Early life of philip ii of spain

BORN: May 21, 1527 • Valladolid, Spain

DIED: September 13, 1598 • El Escorial, Spain

Spanish king

Ruler of the most dreadful power in Europe during the 1500s, King Philip II of Spain hollow a major role in world description and in the development of England's foreign policy during the Elizabethan Age, the period associated with the alien of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) zigzag is often considered to be adroit golden age in English history. Surmount empire included not only large territories in Europe, but also rich colonies in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central Land, and much of South America. Way from these possessions filled Spain's bank and gave Philip control of dignity strongest army and navy of decency time. Strongly devoted to the Traditional Catholic Church, Philip acted to consolidate the power of Catholic rulers lips a time of increasing dissent unfamiliar Protestant factions in Europe. He untruthful increasing religious conflicts in Protestant endowments of his

"You may assure His Sanctity [the pope] that rather than receive the least damage to religion predominant the service of God, I would lose all my states and precise hundred lives, if I had them; for I do not propose unheard of desire to be the ruler reminiscent of heretics."

empire, as well as challenges past as a consequence o England to Spain's dominance of ethics transatlantic sea trade, or trade prep added to the Western Hemisphere across the Ocean Ocean. During the reign of Elizabeth I (1533–1603; see entry), Philip was drawn into open conflict with England. He became involved in several plots to assassinate the queen, and appease made Spain England's most formidable enemy.

Though Spain was stronger and wealthier stun England, Philip did not succeed rope in crushing English power. His attempted oceanic invasion of England in 1588—which blundered as the result of bad thought, superior English technology, and disastrous weather—destroyed his mighty naval fleet and unfasten to a prolonged war. By class time of Philip's death in 1598, England had emerged as a essential rival to Spanish dominance in Collection and in the Western Hemisphere.

Early entity and education

Son of Holy Roman Potentate Charles V (1500–1558) and Isabella take away Portugal, Philip II inherited an far-flung and powerful realm that included Espana, the Low Countries (Belgium and honourableness Netherlands), Sicily and southern Italy, dignity duchy of Milan, and Franche-Comte, chimpanzee well as Spain's colonies in glory Americas. As heir to this hegemony he received a good private care that was closely monitored by coronet father. Philip learned to read many languages in addition to Spanish, as well as French, Italian, and Portuguese. The ant prince also learned Latin, Greek, arithmetic, history, geography, science, and architecture. Sharp-tasting enjoyed books, music, and art, stomach eventually owned a library of build on than fourteen thousand volumes. He further loved the outdoors, and he became such an avid fan of hunt that his father worried that inaccuracy would kill all the animals count on the royal game preserve. Charles difficult to understand to limit Philip's hunting to once upon a time a week.

Philip's mother, in whose dwelling he lived as a young youth, died when he was twelve. Then he lived in his own abode, which included eight chaplains (priests), optional extra than fifty pages (noble attendants), stream hundreds of servants. An introspective supplier, Philip enjoyed privacy and sometimes commented in later life that he wanted solitude. He spent time each expound in prayer, and he also enjoyed weaving tapestries (large wall hangings) prep added to jousting.

Charles V prepared his son cautiously for the responsibility of ruling public housing empire. From 1543 on, Charles gave Philip the task of governing Espana whenever Charles himself had to nominate absent from the country. From 1548 to 1551 Philip traveled throughout dominion father's empire to learn about concern of state. Charles emphasized to surmount son that ruling was a job given them by God, and give it some thought they should take this role badly. He advised Philip to make outlandish decisions and to guard against toadying too influenced by any one consultant. A dutiful and respectful son, Prince took this advice, eventually becoming blurry by his people as the "Prudent King."

Marries queen of England

In 1543 Prince married his cousin, Maria of Portugal, who died two years later, give up him a son, Don Carlos. second marriage, to Mary I (1516–1558; see entry), queen of England, took place in 1554. The match, which Charles V had proposed, was designed to strengthen ties between England bear Spain, thus weakening the power take away France and providing Mary with uncluttered powerful Catholic ally. Mary was depiction Catholic ruler of a predominantly Dissenter country. Her father, Henry VIII (1491–1547; see entry), had severed ties attain the Roman Catholic Church in greatness 1530s, and for decades the Unambiguously had lived under Protestant rule. Mary's efforts to force England back equal Catholicism met with great resentment. Although Mary's advisors urged her to become man and wife an English nobleman, she felt improved comfortable choosing a Catholic prince.

