Modern Luxembourg, one of the founding members of the European Union and a country with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, has an unexpected chapter in its history. For more than a century and a half, this small Central European state was part of the powerful Spanish Empire, leaving a legacy still visible today.
The fate of the duchy changed in the 16th century, when, as part of the Burgundian inheritance, it came under the control of the Habsburg dynasty. Emperor Charles V, grandson of the Catholic Monarchs, ruled over vast territories. After his abdication in 1555, the empire was divided: his son Philip II inherited the Spanish crown, the holdings in the Americas, Italy, and, crucial for this story, the Spanish Netherlands, which included Luxembourg. Thus, the duchy came under direct rule from Madrid.
Luxembourg’s geographical position between France, the German lands, and the Netherlands made it a strategically invaluable asset for the Spanish crown. During the era of religious wars and the Dutch Revolt, the city became an impregnable fortress. Spanish and Flemish military engineers built powerful defensive structures here—bastions, casemates, and a sprawling network of underground tunnels. Because of its impregnability, Luxembourg earned the nickname “the Gibraltar of the North.”
In addition, the region became a key segment of the famous “Spanish Road” (Camino Español)—a thousand-kilometer military corridor used to transfer Spanish troops from northern Italy to Flanders. This route gave the Habsburg army a logistical advantage in Europe for decades.
The duchy was administered from Brussels by the governors-general of the Spanish Netherlands. Local institutions retained a certain degree of autonomy but remained subordinate to the monarchy. The Spanish language did not become widely spoken among the population, but its cultural and religious influence was significant. The crown actively supported Catholicism, promoting the construction of churches and monasteries—an especially important factor in the confrontation with the Protestant north.
Spanish rule over Luxembourg ended in 1714. Following the War of the Spanish Succession, the Treaty of Utrecht (Paz de Utrecht) was signed, transferring the Spanish Netherlands, including Luxembourg, to the control of the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs. Despite the change of power, the Spanish period left a profound mark. Today, the fortifications built during that era are among the country’s main attractions, standing as a testament to its turbulent past within the great empire.
