The Life and Times of Philip II

Philip II: Family• Passionately Catholic:

enforced Catholicism in Spain, spread Catholic influence in Europe

• Son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V; Great-grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella

• Married 4 times, incl Mary Tudor (“Bloody Mary” of England, daughter of Henry VIII)

Wealthy Colonial Empire• Built on existing wealth of

Castile with gold and silver from America

• “Vale un Potosí” became a phrase for unthinkable wealth (Potosí, Bolivia)

• The Great Inflation: Prices rose 2.5% per year through early 1600s with uneven effects

– European population rose, gold and silver coinage increased

– But agricultural production remained constant, creating higher food prices

– So prices rose, but wages remained relatively constant

– Gap between “haves” and “have nots” grew throughout western Europe

European Successes• Allied with his half-

brother, Don John of Austria, defeated Moors in Granada

• 1571: Allied with Don John and Venice, defeated Turkish navy at Lepanto

• 1580: Annexed Portugal, uniting Spanish and Portuguese colonial holdings

Failures: The Low Countries• Low Countries: Wealthy, mostly

Calvinist, profited from trade and location

• Philip instructed Cardinal Granvelle to reorganize Dutch churches under Catholic control

– insisted on Council of Trent doctrine to be established in Netherlands

– Dutch Calvinists revolted, shocking even Dutch Calvinist nobles

– Philip sent Duke of Alba with Papal troops to put down revolt

– 1576 Spanish severity (massacre by mercenaries of 7,000 in Antwerp) united northern Calvinist areas and southern Catholic areas against Spain into Pacification of Ghent

The Duke of Alba

Low Countries Continued• Spanish intervention split

area in two: Union of Utrecht (Protestant north) and Union of Arras (Catholic south)

• Spain became distracted and overextended with conflict with England (Armada, etc.),

– Northern Protestant area became independent Netherlands

– Southern Catholic area stayed with Spain, and eventually became Belgium (1831)

Soldiers Plundering a Farmhouse, by

Vrancx

Philip II and England• Philip married Mary Tudor after

she ascended to the throne, but while he was prince

• 1558: upon Mary’s death, Elizabeth I took power in England

• Under Elizabeth, England supported Netherlands against Spain

• 1588: Philip launched Armada to attack England and bring Catholicism back to England

– Execution of Mary Queen of Scots ended hopes for peaceful reconversion of England

– Philip believed in divine providence for the mission: Armada had soldiers and priests

– Weather and English navy defeated the Armada, crushing Spain’s naval power

Death of Philip II• Spain began slow slide into

military weakness, but played important role in 17th C. events

• Armada defeat: signaled dominance of the English navy and rise of English power

• Philip II died with large debt, defaulted on royal loans, leading to decline of royal power