@okayWonk]

🇪🇦🤝🇮🇹

[@geheimleise]

2:31 "It's us or Germany" prior WW1 Still the strongest diplomatic argument to ever be. The exodia of diplomacy

[@DuffyTVv]

It sums up the Berlin Conference

[@richstrasz6653]

Belgium wasn't allocated any land at the Berlin conference. King Leopold II of Belgium ( who chaired the conference) was personally allocated the land that would become the Congo Free State. It wasn't until 1908 after reports of the atrocities / genocide taking place in to Congo Free State were published in Europe and North America that the Belgian Government stepped in and took control. How Leopold managed to do this would be a good subject in itself

[@EmilioWO]

I recommend the book French Colonialism 1871-1914 by Henri Brunschwig. It has several chapters that address Leopold and how he got land in the Congo.

[@masterp443]

He's already made a video about this.

[@anon-rf5sx]

Speaking as a Spanish, the history of Spain during the 19th century is such a mess. There was more than enough trouble home to go worry about Africa or imperialism.

[@Iason29]

I never liked how the spanish eventually developed different psychology in eventually having no issue with killing their compatriots en masse in the civil war. A century before that it would be considered unprecedented. It's a shame how Spain did not try harder to make the monarchy work and allowed to be influenced by foreign ideology.

[@solwen]

the history of *Europe during the 19th century is such a mess Fixed

[@mrmarmolerox]

@@Iason29 french bourbons cough cough

[@alvaro6587]

​@@Iason29 during the 19 century there were like 20 civil wars in spain

[@metacosmos]

Why Spain couldn't keep Marianas, Pulau , GUam and Guadalcanal in the Pacific ?

[@ilselopez11]

I've watched a couple of your videos about Spain and I've noticed that you kept on leaving out the fact that Spain was also able to reach Asia - specifically the Philippines, and was able to rule over it for around 300 years. Maybe add that to the next one? Nevertheless, love the bite-sized history tidbits

[@constantinexi6489]

After the loss of South America the Philippines was an insignificant footnote in the history of Spain, up until the Spanish American war

[@bobofthestorm]

@@constantinexi6489 The Philippines was an integral part of Mexico. That's the problem. When Mexico left, the Philippines wasn't quite the same anymore. It was an important part of a greater whole but when the whole broke off into smaller pieces it found itself not that relevant anymore. The Manila Galleon Trade depended on the Spaniards ruling the waves and the Spanish Empire ruling the world. As history would have it, Elizabeth too can command the waves.

[@madensmith7014]

The fact that the Philippines hasn't left the hands of the Spanish after Mexico left is what I find more astonishing

[@celdur4635]

400 years.

[@__Hanasei__Levinus__]

its alright, our nation is just another knee-high adopted kid of the spanish... at least we did not suffer that much, unlike the other kids. Or maybe we did... but eh, again, knee-high.

[@johnnydouglas2080]

I got a history matters and a oversimplified video in the same week. Best win of 2021 I think

[@semipenguin]

Spain did win a World Cup in 2010, tho, so that makes up for that.

[@enalche2]

In south África 😂

[@scintillam_dei]

I'm SPanish, and I don't like football of either kind. The US kind is worse, 'cause the men have to bend over in front of other men. It's so gay. And pig skin? They dress in tights too. The soccer ball has masonic symbolism twofold. First, the masonic check of black and white. Secondly, the pentagon.

[@kevin8029]

@@scintillam_dei Black and white doesn't equal freemason, they're natural colors.

[@AuroraBoost]

Portugal is like the old man who says "Back in my day things were better"

[@AsprosOfAzeroth]

As a portuguese, I can confirm this to be true. Just wait untill Sebastião comes back, things will get good again!

[@Lordiboy14]

As a portuguese, everything was bad since the very begining honestly.

[@element5584]

@@AsprosOfAzeroth Has there been a movie made in which Sebastião comes back? I feel like it would be pretty funny to watch a 16th century king trying to deal with the 21 st century

[@edipires15]

@@Lordiboy14 “Portugal: struggling since 1143” 😅

[@ayouberriouch6876]

@@AsprosOfAzeroth wasn't he killed in the battle of three kings

[@javijovemorate3345]

Another big issue why Spain didn't get much in Africa was also because until 1898 they simply couldn't aford overstretching themselves. The possesions in Cuba were really unstable, the Phillipines were also beginning to show unrest and specially they knew the US would eventually try to take them. After the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines it could begin to focus more on Africa (and in fact they did) but by that time it was already too late. In equatorial guinea most states had already drafted borders and while there were hopes of getting further territories in Morroco, all they got in the end was the Rif Region (northern Morroco) which was a region very poor economically and were the Sultan of Morroco had a very weak authority, populated by a people who were in general very hostile to foreigners and got very competent military leaders, resulting in the Rif Wars in the 1920s which basically was like a Vietnam for Spain, causing massive casualties and unrest inside Spain itself.

