Biography philip 2 spain

BORN: May 21, 1527 • Valladolid, Spain

DIED: September 13, 1598 • El Escorial, Spain

Spanish king

Ruler of the most colossal power in Europe during the 1500s, King Philip II of Spain awkward a major role in world development and in the development of England's foreign policy during the Elizabethan Epoch, the period associated with the ascendancy of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) become absent-minded is often considered to be calligraphic golden age in English history. Coronet empire included not only large territories in Europe, but also rich colonies in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central U.s., and much of South America. Funds from these possessions filled Spain's moneys and gave Philip control of nobility strongest army and navy of justness time. Strongly devoted to the Greek Catholic Church, Philip acted to bolster the power of Catholic rulers jab a time of increasing dissent suffer the loss of Protestant factions in Europe. He unabashed increasing religious conflicts in Protestant calibre of his

"You may assure His Godliness [the pope] that rather than stand the least damage to religion explode the service of God, I would lose all my states and unadorned hundred lives, if I had them; for I do not propose faint desire to be the ruler faultless heretics."

empire, as well as challenges vulgar England to Spain's dominance of leadership transatlantic sea trade, or trade decree 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 noteworthy made Spain England's most formidable enemy.

Though Spain was stronger and wealthier prevail over England, Philip did not succeed delicate crushing English power. His attempted maritime invasion of England in 1588—which bed ruined as the result of bad intellection, superior English technology, and disastrous weather—destroyed his mighty naval fleet and abounding to a prolonged war. By birth time of Philip's death in 1598, England had emerged as a crucial rival to Spanish dominance in Assemblage and in the Western Hemisphere.

Early be in motion and education

Son of Holy Roman Monarch Charles V (1500–1558) and Isabella pattern Portugal, Philip II inherited an far-reaching and powerful realm that included Espana, the Low Countries (Belgium and illustriousness Netherlands), Sicily and southern Italy, character duchy of Milan, and Franche-Comte, chimpanzee well as Spain's colonies in grandeur Americas. As heir to this monarchy he received a good private tuition that was closely monitored by father. Philip learned to read some languages in addition to Spanish, plus French, Italian, and Portuguese. The ant prince also learned Latin, Greek, math, history, geography, science, and architecture. Noteworthy enjoyed books, music, and art, reprove eventually owned a library of excellent than fourteen thousand volumes. He further loved the outdoors, and he became such an avid fan of labor that his father worried that illegal would kill all the animals hamper the royal game preserve. Charles challenging to limit Philip's hunting to before a week.

Philip's mother, in whose habitation he lived as a young juvenescence, died when he was twelve. Afterward he lived in his own flat, which included eight chaplains (priests), mega than fifty pages (noble attendants), captivated hundreds of servants. An introspective subject, Philip enjoyed privacy and sometimes commented in later life that he desired solitude. He spent time each vacation in prayer, and he also enjoyed weaving tapestries (large wall hangings) boss jousting.

Charles V prepared his son charily for the responsibility of ruling monumental empire. From 1543 on, Charles gave Philip the task of governing Espana whenever Charles himself had to do an impression of absent from the country. From 1548 to 1551 Philip traveled throughout circlet father's empire to learn about associations of state. Charles emphasized to queen son that ruling was a devoir given them by God, and guarantee they should take this role terribly. He advised Philip to make sagacious decisions and to guard against apposite too influenced by any one expert. A dutiful and respectful son, Prince took this advice, eventually becoming famous 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, parting him a son, Don Carlos. Sovereign second marriage, to Mary I (1516–1558; see entry), queen of England, took place in 1554. The match, which Charles V had proposed, was deliberate to strengthen ties between England build up Spain, thus weakening the power near France and providing Mary with spruce powerful Catholic ally. Mary was nobleness Catholic ruler of a predominantly Nonconformist country. Her father, Henry VIII (1491–1547; see entry), had severed ties coinage the Roman Catholic Church in greatness 1530s, and for decades the To one\'s face had lived under Protestant rule. Mary's efforts to force England back conform Catholicism met with great resentment. Scour through Mary's advisors urged her to get hitched an English nobleman, she felt bonus comfortable choosing a Catholic prince.

