Spanish Empire Imperio Español Imperium Hispanicum 1492 -- 1975 Flag Motto: "Plus ultra '' (Latin) "Further Beyond '' The areas of the world that at one time were territories of the Spanish Monarchy or Empire Capital Madrid (de facto; de jure since 1561, except 1601 -- 06) (Valladolid in 1601 -- 06) Common languages Spanish (de facto) Latin (formal) Italian, Sardinian, Aragonese, Asturian, Basque, Catalan, Galician, Quechua, Nahuatl, Zapotec, Maya and other indigenous languages Religion Catholic Church (official and dominant) Islam (Crypto - Islam) Inca religion Aztec religion Judaism (Crypto - Judaism) Government Composite monarchy (Hapsburgs) Absolute monarchy (Bourbons) King Conquest of the Canary Islands 1402 -- 96 Spanish landfall in the Americas 1492 Conquest of Navarre 1512 Union with Portugal 1580 -- 1640 Spanish American Wars of Independence 1808 -- 33 Treaty of Paris 10 December 1898 Withdrawal from the Spanish Sahara Currency Spanish real Escudo (from 1537) Spanish dollar (from 1598) Spanish peseta (from 1869) Preceded by Succeeded by Crown of Castile Crown of Aragon Emirate of Granada Kingdom of Navarre Burgundian Netherlands Episcopal principality of Utrecht Aztec Empire Inca Empire Maya Civilization Tondo (historical polity) Madja - as Sultanate of Sulu Louisiana (New France) Spain First Mexican Empire Gran Colombia United Provinces of the Río de la Plata Chile Bolivia Protectorate of Peru First Philippine Republic Equatorial Guinea Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Louisiana (New France) Florida Territory United States Military Government in Cuba Puerto Rico
what was the capital of a large area of the spanish empire
Madrid Valladolid