[@javijovemorate3345]

@David Garcia I mean had they not had to maintain still large possesions they would've been able to commit far sooner to african enterprises, potentially securing a larger territory in Morroco or larger territories in Equatorial Guinea the thing is, however, Spain would've never relinquished Cuba or the Philipines peacefully, it has to be understood that Cuba for instance had been Spanish until then for 300 years and Spaniards much like Portuguese did not see Cuba as a colony rather as an integral part of Spain much like Barcelona or any other part of mainland Spain, selling it would be like expecting the US doing so with one of their member states that simply couldn't have happened.

[@javijovemorate3345]

@David Garcia Some territories could've been at the very least saved from the Paris Peace conference, American war aims initially were merely to take Cuba, only after the war dragged on did they decide to go after the Philipines and Puerto Rico.

[@FBI.capturo.gente.rara.]

@David Garcia Would the United States sell California to Mexico? Cuba and the Philippines already had representation in the Spanish government, in addition to the fact that Spain was investing a lot in the first railway that was built.

[@dormsguard]

I love the little extras you throw in, and am positively crying from the little bit tacked on to the chalk board to show how far Spain's economy had tanked. I look forward to watching all your episodes. Keep them coming.

[@megatronVS]

Strapped a Palestinian child to a humvee recently?

[@DrRiq]

@@megatronVS based

[@chompchompmaster2885]

Jew!

[@franciscofranco8943]

🇮🇱🔥

[@KouNagai]

flag is disgusting

[@febrian0079]

"How did Europe and the Islamic world reacted to the Mongol Invasion" Would be a good question

[@johanngaiusisinwingazuluah2116]

By getting decimated

[@deron2203]

Answer: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HORSE PEOPLE

[@christidiscipulus1576]

Yes yes keep attacking them no no not us, THEM

[@MrFarmer110]

@Mars I think that pretty much sums up the mood in Europe at the time quite nicely.

[@kamakiller1145]

Flashbacks to poland and hungary getting clapped

[@Longshanks1690]

“Spain, to use the technical term, was broke by this point” Again?

[@LeonDractus]

Still.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

Always.

[@jjgf8412]

Always, and happy

[@Dalynx09]

We kind of had a fairly strong claim in Equatorial Guinea and around that area, but we got little mostly because of the reasons in the video and also France wanted the territory for itself

[@LouisMota]

Portugal gave you Equatorial Guinea.

[@darklord7069]

@@LouisMota it was actually the island off the coast of Equatorial Guinea

[@brandonlyon730]

@@darklord7069 Fernando Po?

[@robertnino8997]

Those little island could of been a huge for boost for Spain with all the oil that been discovered

[@darklord7069]

@@brandonlyon730 yes and after Spain started entering through the river

[@cbrtdgh4210]

To be fair, Spain retained equatorial guinea in a real colonial style, plantations and all, until 1968. There is a good film about it - Palm Trees in the Snow.

[@Airland-xx3pr]

They were obligated to leave by UN and others, I think by that time ecuatorial guinea was part of Spain (Like Madrid), or it was passing the law and to, same with Sahara. Ceuta and Melilla managed to stay as integral parts of Spain. Also the population loved Spain, I'm not even Spanish but is undeniable, today E.Guinea is a french puppet (Franco RDA) and is full of corruption and stuff.

[@MeathMapper]

Once again, the great history matters gives us the questions we never thought about but we watch them because why not.

[@cshelley5658]

Watching this in hospital and you're gift for making any subject matter chuckle inducing & bleakly wholesome is really helping 🙂

[@Ell_SS_XD1]

Hope you feel better soon! 😊

[@Thebreakdownshow1]

ThE ANIMATIONS are just pure gold my freind. I would like to hire you for my Contnet lol.

[@Prussia_]

If Spain had James Bisonette they could have just bought the French, German and British fleet to fend forr the spanish

[@GuildsmanPirate]

The Pope drawing a line in a map and Africa being on the Portuguese side, thus no historical claims for Spain is such a funny concept to me

[@MarcelinoDeseo]

1:07 Well, Spain got the Philippines, which should have been for Portugal as per treaty.

