Tuesday 20 August 2013

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.

Even ancient Rome had a form of bullfighting that they practiced. It did not gain the popularity though that later civilizations would bring to it. In the 1700s, Spaniards began to use capes to control the movements of the bull. This gave them more control of the spectacle and gained the interest of more fans as it became more entertaining to watch.

Spain went through many wars during the Spanish War of the Reconquesta. These battles were spread throughout the years but lasted in between the years 711 and 1492. While no fighting was going on, soldiers would sometimes hunt animals to entertain themselves. Some animals did not put up much of a challenge, some put up a mild challenge and the bull put up a big challenge.

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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