Interesting Facts About The History Of Bullfighting In Spain

By Helga Stokes


There is nothing that Spain is known for more than the bullfighting shows it hosts. During an event, a bullfight will usually last about 20 minutes. Those who enjoy the sport get excited when the matador claims his victory over his opponent. Those who are interested in the history of bullfighting in Spain will find that the sport did not start as they may think.

Although most people think of Spain when they think of this sport, similar spectacles have existed in many civilizations before. Historians have discovered wall paintings that depict similar acts that date back to 2000 BC. The pictures have a bull with people grabbing its horns and doing leaps over it.

The bull has been a sacred animal in many religions. It was used as a sacrifice for many ancient religions to worship their gods. There were also religions that thought of the bull as a god and held worship ceremonies toward it. Even in the holy Bible, the bull is mentioned many times and is always refereed to as a powerful beast. The Bible will usually use analogies and idioms about a bull to show the power and strength of it.

Ancient Rome practiced bullfighting but it did not nearly gain the popularity that future civilizations would bring to the sport. Centuries later, when men started to use capework to maneuver the bull into the position they wanted them in, fans gained a huge interest as the sport seemed more entertaining. During the 1700s, Spain introduced the sword that the matador carried and it has been part of the act ever since.

Spain is a country that went through a good share of wars in the past. Between the years of 711 and 1492, they sporadically fought in the Spanish War of the Reconquesta. When there was no battles going on, often times soldiers would get a bit bored. To pass this boredom, they would hunt different animals to pass the time. They would have easy preys such as deers and other animals and would have others that were kind of challenging like a bear.

Still, the soldiers did not find a beast that posed a great challenge. Finally, men would challenge the bull. Unlike other animals, the bull wold not be intimidated by man and would welcome his challenge. Only the bravest soldiers would dare battle a bull. If they were victorious, they would take the head of the bull to their subjects and receive great honor for their bravery. This was the beginning of the sport as we know it today.

Some would see battling a bull as not a very smart thing to do. In reality, it is not really a fight but more of a theatrics show. Fans always appreciate the matador's bravery and the moves he displays.

The history of bullfighting in Spain shows that the sport came to be sort of accidentally. Only in the 1700s did fans start appreciating the wit, grace and intelligence that a bullfighter must have. They know that if the bullfighter makes one wrong move he can get severely injured or possibly lose his life. Some people do not even consider bullfighting to be a sport since it is not really a competition that keeps score. Nevertheless, it is still a spectacle that they enjoy seeing time and time again.




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