On October 12, 1992, five hundred years will have passed since Christopher Columbus made landfall on San Salvador. His voyage across the Atlantic Ocean set in motion a series of unprecedented social, political, economic, and cultural forces that changed the entire world. The Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Empire looks at the process by which Spain extended its influence across the globe. It provides more than 1,200 brief descriptive essays covering colonies, individuals, political institutions, legislation, treaties, conferences, wars, revolutions, technologies, social and religious groups, and military battles. References at the end of each entry provide sources of additional information for those wishing to pursue the subject further.

Cross-references within the text, designated by an asterisk, will help the reader to find related items. Two appendixes provide a chronology of Spanish imperialism and a list of the individuals who presided over the viceroyalties of New Granada, New Spain, Peru, and Rio de la Plata. The Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Empire is an invaluable reference tool for scholars and students alike. It should be of interest to reference librarians at college and university libraries, as well as large public libraries.