Galiza / Galicia DATES

120000 BCE: Humans appear in what today is Galicia (estimate).

8000-2000 BCE: Megalithic Culture. Maritime contacts with Atlantic Europe.

2000-1000 BCE: Bronze Age. Sea-trade with Atlantic Europe and the Mediterranean.

1000 BCE: First arrival of Celtic peoples (estimate).

600-25 BCE: Cultura Castreja: A Celtic civilisation based in Galicia.

25 BCE: Establishment of the Roman Empire. Introduction of Latin language and Roman law. Weak level of Romanization: hybrid culture. Gallaecia province.

2ndC CE: Introduction of Christianity (mixes with Celtic religion).

4th - 5thC CE: Priscilianism, Galicia's own Christian movement, strongly influenced by Druidry.

410 CE: Foundation of the Galician Swabian Kingdom, by means of a treaty (foedus) with Rome. Galicia is "the first country in the history of Europe". Period of territorial, cultural and economic growth

5thC CE: Last Celtic migration to Northern Galicia.

585-711 CE: End of Swabian Dynasty. Visigoth rule (Viceroys).

711 CE: Muslim occupation of Iberia: Visigoth Empire is dismantled. Reestablishment of the Galician Crown. Muslims never successfully conquer Galicia, yet they temporarily attack and occupy the southern part of the Kingdom.

813 CE: "Discovery" of the remains of St. James the Apostle: ancient pilgrimage route is Christianised and reactivated (Way of St. James). Galicia progressively becomes the dominant force among Iberian Christian kingdoms. Growing stability.

846-1008 CE: Waves of Viking invasions.

1037: Vermudo III dies: end of the direct succession of the Galician Dynasty.

1065-1072: Garcia II King of Galicia: attempts to restructure and revitalise the Kingdom.

1072-1110: Political instability: dynastic wars.

1093: Era Compostelã: cultural splendour that lasts for more than a century.

1121: Independence of the county of Portugal. The Kingdom splits in two halves.

1175: First known official document written in Galician-Portuguese language.

1230: Afonso VIII dies: Castile arises as a new force in Iberia. Galician culture will yet flourish, but Galicia's political influence gradually diminishes.

1366-1387: Attempts made in the search of a union/alliance with Portugal.

1431-1469: Revoltas Irmandinhas: major popular uprisings against nobility.

1474: Dynastic conflicts in Castile: sectors of Galician nobility seek to recover former supremacy and an alliance with Portugal.

1483: End of armed resistance to Castilian forces.

1486: Spanish 'Catholic Monarchs' initiate their policy of «taming and castration of the Kingdom of Galicia». Galicia becomes a colony.

Late 15thC to 18thC: 'The Dark Centuries': Cultural, political, administrative and economic activity is controlled by Spain. Rurality and isolation: backwardness. Emigration.

1st half 19thC: Mass emigration to South America.

1808-1813: War of Independence against France (Napoleonic occupation). Spanish troops retreat. Autonomy. Establishment of the Xunta (Galician Government).

1812: Xunta proclaims Galicia's self-rule, but soon Galicia is reoccupied by Spain.

1833: Galicia formally loses its condition of kingdom: Spain moves towards the creation of a centralised nation-state (imitating the French model).

1840-1846: Provincialism: reactivation of the Galician self-consciousness.

1846: Military uprising: claim for self-rule. The Martyrs of Carral.

2nd half 19th C: Regionalism and Federalism. Intense cultural revival: the Rexurdimento ('Renaissance').

1st half 20th C: Emigration to the Americas. Xeración Nós ('Generation Us'): Nationalism.

1921: Failed attempt to proclaim a Republic of Galicia.

1931: Yet another failed attempt to proclaim a Republic of Galicia.

1933: Galicia joins the League of Nations (predecessor of the UN) as a stateless nation.

1936: Galician Statute of Autonomy: partial recovery of self-government within the framework of the Spanish II Republic. Debates on the prospect of a Galician Free State (following the Irish example).

1936-1939: Spanish Civil War: victory of Spanish nationalists led by General Franco. The Republic is put to an end. Political refugees. Exile

1939-1975: Francoist Dictatorship («Long Night of Stone»): Autonomy is revoked. Cultural, political and ideological repression until mid 1950s.

1960s: Partial relaxation of Francoist regime: gradual reactivation of the Galician resistance and culture. Emigration towards Western Europe and Spain.

1975: Franco dies: restoration of Spanish monarchy and start of a new political regime. Emigration stops.

1981: New Statute of Autonomy is passed: Galicia recovers partial self-government and national status is implicitly recognised. Yet, Galicia is curtailed from international representation.

1990s: Spanish nationalism and centralism: fears over Galicia's autonomy. Emigration resumes.

2002: Coastal oil-spill: environmental catastrophe. Activation of major civil/grassroots and political movements.

2004: Galician culture is considered «endangered» by UNESCO.

2005-2009: Debates on the reform of the Galician government laws.

For an in-depth analysis of Galicia's role in the Spanish State and further political, administrative and territorial issues check "The administrative and territorial structure of the Spanish State. Galicia within its framework". This is chapter three of Paredes, X.M. (2004, revised in 2007) Territorial management and planning in Galicia: From its origins to end of Fraga administration, 1950s - 2004 - MPhil Thesis, Dept. of Geography, University College Cork, Ireland

All materials contained in this site are free to use and distribute if referencing source and author. No alteration, amendment or modification whatsoever is allowed.