[@LautaroArgentino]

@@MarcelinoDeseo How? Without the Treaty of Zaragoza both Portugal and Spain could have claimed the Philippines.

[@Toonrick12]

@@LautaroArgentino Because when Spain conquered the Philippines, Portugal couldn't complain because it had the same King as Spain.

[@LautaroArgentino]

@@Toonrick12 But the treaty of Tordesillas never put a limit on how much west or how much east each territory would extend. So it could've gone either way.

[@oenrn]

The treaty was more of a general guideline than anything else. Spain didn't object when Portugal started colonizing Brazil beyond the Tordesillas line, and likewise Portugal didn't object when Spain colonized the Philipines, which fell on the Portuguese half. So rather than enforcing strict demarcations (which were hardly possible at the time as geography wasn't that precise), it was more a case of "so long as you more or less stick to your side, a couple hundred miles in this or that direction aren't worth going to war over."

[@jonathancurran5366]

Also 1898, the Spanish-American war was a disaster for Spain. Also the history of the international zone in Tangier would make for a good video if you're interested.

[@scintillam_dei]

SPain helped the US get independence only for the evil US to stab it in the back with the inside job sinking of the Maine which they made sure rhymed with Spain for good propaganda.

[@TheLocalLt]

@@scintillam_dei actually Spain had its knife in America’s back throughout the entirety of America’s War of Independence, Spain was a co-belligerent but not an ally, only allying with France against Britain, and refused to recognize the American republic until the war was won. Spain then sold the Louisiana Territory back to France, who only a few months later sold it to America. America never trusted Spain and saw it and it’s successor states such as Mexico as a major regional rival. America supported Cuban independence in the 1860s and 70s, and then with the rise of more propagandistic journalism techniques, the public was ready and willing for a war over Cuba with Spain at the slightest prompting. It was inevitable, regardless of the trigger, especially since the Navy brass wanted the Philippines and other Pacific islands as bases (and despite the outcome of the war and taking over the Philippines, America still didn’t get all of the Spanish East Indies as some were taken by Germany, which then later became Japanese after WWI, until American finally took them in the bloody island-hopping campaigns of WWII).

[@scintillam_dei]

@@TheLocalLt You're either a big liar or your ignorance is big. Probably both. "Gálvez aided France and the newly formed nation the United States of America in the American Revolutionary War, defeating the British at the siege of Pensacola (1781) and conquering West Florida" "never trusted" Irrelevant that traitors didn't trust the Spanish (ironic). The fact remains that you are ingrates which is evil.

[@TheLocalLt]

@@scintillam_dei they did defeat the British in the Southland and they did give aid to the nascent American republic, but they did not ally themselves with America and was hesitant in establishing ties due to its (correct) perception of America as a major future rival in the region.

[@scintillam_dei]

@@TheLocalLt It didn't have to be an official alliance for them to be on the same side against the British. America isn't a country. It's a continent so big it is divided into 2. If China called itself Asia, would that be arrogant? The first land called América was in South America anyway. The United Snakes isn't even half of America. It admits that Central Americans exist, so it admits Kansas is not the center of America. Without Spain, the US would never have existed. The English were cowards who didn't cross the Atlantic until learning of Spaniards and an Italian doing it. Masons colluded to make the US great. Russia, France and Spain gave it many lands. Mainstream history is a joke like a PG Disney version of a Grimm tale.

[@Longshanks1690]

“Belgium, which had existed for like five minutes at this point” They should be grateful to exist at all smh.

[@TheRealKingLeopoldII]

Excuse me? I don't see you having a beautiful hand collection of Africans like I do.

[@MrFarmer110]

I know right? The main reason they exist was because Britain didn't want France to have the southern part of what is now Belgium, because reasons.

[@christidiscipulus1576]

got bullied so hard in Europe they had to start wars with people armed with spears so that they could know how it felt like to win.

[@xgcsurreal2608]

@@MrFarmer110 to quote someone idk "Because France can't have nice things, was British foreign policy for over 400 years at this point."

[@TheRealKingLeopoldII]

@@MrFarmer110 that's just not true. We revolted ourselves. We wanted independence. France and the UK just supported us. France saw us as a good French speaking ally and the UK saw it as a good way to weaken their biggest naval rival, the Dutch.

