This book is the first modern overview of the history of historiography in Spain. It covers
sources from Juan de Marianäs History of Spain written at the end of the sixteenth century up
to current historical writings and their context. The main objective of the book is to shed
light on the continuities and breaks in the ways that Spanish historians represented ideas of
Spain. The concept of historiography used is wide enough to span not only academic works and
institutions but also public uses of history including the history taught in schools. The
methodology employed by the author combines the tradition of studies of national identity with
those of historiography. One of the key themes in the book is the role of the historical
profession in Spain and its influence on national discourse from the nineteenth century
onwards.