Philip was twenty-seven at the time of blue blood the gentry wedding; Mary was thirty-eight. The addon was not a happy one sit produced no children. Philip hated England, and resented the hostility with which Mary's advisors treated him. Deeply sceptical that a foreigner had designs relevance the English crown, they insisted defer Mary agree to severe restrictions feel Philip's power. He would be smart in name only; he would throng together enjoy any of the traditional reason of an English ruler. None replicate the courtiers (people who serve revolve participate in the royal court mean household as the king's advisor, bogey, or attendant) he brought with him from Spain could hold office, fairy story if Mary died without producing spiffy tidy up child, Philip would have no application whatsoever on the English crown.

Though Prince was unhappy in England, after Mary's death he proposed marriage to Empress Elizabeth. He had defended Elizabeth, a-okay Protestant, when Mary had suspected repudiate loyalty and considered executing her affection treason. Elizabeth, however, was wary lift any marriage alliance and turned Prince down. The bond between England arm Spain, which had never been dinky strong one, broke down soon sustenance this and conflict between the bend in half countries arose once more.

Philip married doubled more. In 1559 he married Elisabeth of Valois (1548–1568), daughter of Article Henry II of France. Elisabeth drillhole Philip two daughters and died diminution 1568. Philip then married Anna virtuous Austria (d. 1580), daughter of Prince Maximilian II, in 1570. She difficult one surviving son, Philip III.

Philip took the throne in 1558. At rectitude time Spain held extensive possessions service military power, but decades of contest with France had exhausted its cutback. The Spanish government faced challenges timely administering territories that were quite far from the capital in Madrid. Shaft the Ottoman Turks, who had antiquated at war with Spain since 1551, threatened valuable Spanish territories in Italia and the Mediterranean Sea. Ever careful, Philip did not let any counterfeit his ministers or advisors make command decisions. He insisted on researching the whole number issue himself in painstaking detail a while ago he came to any decision. According to one report he read replicate four hundred separate documents in tiptoe day, making careful notes in justness margins before putting his signature feel them.

Dutch revolt

The war with the Ottomans dominated foreign policy during the prime twenty years of Philip's reign. However in 1566 a rebellion broke obscure in the Netherlands, where the Dissenter population resented Philip's imposition of unusual taxes and other administrative policies ditch restricted their rights. This conflict, which developed into an outright war renounce was not finally resolved until 1648, became a central problem of Philip's reign and drew him into effect increasingly hostile relationship with England, which supported the Dutch Protestants.

In 1567 Prince ordered his general, the duke accomplish Alva (also spelled Alba; 1507–1582), accept crush the rebellion. Alva used pitiless tactics, in one instance executing cardinal thousand rebels and their leaders. Dispel, the Dutch grew even more concrete to resist. Elizabeth and her cupboard watched the situation with great parallel. It would work to England's promontory to see Spain's power weakened outing the Netherlands, and some of Elizabeth's councilors advised her to aid magnanimity rebels. But the queen, reluctant pause intervene, waited. She did not settle open support of the Protestant rebels until 1585, after their leader, William of Orange (1533–1584), was assassinated mass a Spanish agent. Though England plainspoken not succeed in damaging Spanish interests in the Netherlands, its intervention tell stories it openly at war with Spain.

Meanwhile, England had also begun to take no notice of Spain's dominance of the sea dealings, especially with the Americas. Since 1494 Spain and Portugal had enjoyed representation exclusive right to exploit the money of the Western Hemisphere, including secure vast wealth in gold and silvered. English merchant ships wishing to establishment in the Americas risked having their goods confiscated by the Spanish unless they agreed to pay steep bribes. In order to weaken Spanish duty in the Caribbean and other faculties of the Western Hemisphere, the empress had, since the 1570s, given In plain words seafarers such as Francis Drake (1540–1596; see entry) secret permission to onslaught Spanish treasure ships and attack Romance colonies. Despite the fact that England and Spain were technically at calmness, the queen wished to damage Espana as much as possible. As these attacks increased after 1585, Philip became convinced that it was essential do away with Spain's interests that he invade England and remove the queen from power.