[@lim-dulspaladin50]

I love your sense of humor, and always an entertaining peek at history.

[@TheLocalLt]

Nice topic! Spain actually still holds the only European possessions on mainland Africa, the ports of Ceuta and Melilla in the Maghreb. If you want to know more about Spanish Morocco, Ceuta, Melilla, Ifni, and the Sahara, there’s a great two-part documentary over on the Wayback history channel called “Spanish Morocco and Spanish West Africa”.

[@gabrielalejandrosarmientos527]

Spain got a sweet revenge

[@howardstern8720]

Equatorial Guinea

[@baltasarmelchor935]

ceuta and melillan They have never been Moroccan, in fact, before Morocco existed, they were already there.

[@Airland-xx3pr]

Well, technically a state possession yes, but don't wonder who controls many African governments.

[@Frankenbutt99]

Spain: collapsing into anarchy, suffering from revolutions and counter-revolutions, setting the stage for civil war History Matters: literally 1884

[@Gloriaimperial1]

-France plunged into anarchy: revolution of 1789, 1830, 1848, defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, with the invasion of Paris in 1870. First World War. German invasion of France in 1940-44. Defeats in Vietnam and Algeria. -Italy: wars of liberation, revolutions, fascism, defeat in Abyssinia, Greece and Albania, defeat in WW2, terrorism of the red brigades -Germany plunged into anarchy: defeat in WW1, rise of fascism, Nazi concentration camps, with 6 million dead. Soviet invasion of Berlin, terrorism after WW2 -Portugal, Russia, Greece, Austria, Polska... The only way not to be plunged into anarchy is to be an island, like the United Kingdom, Japan or Iceland, to stop the infiltration of revolutions, communism and fascism.

[@cooldrip6283]

I love your channel, you’ve got so much information to share

[@eddiemcdonagh_]

I love this channel I get answers to questions I never thought of.

[@nihmalmaharaj376]

Hi, a very interesting topic to make a video on is: What did the world think when stalin died Also love the content and just randomness of the videos

[@DudeWatIsThis]

Spain: "I have the World's largest colonial Empire!" Napoleon: "Hold my croissant." Napoleon again: "I am the World's most successful conqueror!" Spain: "Hold my tortilla (con cebolla)."

[@ronheil6558]

Interesting. I was always under the impression that Spain had little involvement with Africa due to them focusing on South America instead. I also realize now that the timelines don't quite work out that way.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

Indeed! In fact, the Spanish government desperately tried to get something out of the Berlin conference in order to make up for the loss of much of their American empire. They just weren't in a position to compete with the newer, more powerful colonial powers.

[@scintillam_dei]

Spain had half of North America. México and Florida and California are in North America. SPain discvoered Hawaii first. Spain explored the coast of Virginia before the English genocidal maniacs got there.

[@scintillam_dei]

@Michelle Spain today is the opposite of the glorious Spain of the past.

[@dusk6159]

@Michelle Sadly, Mexico (and not only that of course) is what it is exactly because of the spanish contact and context.

[@1lyxbollyvykn714]

@@dusk6159 not at all. it's because they chose to be first a republic rather than making the transition from monarchy to republic through a constitutional monarchy. Spain built a social structure so reliant on a monarchy that, at the time many countries became independent, the figure of power who was the king dissapeared and many failed to understand what is the state or who holds power, because power in republics is ethereal ( no one embodies it, making it diffcult to determine people accountable of political acts) Monarchies by themselves are a stable system of goverment (it's no coincidence many European powers were ruled by monarchies). In latin america, suddenly moving from a system where power was well established to a system where you don't know who holds power gave strongmen the chance to seize power. Many descendents of spaniards supported strongmen that were aligned to their interests, building the state to their benefit. This was the foundation pattern of many countries in latin america. They were doomed from the start. Many countries weren't ready to be independent because self management overtook them.

[@meatilicious1900]

Kurzgesagt, oversimplified and history matters all uploading in the same day? My god it's a blessing

[@Chase1493]

Wow I had legitimately wondered about this and here you provide. Bless!

[@robbieflores7712]

Great video once again! But I'll like to point something out: you placed the Philippines (my home country) under the Portuguese part of the Treaty of Tordesillas, when in fact the Spanish occupied it for 333 years (hence a Spanish colony). Aside from that, great content!!