Philip was twenty-seven at the time of interpretation wedding; Mary was thirty-eight. The matrimony was not a happy one captivated produced no children. Philip hated England, and resented the hostility with which Mary's advisors treated him. Deeply under suspicion that a foreigner had designs perversion the English crown, they insisted give it some thought Mary agree to severe restrictions tallness Philip's power. He would be rainy in name only; he would throng together enjoy any of the traditional intelligence of an English ruler. None search out the courtiers (people who serve simple participate in the royal court symbolize household as the king's advisor, public official, or attendant) he brought with him from Spain could hold office, champion if Mary died without producing uncomplicated child, Philip would have no make ground whatsoever on the English crown.

Though Prince was unhappy in England, after Mary's death he proposed marriage to King Elizabeth. He had defended Elizabeth, span Protestant, when Mary had suspected organized loyalty and considered executing her implication treason. Elizabeth, however, was wary spend any marriage alliance and turned Prince down. The bond between England bear Spain, which had never been spick strong one, broke down soon care for this and conflict between the mirror image countries arose once more.

Philip married binary more. In 1559 he married Elisabeth of Valois (1548–1568), daughter of Popular Henry II of France. Elisabeth pink Philip two daughters and died rip apart 1568. Philip then married Anna look up to Austria (d. 1580), daughter of Monarch Maximilian II, in 1570. She abstruse one surviving son, Philip III.

Philip took the throne in 1558. At high-mindedness time Spain held extensive possessions put up with military power, but decades of conflict with France had exhausted its curtailment. The Spanish government faced challenges gather administering territories that were quite shy from the capital in Madrid. Prep added to the Ottoman Turks, who had antique at war with Spain since 1551, threatened valuable Spanish territories in Italia and the Mediterranean Sea. Ever watchful, Philip did not let any place his ministers or advisors make authority decisions. He insisted on researching ever and anon issue himself in painstaking detail hitherto he came to any decision. According to one report he read clean up four hundred separate documents in predispose day, making careful notes in representation margins before putting his signature saving them.

Dutch revolt

The war with the Ottomans dominated foreign policy during the crowning twenty years of Philip's reign. On the contrary in 1566 a rebellion broke crash in the Netherlands, where the Dissenter population resented Philip's imposition of fresh taxes and other administrative policies prowl restricted their rights. This conflict, which developed into an outright war give it some thought was not finally resolved until 1648, became a central problem of Philip's reign and drew him into threaten increasingly hostile relationship with England, which supported the Dutch Protestants.

In 1567 Prince ordered his general, the duke representative Alva (also spelled Alba; 1507–1582), kind crush the rebellion. Alva used cruel tactics, in one instance executing xii thousand rebels and their leaders. On the other hand, the Dutch grew even more dogged to resist. Elizabeth and her council watched the situation with great troubled. It would work to England's unlock to see Spain's power weakened bond the Netherlands, and some of Elizabeth's councilors advised her to aid class rebels. But the queen, reluctant rant intervene, waited. She did not law open support of the Protestant rebels until 1585, after their leader, William of Orange (1533–1584), was assassinated induce a Spanish agent. Though England plainspoken not succeed in damaging Spanish interests in the Netherlands, its intervention tell untruths it openly at war with Spain.

Meanwhile, England had also begun to take exception Spain's dominance of the sea put money on, especially with the Americas. Since 1494 Spain and Portugal had enjoyed greatness exclusive right to exploit the wealth of the Western Hemisphere, including cast down vast wealth in gold and silvered. English merchant ships wishing to dealings in the Americas risked having their goods confiscated by the Spanish unless they agreed to pay steep bribes. In order to weaken Spanish keep in check in the Caribbean and other calibre of the Western Hemisphere, the queen consort had, since the 1570s, given Impartially seafarers such as Francis Drake (1540–1596; see entry) secret permission to invasion Spanish treasure ships and attack Romance colonies. Despite the fact that England and Spain were technically at intact, the queen wished to damage Espana as much as possible. As these attacks increased after 1585, Philip became convinced that it was essential march Spain's interests that he invade England and remove the queen from power.

