In what ways did European powers seek to chanllege Spain's monopoly and how successful were they.?

Answer 1

The English, the Dutch, the German and the French are the European powers.

ANSWER Dependending of the time that you refer: During the High Middle Ages the European powers were the Carolingian Empire, the Bizantine Empire and the Caliphate of Cordoba.

During the Low Middle Ages we can remark the Frankish/French kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire, the Crown of Aragon and still the Byzantine empire but declining until his fall in 1453.

During the Renaissance we have Spain as hegemonon, Portugal, France as major powers (and the Ottoman Empire if you consider it european). Maybe we can add England and Venice. During the XVIIth century we have Spain (declining), France as hegemonon , England, Sweden and an emerging Austria-Hungary.

During the XVIIIth century Spain falls apart as a second rate power but Prussia and Russia became emerging powers alongside France, England/UK (becoming maybe the hegemonon) and Austria-Hungary.

In the XIXth century the UK, France, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Prussia and later Germany and in the last third of the century the young kingdom of Italy.

After the WWI Austria-Hungary stops to exist and Russia leads the formation of the Soviet Union that will be a major power during the WWII with Germany, UK, France and Italy.

In the postwar is difficult to speack about eurpoean powers except the Soviet Union and maybe the UK as the world is divided between the two great superpowers (Soviet Union herself and USA).

In the modern Europe and under the European Union the most influential nations are Germany, France, UK and Italy, with the emerging Spain and Poland as potential first rank states inside the EU.