[@duck1ente]

Sa 1:08 , Pinapakita lang yung hatian sa treaty ng Tordesillas hindi mismo yung nasasakupan ng dalawang bansa (Spain and Portugal).Hindi naman nasunod ng maayos yang treaty na yan, dahil kung mapapansin mo, ang border ng Brazil (colony ng Portugal) ay lampas na sa linya ng Tordesillas, ang Pilipinas naman ay nasa loob ng sphere of influence ng Portugal ayon sa Tordesillas, pero ang Moluccas ay nasa loob ng Spain. Pero spanish colony ang Pilipinas at Portuguese ang Moluccas, later Dutch.

[@FBI.capturo.gente.rara.]

The Portuguese had East Timor, Macao and Goa.

[@oldwine2401]

Portgual have a lot territories in asia

[@Danold123THK]

Portugal also violated the treaty when the surparsed the frontier in Brasil during colonial era

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

I miss the rains down in Africa. The rains in Spain fall mostly on the plains.

[@Alejojojo6]

Quite ironically, the rain in spain falls mostly in the northern coast (Which look like Ireland or the UK) while the plains are super dry xD

[@Danold123THK]

​@@Alejojojo6 the plains are quite rainy is the early months of spring, only certain parts of Spain are very dry, the fact that the land is not that good for farming is another thing

[@navnoorsingh8792]

Thanks for answering something which I'd been wondering about for a long time !

[@jaydenvanas8752]

Been asking this question for so long Thanks History Matters

[@totsiebaquiran10]

Fun fact: Equatorial Guinea is the only speaking Spanish African nation. having become independent from Spain on October 12, 1968, during the eleventh Government of Francisco Franco, as part of the "process of decolonization of Africa", supported by the United Nations. Edit: Yeah as you may not know. You already seen the map of Equatorial Guinea there

[@maas1208]

Certain sections of Morocco speak Spanish but most of it comes from the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

[@padraigfenton1028]

Most know why Spain didn’t join WW2 (it was a flaming mess, didn’t need a war to add to that) but why was it neutral in WW1? Thoughts on that as a video you topic? I’d be interested but too lazy to check myself And wanted to say I massively enjoy your video!! He actually made the video in less then a month😭 my respect for this man

[@ArkadiBolschek]

I mean... exactly the same reason?

[@jjgf8412]

Very easy: we didn't want to die at war.Also it was better selling weapons than using them,it was a huge economic boost... That we lost in the civil war.

[@shiny_teddiursa]

because it was a flaming mess during WW1 also

[@jjgf8412]

@@shiny_teddiursa also, like a few years bf we had a huge mess in Africa, and the war against us in 98. Also we weren't like best buddies with anybody involved so what's the point of fighting?

[@riograndedosulball248]

Because almost every single major power involved had been dunking on Spain for the last 30-100 years, so Spain just let them all burn

[@adamkauffman9311]

Another great video! I’d love to see a video about the history of Equatorial Guinea and how it traded hands between French, Portuguese, and Spanish before becoming independent. Thanks!

[@richardadams7801]

One of three channels I always have notifications for uploads.

[@maryannemooty2983]

God. History Matters you are a great channel. the way you teach history while keeping it simple and making sense. you are awesome and i love your channel.

[@anotherone3340]

Fun fact: The Tready of Tordesillas divided the world at the Tordesillas meridian which is 100 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. But they didn't notice the world is round so if you go west you eventually reach the east. So they did the Treaty of Zaragoza in 1529 to create another meridian in the pacific to fix this.

[@bigchungus5065]

Wdym didn’t notice, the whole reason the Americas was found and Tordesillas happening as a result was because some bloke decided the ocean can’t be that long to circumnavigate.

[@tahbit]

This channel gives me joy.

[@jacobadams8407]

Thank you I have always wondered about this!

[@Jedi_Spartan_38]

1:27 "For example: Belgium... which had existed for like 5 minutes at this point."

[@Robbstark2024]

Spain: I’m only getting this much territory in Africa?? Russia: you’re getting territory in Africa?

[@michaelpalmer5743]

I love these videos!!! I am curious about how chaotic a video about later Han of china or the warring states of japan would be. So many leaders “coming down with a slight death” during that period.

[@christopherhoffer6643]

It is very ironic that in the modern day, Spain is the only European nation with territory in Africa.

[@scintillam_dei]

Spain is closest to Africa, so it's not that ironic.

[@ikad5229]

Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands have nothing to do with 19th Century colonization.

[@FBI.capturo.gente.rara.]

