Editing Azuaga (section)

===Modern era===
In the first census of Extremadura in 1551, Azuaga was the largest population center in Extremadura. In 18th century censuses, Azuaga appears as one of the principal towns of the region. It dominated the region in artisanal and manufacturing activity, most prominently in [[textile]]s and [[dye]]s.

Azuagueños artist [[Juan del Castillo (painter)|Juan del Castillo]] (1585–1658) did his major work in Seville, where he was the maestro of an [[wikt:atelier|atelier]]. His brother [[Agustín del Castillo]] (1590–1626) painted in [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]].

In the 16th century, two different clerics were known by the same name, [[Fray Pedro de Azuaga]]. One was an important [[Franciscan]] theorist, permanent counsellor to [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]]. The other, active in the last third of the century rose steadily through the ecclesiastical ranks, ultimately becoming [[Bishop]] of [[Chile]] in 1596.

During the [[Colonialism|colonial]] era, Azuaga ranked seventh in Extremadura in the number of people who went to the [[Americas]]. This is more significant than it might at first sound, because Extremadura was a major force in the conquest of the Americas.

In the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, Azuaga was more or less eclipsed. Between 1920 and 1960, Azuaga experienced major activity in mining [[lead]] and (to a lesser degree) [[silver]], which brought renewed prosperity to the region, fluctuating between 16,000 and 18,000 inhabitants, but after that the population fell off rapidly as workers migrated elsewhere, nearly half of the town's population departing. An identifiable group of azuagueños emigrated to [[Sant Boi de Llobregat]] ([[Barcelona]]).