<P> Other legendary traditions include the apparition of the Virgin of Candelaria in 1392 - 93, encountered by two Guanches on the beaches of Tenerife . </P> <P> In the 14th century, a variety of forces competed for control of the Canaries: Genoese, Catalan - Mallorcan, Castilian, and Portuguese . In the following century, Castile and Portugal were the primary contenders . </P> <P> The conquest took place between 1402 and 1496 . It was not an easy task, militarily, given the resistance of the Guanche aboriginals in some islands . Nor was it easy politically, given the conflicting interests of the nobility (bent on fortifying their economic and political power) and the state, particularly Castile, with an interest in reinforcing its own power in competition with the nobles . </P> <P> Historians identify two distinguishable periods in the conquest of the Canaries: </P>

When did spain take over the canary islands