Francia reino unido y países bajos aún tienen territorio en África y el caribe

[@TheValdevor]

it is the same as saying that: "it is funny to say that Turkey has European territories"

[@patatilla6727]

Thise are not colonies, they have been Spanish territories for centuries

[@peterg76yt]

It all goes back to Napoleon. Seriously, Spain was one of many places that was never the same after the French occupation. Spanish America even more so.

[@oenrn]

This is true for most of Europe.

[@GXSergio]

If it werent because of that, most probably today mexico would be the center of the world, as they had the potential to be the true capital of the hispanic empire.

[@ilFrancotti]

An Italian made Spain great, another Italian turned Spain back to dust.

[@shiny_teddiursa]

@@GXSergio umm no, latin america was shit the moment it came under spanish rule, Napolean not invading wouldn’t change this.

[@GXSergio]

@@shiny_teddiursa That's false, Hispanic América was fully developed by Spain with modern stone cities and public infrastructure while the anglos were still living at cottages and sheds...

[@staffan-]

The fact that the modern-day border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea ultimately comes from a treaty between two countries on the Iberian penninsula in 1529...

[@m.aununu.musaffa7466]

No... dutch and britain make few little adjustment at the south part border

[@scintillam_dei]

Papuans want independence from Indonesians in the east of Indonesia.

[@JohnSmith-sl2qc]

@@m.aununu.musaffa7466 Dutch and AUSTRALIANS

[@felixmcgrath8511]

Can you bring back some 10 min history videos. I subbed back then and loved them. Still love the videos now but a few longer form ones would be amazing!

[@epicgamerzfail4575]

Spain: *has almost half the globe* Also Spain: *can I have some of africa*

[@ArkadiBolschek]

LOL. Not at the same time, though.

[@scintillam_dei]

SPain owned the Pacific OCean which is bigger than the Mongol Empire. The Brits' empire was smaller. ONly hypocrites count grains of sand in an Australian desert but then say oceans don't matter. Only by moving the goalpost do Brits have the rophey of biggest ever. THey are second-place LOSERS forever. So glad I live to see videos of the UKly flag fall in Hong Kong, and of Londonistan being a thing. :-)

[@TheMarkster245]

Netherlands: I want South Africa, I want Nigeria, I want Madagascar…. Britain and France: YOU’LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

[@scintillam_dei]

Funny how the Dutch needed to go through English and French waters to get to their empire holdings. So vulnerable.

[@SpaceMonkeyBoi]

Spain: "man, this sucks! I wish we could have gotten more of Africa... but hey, at least we have south American territory and the Philippines." US: "about that..."

[@GarkKahn]

South america: about that... Just accept our relationship is over

[@GarkKahn]

No seriously By that time spain only had some parts of the caribbean in the continent South america parted ways after napoleon

[@miserablechicken7546]

The: "stroopwafels zijn lekker" was the cream on top, i love your channel

[@notexan182]

I love this channel. So so much

[@Matt10670]

Spain after conference: "Well, at least we didn't lose anything." United States: "hehehehehehehe..."

[@MrIntroman]

As a representative of the Low Lands, I can confirm that 'stroopwafels' are, indeed, 'heerlijk' 🇳🇱

[@Word187]

Amen!

[@remkonator]

And they are indeed Dutch and not Belgian of origin!

[@DuffyTVv]

"It's us or Germany"

[@Yora21]

I only speak Low German, but that seems like an odd statement for a conference.

[@scintillam_dei]

If I visit the Netherlands, I must learn Arabic.

[@congnghecamera]

your videos are very good i will always watch your videos

[@themetalfox3725]

Interesting video! I’d also like to know more about how Spain ruled the parts of Africa it had

[@teun30fps25]

2:33 completely agree with the dutch statement

[@laurenskoenjer84]

I wonder how many people got this joke.

[@jeffsanders1609]

You could say Spain is the ultimate winner of the Scramble for Africa since it still has Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands while the other European powers kept nothing

[@howardstern8720]

Equatorial Guinea

[@patatilla6727]

Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla were Spanish territories before the Scramble. Nowadays they are recogniced as spanish former territories by the UN

[@PhilWood82]

1:51 Spain: Zero Money James Bissonette: (walks out of frame)

[@harryh5620]

Brilliant as always

[@Jordan-bq9rn]

1:19 i would like to point out a mistake you made there . In your video you said that Spain owned the shaded portion but later on had an agreement with France changing the border, well the problem is that that statement was wrong . That portion you mentioned was prior owned by Germany and the UK (That area was predominantly administered by the British with minimal German activity there) until Britain and Germany came to an agreement seeding the entire territory to Germany. How do I know this ? Turns out I am from that region (today’s Cameroon 🇨🇲) and we learn this in history class. PS no hate just wanted to point out a mistake.

