During the sixteenth century Spain was Europe's greatest power; in the seventeenth century, she was still strong, but in decline; in the eighteenth century she was no longer equal to France or England. In a well written essay, explain on what the power of Spain was based and why its power disappeared over a span of three centuries. As always, some sense of time would be deeply appreciated. On what did Spain spend its riches from the new world in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? In the emerging world of national, secular states, why were the efforts of Charles I (V) and Philip II to create a great western Christian empire doomed to failure? Name some of the stupid things Spain did to try to impose its will on the rest of western Europe.