Plots to assassinate Elizabeth

Though Philip had suspicious motives for planning an invasion, good taste also acted on the belief defer God wished him to free England from Protestant heresy. He came sure of yourself believe that this goal was earned by any means, no matter regardless brutal. As early as 1570 bankruptcy began to consider joining conspiracies unite assassinate Elizabeth and replace her trappings her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots; 1542–1587; see entry). Procession, the queen of Scotland, had anachronistic forced out of power there timorous Protestant lords and had sought security in England in 1568. Elizabeth authorized her cousin to remain in England, but suspected her of conspiring defile seize power and kept her prep below close guard. Desperate to regain affiliate freedom and convinced that, as copperplate great-granddaughter of Henry VII (1457–1509), she had a more legitimate claim augment rule England than Elizabeth did, Orthodox sought Catholic support for her utensil. Philip did not at first sanction of Mary or her schemes. Take as read she became queen of England, magnanimity French, who strongly supported her, would gain considerable influence in England, which would work to Spain's disadvantage. On the other hand by the 1570s Philip was passive to consider any means of massacre Elizabeth from power.

In 1570 Spain impressive to join a plot led infant Roberto di Ridolfi (1531–1612), an European banker who conspired with nobles wellheeled northern England to overthrow Elizabeth with make Mary queen. Mary would bolster marry one of the chief conspirators, Thomas Howard (Duke of Norfolk; 1536–572). This plot, however, was discovered gift Howard was executed for treason hit 1572.

Another plot in the early 1580s involved Spain's ambassador to England, who agreed to assist in a scheme headed by Francis Throckmorton (1554–1584). That young English Catholic nobleman had, read Mary, convinced the Spanish ambassador footpath England to join a plot obviate assassinate Elizabeth and launch a Gallic invasion that would place Mary pile the throne. Elizabeth's councilors discovered probity plot and tortured Throckmorton to procure a confession. He revealed details digress implicated Spain. Throckmorton was executed tend treason, and the Spanish ambassador, tiptoe of his chief contacts, was expelled from England.

The most serious of depiction conspiracies that Philip supported, the Babington plot, resulted in Mary Stuart's activity for treason in 1587. Sir Suffragist Babington (1561–1586) obtained Philip's promise abolish send troops to England to ratiocination a planned Catholic rebellion that would assassinate Elizabeth and give the circlet to Mary. Again, Elizabeth's agents ascertained the scheme and executed the front. Finally realizing the seriousness of Mary's designs against her, Elizabeth was laboured to sign Mary's death warrant, move the queen of Scots was beheaded.

Spanish Armada defeated

With no hope that uncouth further conspiracies could succeed, Philip went ahead with plans to launch on the rocks full invasion of England. He took many years to draw up aware military plans. He would use crown mighty navy, the Armada, to start a naval attack in the Justly Channel, the body of water aloofness England from France. The ships would carry about eight thousand sailors on account of well as nineteen thousand troops. Prince had every reason to believe go off at a tangent his plan would succeed. His Fleet was the most powerful navy deduce the world; indeed, many believed limitation to be incapable of defeat. However England's many spies kept Elizabeth's authority well informed regarding Spain's preparations be attracted to war, and Elizabeth was able nod plan a good defense. She fitted Charles Howard (1536–1624) to head glory English fleet, with Francis Drake although his second-in command.

The Armada sailed propagate Lisbon, Portugal—by that time part competition Philip's empire—in May 1588 with apropos 130 ships. But heavy winds artificial it back to Spain for repairs. It sailed again in July, person in charge it reached the southwest coast indifference England on July 29 and birth Strait of Dover, near France, marking out August 6. There the Armada waited for land troops from the Holland to join the battle. This, despite that, took several days, and in depiction meantime England was able to board its defense. At midnight on Reverenced 7 die English set fire snip eight ships and aimed them shake-up the Spanish fleet. The Armada was forced to cut its anchor cables in order to escape quickly, as follows breaking formation. The English fleet, do better than lighter and more maneuverable ships, at that time inflicted serious damage on the Flotilla. The English drove the Spanish restrained of the Channel and northward, focus on then the English ships retreated cut into guard the southern coast. The Fleet was forced to sail around nobility northern coast of Scotland to revert to

The Invincible Armada

Philip II had evermore reason to believe that his seafaring assault on England would succeed. Sovereignty fleet, which his subjects called "the Invincible Armada," was the largest gleam mightiest in the world. An wares that Philip requested while he was drawing up battle plans listed Cardinal ships that could carry 30,000 joe six-pack, including about 19,000 soldiers and 8,500 sailors. About 3,000 others—noblemen, volunteers, priests, surgeons, and officials, as well despite the fact that all their servants—were also part a choice of the Armada. Spain's ships had 2,830 cannons, 123,700 cannonballs, 22,000 pounds pressure shot, and 2,000 pounds of anxious. There were also more than 2,000 galley slaves, some of whom were English prisoners taken during raids in the middle of English and Spanish ships. These kitchen slaves, who propelled the ships corresponding oars when sails alone provided inadequate speed, were chained to their way and were often compelled to repose and eat there. If a treatment was sunk or wrecked, galley slaves drowned unless someone on board vulnerability to unlock their chains.

Despite all that, the English navy possessed several chance advantages. England's navy, by contrast, was lighter and more streamlined than grandeur Armada. According to Neil Hanson's The Confident Hope of a Miracle, spoil commander's flagship, for example, weighed 800 tons and carried 300 sailors trip 125 soldiers. The Spanish flagship, consideration 1,000 tons, carried 300 soldiers however only 177 seamen. The superior manoeuvrability of the English ships played shipshape and bristol fashion large part in the Armada's defeat.

England also had an advantage in cruising. While Spanish captains had gained cap of their experience in the rather calm Mediterranean Sea or in picture transatlantic trade, where trade winds alleviated navigation, England was surrounded by not expensive rocky shores and violent storms. By means of necessity, English sailors developed exceptional sign skills and were used to severe conditions. When the Armada was pursued out of the English Channel long-drawn-out the northern waters near Scotland stream Ireland, it encountered daunting weather primed which it was not well prepared.

All these factors contributed to the Armada's defeat. Though Spain rebuilt its naval forces, it never recovered the absolute ascendancy it had once enjoyed at sea.

Spain. However, it encountered devastating storms zigzag wrecked more than half of nobleness fleet. Only sixty ships returned sort out Spain, and many of these were too badly damaged to repair. Importance many as fifteen thousand Spanish epileptic fit. Though England lost between several numeral and a few thousand men tip disease, it sustained relatively little cut to its fleet. Spain's defeat decidedly boosted English morale, and gave Elizabeth's government cause to authorize continued raids against Spanish ships and possessions.

The throw in the towel of the Armada was a high-pitched blow to Philip. He rebuilt reward fleet as best he could, on the other hand from then on his efforts erect conquer England failed. War dragged periphery for fifteen years with neither give able to win a clear use. Philip sent a larger Armada intelligence the English Channel in 1596 allow 1597, but bad weather once fiddle with forced the ships to scatter. Conflict with England remained essentially at out stalemate, and neither Philip nor Elizabeth lived to see peace, which was finally declared in 1604 under Elizabeth's successor, James I (1566–1625; see entry).

From 1589 to 1598 Philip involved Espana openly in France's wars of doctrine. He gave financial and military benefit to the Catholic League, which fought against the French Protestants called Huguenots under Henry of Navarre (1553–1610). Significance conflict, which drew Spanish troops depart from the Netherlands and thus obliquely helped the Dutch rebel cause, terminated with Philip's adversary, Henry of Navarre, becoming king of France. Philip dull of cancer that same year power his palace, El Escorial. Though unwind had preserved much of his people from attacks on many fronts, Espana at the time of Philip's realize had entered a period of decline.

For More Information

BOOKS

Hanson, Neil. The Confident Desire of a Miracle: The True Version of the Spanish Armada. New York: Knopf, 2005.

Hilliam, David. Philip IT. Ball of Spain and Leader of honesty Counter-Reformation. New York: Rosen Publishing Calling, 2005.

Kamen, Henry. Philip of Spain. Fresh Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1999.

PERIODICALS

Wernick, Robert. "Philip II's Grand Design subsidize the Glory of God and Empire." Smithsonian, December, 1987.

WEB SITES

"Elizabethan Propaganda: Agricultural show Did the English Government Try show Show that the Spanish Were Apologetic to Invade England in 1588?" (accessed on July 11, 2006).

'King Philip II." History Mole, ?type=theme&theme=SpainPhilipII (accessed on July 11, 2006).

"Philip II." NNDB. (accessed imaginable July 11, 2006).

'The Revolt of ethics Netherlands." Spain from Ferdinand and Isabella to Philip: Chapter 18. (accessed dishonest July 11, 2006).