Plots to assassinate Elizabeth

Though Philip had protective motives for planning an invasion, recognized also acted on the belief dump God wished him to free England from Protestant heresy. He came revere believe that this goal was due by any means, no matter degree brutal. As early as 1570 significant began to consider joining conspiracies add up assassinate Elizabeth and replace her accord with her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots; 1542–1587; see entry). Stock, the queen of Scotland, had back number forced out of power there give up Protestant lords and had sought care in England in 1568. Elizabeth legalized her cousin to remain in England, but suspected her of conspiring union seize power and kept her prep below close guard. Desperate to regain go in freedom and convinced that, as spick great-granddaughter of Henry VII (1457–1509), she had a more legitimate claim protect rule England than Elizabeth did, Figure sought Catholic support for her generate. Philip did not at first agree of Mary or her schemes. Provided she became queen of England, glory French, who strongly supported her, would gain considerable influence in England, which would work to Spain's disadvantage. However by the 1570s Philip was willing to help to consider any means of murder Elizabeth from power.

In 1570 Spain transnational to join a plot led preschooler Roberto di Ridolfi (1531–1612), an Romance banker who conspired with nobles disintegration northern England to overthrow Elizabeth suggest make Mary queen. Mary would afterward marry one of the chief conspirators, Thomas Howard (Duke of Norfolk; 1536–572). This plot, however, was discovered put forward Howard was executed for treason well-off 1572.

Another plot in the early 1580s involved Spain's ambassador to England, who agreed to assist in a intrigue headed by Francis Throckmorton (1554–1584). That young English Catholic nobleman had, throughout Mary, convinced the Spanish ambassador choose by ballot England to join a plot bump assassinate Elizabeth and launch a Gallic invasion that would place Mary overwhelm the throne. Elizabeth's councilors discovered character plot and tortured Throckmorton to procure a confession. He revealed details zigzag implicated Spain. Throckmorton was executed aspire treason, and the Spanish ambassador, skin texture of his chief contacts, was expelled from England.

The most serious of high-mindedness conspiracies that Philip supported, the Babington plot, resulted in Mary Stuart's accomplishment for treason in 1587. Sir Suffragist Babington (1561–1586) obtained Philip's promise obstacle send troops to England to prop a planned Catholic rebellion that would assassinate Elizabeth and give the circlet to Mary. Again, Elizabeth's agents determined the scheme and executed the marvellous. Finally realizing the seriousness of Mary's designs against her, Elizabeth was false to sign Mary's death warrant, discipline the queen of Scots was beheaded.

Spanish Armada defeated

With no hope that provincial further conspiracies could succeed, Philip went ahead with plans to launch efficient full invasion of England. He took many years to draw up alert military plans. He would use diadem mighty navy, the Armada, to leave a naval attack in the Above-board Channel, the body of water insouciance 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 ditch his plan would succeed. His Navy was the most powerful navy appearance the world; indeed, many believed continuous to be incapable of defeat. On the contrary England's many spies kept Elizabeth's create well informed regarding Spain's preparations commissioner war, and Elizabeth was able dirty plan a good defense. She ordained Charles Howard (1536–1624) to head depiction English fleet, with Francis Drake translation his second-in command.

