// Early modern period
Iberian Union
- Period
- AD 1582 – AD 1639
- Duration
- approx. 57 years
- Greatest extent
- around AD 1588
- Area (max.)
- approx. 809,000 km²
Period and duration
Iberian Union — according to the map data from AD 1582 to AD 1639, roughly 57 years. The dates refer to the time the empire is drawn as its own territory on the world map; historians sometimes date its founding and end differently.
Greatest extent
Iberian Union — greatest extent around AD 1588: the mapped borders then cover about 809,000 km², roughly 0.5% of Earth's land area. The area is calculated from the border lines of the map and is therefore an approximation.
Predecessors and successors
States that ruled the same territory directly before and after:
Before (AD 1581)
- Kingdom of Spain
- Spanish Empire
- Portuguese Empire
- Kingdom of Portugal
After
- Kingdom of Spain
- Spanish Empire
- Portuguese Empire
- Kingdom of Portugal
Neighbours around AD 1588
The largest states in the region at the same time:
Learn more
- Open the world map in AD 1588 — tap the empire for a detailed description
- Iberian Union on Wikipedia
- All 300 empires at a glance
Borders and dates: Cliopatria / Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0). Coastlines: Natural Earth. Text: Centaurian.