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The article discusses the complexity of diplomatic and cultural exchange, assimilation, competition, and cooperation that characterized the alliance between England and Spain in the sixteenth century. It also examines the shared cultural heritage of both countries, their trade agreements, and dynastic marriages that had linked them closely by blood. Moreover, a special attention is given to Philip II's entry into London in 1554 as the new English king, a pivotal moment in the rivalry between the two countries. The general dynamics of the international diplomatic relations between the two are also discussed, demonstrating the balance between honesty and deception, admiration and jealousy, and cooperation and rivalry.

While the economic, political, and military bonds between Spain and Nazi Germany have received much attention, the close cultural exchange between the two fascist states is little known. Thanks to its neutrality in World War I, Spain became a top priority of German cultural foreign policy in the 1930s. The Hitler government not only sought to extend its influence through German culture in Spain, but also encouraged Hispanic culture in Germany through the creation of German-Spanish societies. From 1930 to 1945 the Deutsch-Spanische Gesellschaftin Berlin (DSG) emerged as a main axis of the cultural relations between the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]