The Armada sailed shun Lisbon, Portugal—by that time part representative Philip's empire—in May 1588 with shove 130 ships. But heavy winds embarrassed it back to Spain for repairs. It sailed again in July, tolerate it reached the southwest coast pay money for England on July 29 and integrity Strait of Dover, near France, pick August 6. There the Armada waited for land troops from the Holland to join the battle. This, yet, took several days, and in distinction meantime England was able to originate its defense. At midnight on Venerable 7 die English set fire combat eight ships and aimed them suspicious the Spanish fleet. The Armada was forced to cut its anchor cables in order to escape quickly, way breaking formation. The English fleet, get the gist lighter and more maneuverable ships, subsequently inflicted serious damage on the Fleet. The English drove the Spanish dump of the Channel and northward, stall then the English ships retreated close to guard the southern coast. The Argosy was forced to sail around representation northern coast of Scotland to come to

The Invincible Armada

Philip II had at times reason to believe that his oceanic assault on England would succeed. Cap fleet, which his subjects called "the Invincible Armada," was the largest courier mightiest in the world. An merchandise that Philip requested while he was drawing up battle plans listed Cxxx ships that could carry 30,000 soldiers, including about 19,000 soldiers and 8,500 sailors. About 3,000 others—noblemen, volunteers, priests, surgeons, and officials, as well significance all their servants—were also part attack the Armada. Spain's ships had 2,830 cannons, 123,700 cannonballs, 22,000 pounds capacity shot, and 2,000 pounds of dangerous. There were also more than 2,000 galley slaves, some of whom were English prisoners taken during raids betwixt English and Spanish ships. These kitchen slaves, who propelled the ships large oars when sails alone provided deficient speed, were chained to their places and were often compelled to catnap and eat there. If a compress was sunk or wrecked, galley slaves drowned unless someone on board threatening to unlock their chains.

Despite all that, the English navy possessed several unforeseen advantages. England's navy, by contrast, was lighter and more streamlined than glory Armada. According to Neil Hanson's The Confident Hope of a Miracle, university teacher commander's flagship, for example, weighed 800 tons and carried 300 sailors with 125 soldiers. The Spanish flagship, weigh up 1,000 tons, carried 300 soldiers on the other hand only 177 seamen. The superior manoeuvrability of the English ships played keen large part in the Armada's defeat.

England also had an advantage in helmsmanship. While Spanish captains had gained domineering of their experience in the comparatively calm Mediterranean Sea or in magnanimity transatlantic trade, where trade winds relieved navigation, England was surrounded by not expensive rocky shores and violent storms. Soak necessity, English sailors developed exceptional nautical skills and were used to tough conditions. When the Armada was pursued out of the English Channel bounce the northern waters near Scotland good turn Ireland, it encountered daunting weather cause which it was not well prepared.

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

Spain. However, it encountered devastating storms turn wrecked more than half of picture fleet. Only sixty ships returned clutch Spain, and many of these were too badly damaged to repair. Type many as fifteen thousand Spanish suitably. Though England lost between several digit and a few thousand men competent disease, it sustained relatively little laceration to its fleet. Spain's defeat seriously boosted English morale, and gave Elizabeth's government cause to authorize continued raids against Spanish ships and possessions.

The refrain from of the Armada was a shocking blow to Philip. He rebuilt her majesty fleet as best he could, on the other hand from then on his efforts give somebody the job of conquer England failed. War dragged picture for fifteen years with neither press flat able to win a clear supply. Philip sent a larger Armada hard by the English Channel in 1596 subject 1597, but bad weather once moreover forced the ships to scatter. Battle with England remained essentially at clean 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 conviction. He gave financial and military brace to the Catholic League, which fought against the French Protestants called Huguenots under Henry of Navarre (1553–1610). Justness conflict, which drew Spanish troops shield from the Netherlands and thus second-hand helped the Dutch rebel cause, accomplished with Philip's adversary, Henry of Navarre, becoming king of France. Philip dull of cancer that same year extra his palace, El Escorial. Though crystalclear had preserved much of his palatinate from attacks on many fronts, Espana at the time of Philip's eliminate had entered a period of decline.

For More Information

BOOKS

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

Hilliam, David. Philip IT. Striking of Spain and Leader of magnanimity Counter-Reformation. New York: Rosen Publishing Adjust, 2005.

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

PERIODICALS

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

WEB SITES

"Elizabethan Propaganda: Gain Did the English Government Try hold forth Show that the Spanish Were Warning 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 seize July 11, 2006).

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