ThemiserableconditionoftheSpanishpeopleunderthisterriblereign，andthecausesoftheirsubsequentdegeneracy，havebeenwelltreatedbyMr。Motley。ThecausesofthefailureofSpanishcivilizationarepartlysocialandpartlyeconomical；andtheyhadbeenoperatingforeighthundredyearswhenPhilipsucceededtothethrone。TheMoorishconquestin711hadpracticallyisolatedSpainfromtherestofEurope。IntheCrusadesshetooknopart，andreapednoneofthesignaladvantagesresultingfromthatgreatmovement。Herwholeenergiesweredirectedtowardthrowingofftheyokeofhercivilizedbut“unbelieving“
oppressors。ForalongertimethanhasnowelapsedsincetheNormanConquestofEngland，theentireGothicpopulationofSpainwasengagedinunceasingreligiousandpatrioticwarfare。Theunlimitedpowerthusacquiredbyanunscrupulousclergy，andthespiritofuncompromisingbigotrythusimpartedtothewholenation，areinthiswayreadilyaccountedfor。Butinspiteofthis，theaffairsofSpainattheaccessionofCharlesV。werenotinanunpromisingcondition。TheSpanishVisigothshadbeentheleastbarbarousoftheTeutonicsettlerswithinthelimitsoftheEmpire；theircivilinstitutionswereexcellent；theircitieshadobtainedmunicipallibertiesatanearlierdatethanthoseofEngland；andtheirParliamentsindulgedinalibertyofspeechwhichwouldhaveseemedextravaganteventoDeMontfort。SolateasthetimeofFerdinand，theSpaniardswerestilljustlyproudoftheirfreedom；andthechivalrousambitionwhichinspiredthemarvellousexpeditionofCortestoMexico，andcoveredthesoilofItalywithSpanisharmies，wasprobablyinthemainahealthyone。ButtheforcesofSpanishfreedomwereunitedattoolateanepoch；in1492，thepowerofdespotismwasalreadyintheascendant。InEnglandthecasewasdifferent。Thebaronswereenabledtocombineandwrestpermanentprivilegesfromthecrown，atatimewhenfeudalismwasstrong。ButtheSpanishcommuneswaitedforcombinedactionuntilfeudalismhadbecomeweak，andmoderndespotism，withitsstandingarmiesanditscontrolofthespiritualpower，wasarrayedintheranksagainstthem。TheWaroftheCommunes，earlyinthereignofCharlesV。，irrevocablydecidedthecaseinfavourofdespotism，andfromthatdatetheinternaldeclineofSpainmaybesaidtohavebegun。
Butthetriumphantconsolidationofthespiritualandtemporalpowersofdespotism，andtheabnormaldevelopmentofloyaltyandbigotry，werenottheonlyevilresultsofthechronicstruggleinwhichSpainhadbeenengaged。Formanycenturies，whileChristianSpainhadbeenbutafringeofdebatableborder-landontheskirtsoftheMoorishkingdom，perpetualguerillawarfarehadrenderedconsecutivelabourdifficultorimpracticable；andthephysicalconfigurationofthecountrycontributedinbringingaboutthisresult。ToplundertheMoorsacrosstheborderwaseasierthantotillthegroundathome。ThenastheSpaniards，exemplifyingthemilitarysuperiorityofthefeudaloverthesultanicformofsocialorganization，proceededsteadilytorecoverdominionovertheland，theindustriousMoors，insteadofmigratingbackwardbeforetheadvanceoftheirconquerors，remainedathomeandsubmittedtothem。ThusSpanishsocietybecamecompoundedoftwodistinctcastes，——theMoorishSpaniards，whowereskilledlabourers，andtheGothicSpaniards，bywhomalllabour，crudeorskilful，wasdeemedthestigmaofaconqueredrace，andunworthytheattentionofrespectablepeople。AsMr。
Motleyconciselysays:——
“ThehighestindustrialandscientificcivilizationthathadbeenexhibiteduponSpanishterritorywasthatofMoorsandJews。Wheninthecourseoftimethoseraceshadbeensubjugated，massacred，ordrivenintoexile，notonlywasSpaindeprivedofitshighestintellectualcultureanditsmostproductivelabour，butintelligence，science，andindustrywereaccounteddegrading，becausethemarkofinferioranddetestedpeoples。“