Inspired by this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_racism#/media/File:Scientific_racism_irish.jpg
Since scientific racism was primarily used to justify colonialism (or the right of one people to rule over another, as this seems to be doing for the Irish), it seems weird that this material seems to be arguing that Iberian people are descended from Africans (with the implication that they are therefore inferior). Spain and Portugal were colonial empires themselves, not colonies. Can anyone give me some background? Was there some reason for 19th century English writers to attempt to racially discredit Iberians? Did Spain and Portugal engage in scientific racism themselves, and if so, how did they react to claims of germanic superiority?
You may be interested in the so-called "Black Legend," a narrative pushed by European rivals that singled out Spain's colonialism and Catholic fervor as particular barbaric. It's not directly related to the concept of "scientific racism," but it sets the precedent for prejudice against Spaniards. Here's some posts to get a good understanding of it:
