Basque Country history - Basque Country culture

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Basque Country History: Down through the ages from Iron to Titanium

100,000 YEARS AGO
Research has ruled out a number of theories that the first Basques arrived from far-off places. The forebears of today's Basques had been here for over 100,000 years and probably already spoke a language similar to the local Euskera some 7,000 years ago, just imagine! The Stone Age Basques left us menhirs, dol mens, stone circles and paintings on the walls of the Santimamiñe and Ventalaperra caves in Bizkaia, and on those of Ekain and Altxerri in Gipuzkoa. Even in the Stone Age a number of communities already existed such as La Hoya, the remains of which can sti 11 be visited in the Rioja alavesa region. PROVINCIAL AUTHORISATION. Charters are ancient social customs that have become legal with time. When the Basque territories, until then linked to the kingdom of Navarre, became part of the Castilian crown (Gipuzkoa and Alava in 1200; Bizkaia in 1379), they maintained their charters and administrations in the shape of the Juntas Generales. In fact, the Castilian kings had to swear that they would respect these charters and the juntas had the right to veto royal orders by means of
a so-called PASE FORAL, or PROVINCIAL AUTHORISATION. On the other hand, agreements taken by the Juntas Generales had to be approved by the monarchy. This peculiar form of self-government continued until the late 19th century.

FOREIGN TRADE
The Basque country, a land of fishermen, played an extremely important part in naval trade with America throughout the 18th century. The Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas, which at one stage had as many as fifty vessels and the exclusive right to trade with Venezuela, brought prosperity to both Donostia-San Sebastian and to the nearby Pasaia. The company's move to Madrid and the subsequent industrial development in the province of Bizkaia nevertheless lent greater importance in the next century to the port of Bilbao.

A REVOLUTION IF EVER THERE WAS ONE
Industrialisation in the second half of the 19th century brought enormous change to the Basque Country. From the installation of the first blast furnaces, namely those of Santa Ana in Bolueta (1849), industrial revolution and economic development transformed the landscape of Greater Bilbao and an important part of Gipuzkoa. While Bizkaia specialised in the iron and steel and naval industries, Gipuzkoa began specialising in the making of paper and machine tools. This period saw the beginning of decline in the agricultural world. The arrival of immigrants led the population of Bizkaia to double in barely fifty years.

THE NEW BASQUE COUNTRY
Having recovered from the consequences of the industrial crisis, the last few years of
the 20th century saw local technological and social development, not to mention the renovation of infrastructures and equipment. Perhaps the titanium of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is the best image of this new Basque Country as it strides into the 21 st century.

THE FIRST PERSON TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY ROUND
Primus circundedisti me. That was the motto on the coat of arms bearing a globe of the earth awarded by Carlos V to a Basque man, Juan Sebastian Elkano. This sailor from Getaria was an officer on the expedition headed by Magallanes and finally became captain of the Victoria, the only ship to make it back to Sanlucar de Barrameda after having been the first to have made it round the world. Elkano's native village remembers him with a monumenr and a four-yearly represenration of his disembarkation.
Many other Basques were likewise ourstanding navigators and conquerors, such as: Andres de Urdaneta, Miguel L6pez de Legazpi, Antonio de Okendo, Cosme Damian Churruca and Juan de Garay.

	More Basque Country Information
Basque Country History Tower-Houses & Castles Basque Country monuments More history Santiago de Compostela route Fiestas and traditions A country with its own personality More Basque fiestas Culture Basque Country gastronomy More about gastronomy Top class food and drink Nature For the extremely active Nature Reserves All roads lead to this little country Biscay beaches

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