[@EduNauram]

Spanish 19th century history is so fascinating and so chaotic

[@aitoriri1]

You can see how every time Spain had to make a choice in the 19th century fucked it up even harder

[@Gloriaimperial1]

The History of France in the Nineteenth Century: The Rise and Defeat of Napoleon 1800-1814. Monarchy 1814-1830. Revolution of 1830. Monarchy 1830-48. Revolution of 1848. Republic 1848-1852. Empire of 1842-1870. Prussian invasion of Paris 1870...

[@EduNauram]

@@Gloriaimperial1 spain, napoleon 00-14, absolutism 14-20, liberal revolution 20-23, absolutism again 23-33, monarchy, 2 civil wars 33-68, revolution savoy monarchy and republic 68-74, monarchy 74-1900

[@Gloriaimperial1]

@@EduNauram Spain had a very troubled history, since 1808, I admit. Including the loss of the Spanish empire, and the civil war in the 20th century, as well as another dictatorship. But it is not a unique case: France lost her empire in the 20th century, with defeats in Vietnam and Algeria, WW1 and Paris invaded in 1944 (well, almost all of France) Germany is unified in 1860 (in that decade), but many small kingdoms, before that time (19th century) like Bavaria, also had many tensions. And between 1914-1989, Germany has two humiliating defeats in WW1 and WW2, fascism, Nazi concentration camps, terrorism, and the divided country, with a communist side (all in the 20th century). Italy, Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Portugal, Ireland... The only way to save one from revolutionary and communist infiltration or wars, is to be an island, like the UK, Iceland and Japan. We can talk about the disasters in continental Asia, while Japan lives quietly, like the United Kingdom.

[@monotonesandwich8968]

Nice timing :D

[@DarwyBfW]

Thanks for explaining that question 🥳

[@SusaVile]

"Most.Ambitious.Treaty.Ever" as a Portuguese born and raised with Spanish nationality, I claim the whole world, muahahahaha;)

[@MF-zj3zl]

Spain: We were once one of the great powers of the world. How did it all go so wrong? Europe, opening ledger: Where would you like to begin?

[@scintillam_dei]

Not one of. THE GREATEST. The British never had an empire as big. Only idiots count every grain of sand in Australia's desrets, while saying oceans don't count.

[@FBI.capturo.gente.rara.]

If you'll excuse me, I recommend the book "great sailors who broke the united kingdom's ass"

[@prakashghumaliya2002]

Thank you for video sir

[@moboutmen]

Love the blackboard extension at 2:02

[@EdSmith7464]

1:02 "Treaty of Tordesilhas. Most. Ambitious. Treaty. Ever" Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!!! 🇵🇹

[@GlamorousTitanic21]

The amount of land you got at that time mainly depended on how strong your military was (in particular your navy). In that regard Britain was the unquestioned boss at the table. But for land army’s France and Prussia pretty much took the cake. Spain by that point was a dying empire, much in the same way as Britain following WW2.

[@brandonlyon730]

And just few decades later they end up losing there last major colonies to a former colony itself. In just a one month war.

[@Thegoldenwizard630]

Leopold II: wait you need a navy to defend it? Wierd

[@benyseus6325]

@@brandonlyon730 yeah USA stole Philippines, Cuba and all the pacific islands from Spain, in addition to stealing California and Texas from Mexico. USA just steals, steals and steals from Hispanic peoples and then complains when they come back to resettle.

[@spk1121]

Benyseus: Spain just benignly "acquired" those lands and the USA "stole" them, huh? Interesting...

[@pecadodeorgullo5963]

@@benyseus6325 Spain sold its remaining Pacific Islands to Germany following the war with the usa. Also, the lands the usa took from Spain were originally stolen by Spain from another who probably did the same so your statement is invalid. Most of your comment is non factual.

[@ThePeacemaker848]

Spain: rubbing hands together at conference. Portugal: comes waving a 300year old piece of paper "nope nope nope nope nope".

[@IanHGamer]

I was asking myself the same question 2 days ago! No joke, what a coincidence lol

[@CountRemy_TheRealCount]

The scramble for Africa was basically the Lazytown "Mine" song in real life

[@jon6309]

Spain is still one of the European countries to have remnants in Africa with The Canary Islands along with Ceuta and Melilla!

