In the middle of the sixteenth century, Spain was the incubus of Europe. Gloomy and portentous, she chilled the world with her baneful shadow.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Parkman describes 16th-century Spain as a dominating, oppressive force that cast a dark influence over Europe.
- In plain terms
- Spain was a powerful and gloomy presence that negatively affected Europe during that time.
- What can you take from it?
- Dominant powers can cast long, negative shadows over their neighbors.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does power affect neighboring nations?
- What makes a nation ominous?
Another view
This view simplifies complex historical interactions into a single narrative.
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