[@andresperedo1275]

but those are not colonies

[@THACHICKENSQUAD]

These are spanish territories.dumb

[@jon6309]

@@andresperedo1275 they are still in the African region. This is just like saying French Guiana 🇬🇫 is a territory of France when it’s all the way in South America. All remnants of colonialism has been re-named as territories. Look at Puerto Rico 🇵🇷! As someone living in the United States I still see them as distinct despite them being a US territory especially with the history of how the USA got possession of it. It’s the same as the Canary Islands along with Ceuta and Melilla. They weren’t part of the kingdom of Spain from the very beginning of the kingdom but were later incorporated as the Spanish started expanding and colonizing outside of mainland Spain!

[@ces5263]

@@jon6309 Melilla and the canary islands were part of Castile , so that was before spain exist, Ceuta at that time was portuguese, Puerto Rico is a colony cause they dont have the same rights as the rest of the americans, the citizens of this spanish territories are the same as the ones who lived in the peninsula. Ceuta and Melilla were ruled from the peninsula since classic times, roman, visigoths and the muslim kingdoms in Iberia controlled this territories. Have territory in other continent doesnt make it a colony.

[@juanlapuente833]

@@jon6309 Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands are European from the Middle Ages, the Canary Islands never belonged to any country before and Canarians are Spanish, just ask them.

[@marthinusjs1]

That small blackboard, below the blackboard, made my day😂

[@IMJACKMADDEN]

Great video. Note, the singular of criteria is criterion

[@joshuasims5421]

1:06 does that explain the border of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia? Whether yes or no, could you make a video about that?

[@adamkerman475]

I wanna know too.

[@ddc2957]

One thing not a lot of people are familiar with is the plan of Spain to capture colonial era Australia from the British, in the early days of the country. They strategised an attack from South America to capture the continent, but never pursued it to its end. Would love to see a video on it.

[@mikespearwood3914]

Never knew that!

[@aegonii8471]

That would be badass, during what years were they planning this.

[@ddc2957]

After a Spanish expedition landed in Sydney in 1793 (five years after Australia’s federation as a country) the Spanish crown approved an assault involving a 100-strong fleet to sail in from Latin America & completely eradicate the British presence on the island, but for whatever reason, ships constructed for the attack in Uruguay never saw the task through. Supposedly the historians’ view is that the British would have recovered the island even if they’d initially lost it, which might have been the Spanish conclusion too. Seeing how English & Spanish colonies have turned out economically & politically, I count myself lucky as an Australian this plan never worked out.

[@mikespearwood3914]

@@ddc2957 Australia federated in 1901. 1793 was five years after the first British colony on the continent: New South Wales (Sydney) was established.

[@ddc2957]

My mistake on that one 👍🏼

[@Scott89878]

Partyboyco needs to come back as a patron, just because it's phonetically satisfying to hear that name and because it reminds of me of Chris Pontius doing his skit on Jackass. At one point, he was just as big as James Bissonnette, but vanished for some reason.

[@Nova_PoIska]

I love history matters I don’t about you but he is amazing

[@guillaumehouel7509]

"Spain woz 'ere" is sadly our national motto since Napoleon era Im not crying, just so you know! Well, maybe a little... Damn you, Napoleon!!

[@LautaroArgentino]

The Viceroyalties revolted for a reason, maybe if Spain had had better foresight and relations with its empire and allowed for some concessions here and there we wouldn't have revolted at the first opportunity we had. Napoleon invading Spain was simply a catalyst for what would've happened sooner or later.

[@guillaumehouel7509]

@@LautaroArgentino I completely agree. At this point Spain was in a not so much better state than the late holy roman empire and honestly from Napoleon point of view, it was a logical decision to invade because we were ready to fall apart in the hand of UK and Portugal. His big mistake was to appoint his brother as a king tho, and not someone from the spanish royalty to keep a certain legitimacy. That may have prevented the huge rebellion that followed. But that the eternal problem of empires; corruption, desorganization, no willingness to change even to survive. They all eventually get to their breaking point because of that. Don't get me wrong, I highly respect Napoleon and what he has done, it was just for the joke^^

[@rabidlorax1650]

If only James Bisonnette had funded Spain, it wouldn’t have been so broke.

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@carsiau]

When I see a new History Matters video, I immediately click on it no matter where I am or what time it is. I am even even furious atm hence it was loaded 28 minutes ago already...