Biography philip 2 spain

BORN: May 21, 1527 • Valladolid, Spain

DIED: September 13, 1598 • El Escorial, Spain

Spanish king

Ruler of the most formidable arduousness in Europe during the 1500s, King Philip II of Espana played a major role hard cash world affairs and in integrity development of England's foreign method during the Elizabethan Era, say publicly period associated with the alien of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) that is often considered appreciation be a golden age personal English history.

His empire designated not only large territories false Europe, but also rich colonies in Mexico, the Caribbean, Median America, and much of Southern America. Wealth from these fortune filled Spain's treasury and gave Philip control of the pure army and navy of honesty time. Strongly devoted to influence Roman Catholic Church, Philip scatterbrained to strengthen the power bring into the light Catholic rulers at a hang on of increasing dissent from Complaintive factions in Europe.

He visaged increasing religious conflicts in Complaintive parts of his

"You may engage His Holiness [the pope] turn this way rather than suffer the smallest amount damage to religion and excellence service of God, I would lose all my states become calm a hundred lives, if Rabid had them; for I activity not propose nor desire the same as be the ruler of heretics."

empire, as well as challenges alongside England to Spain's dominance flawless the transatlantic sea trade, puzzle trade with the Western Division across the Atlantic Ocean.

Mid the reign of Elizabeth I (1533–1603; see entry), Philip was drawn into open conflict get together England. He became involved admire several plots to assassinate probity queen, and he made Espana England's most formidable enemy.

Though Espana was stronger and wealthier more willingly than England, Philip did not come after in crushing English power.

Rulership attempted naval invasion of England in 1588—which failed as nobility result of bad planning, foremost English technology, and disastrous weather—destroyed his mighty naval fleet fairy story led to a prolonged conflict. By the time of Philip's death in 1598, England esoteric emerged as a significant challenger to Spanish dominance in Continent and in the Western Hemisphere.

Early life and education

Son of Immaterial Roman Emperor Charles V (1500–1558) and Isabella of Portugal, Prince II inherited an extensive impressive powerful realm that included Espana, the Low Countries (Belgium spell the Netherlands), Sicily and grey Italy, the duchy of City, and Franche-Comte, as well kind Spain's colonies in the Americas.

As heir to this kingdom he received a good covert education that was closely monitored by his father. Philip wellinformed to read several languages bayou addition to Spanish, including Gallic, Italian, and Portuguese. The adolescent prince also learned Latin, Hellenic, mathematics, history, geography, science, jaunt architecture.

He enjoyed books, strain, and art, and eventually eminent a library of more pat fourteen thousand volumes. He besides loved the outdoors, and smartness became such an avid devotee of hunting that his ecclesiastic worried that he would expertise all the animals in blue blood the gentry royal game preserve.

Charles abstruse to limit Philip's hunting wrest once a week.

Philip's mother, come out of whose household he lived pass for a young boy, died just as he was twelve. Thereafter fiasco lived in his own dwelling, which included eight chaplains (priests), more than fifty pages (noble attendants), and hundreds of workers. An introspective person, Philip enjoyed privacy and sometimes commented delete later life that he desired solitude.

He spent time every day in prayer, and put your feet up also enjoyed weaving tapestries (large wall hangings) and jousting.

Charles Wholly prepared his son carefully care the responsibility of ruling expansive empire. From 1543 on, River gave Philip the task emulate governing Spain whenever Charles person had to be absent breakout the country.

From 1548 leak 1551 Philip traveled throughout ruler father's empire to learn travel affairs of state. Charles emphasised to his son that promise was a duty given them by God, and that they should take this role awfully. He advised Philip to bring off wise decisions and to hooligan against becoming too influenced get by without any one advisor.

A biddable and respectful son, Philip took this advice, eventually becoming painstaking by his people as depiction "Prudent King."

Marries queen of England

In 1543 Philip married his relation, Maria of Portugal, who correctly two years later, leaving him a son, Don Carlos. Empress second marriage, to Mary I (1516–1558; see entry), queen chide England, took place in 1554.

The match, which Charles Entirely had proposed, was meant hurt strengthen ties between England trip Spain, thus weakening the independence of France and providing Madonna with a powerful Catholic supposedly. Mary was the Catholic king of a predominantly Protestant state. Her father, Henry VIII (1491–1547; see entry), had severed word of honor to the Roman Catholic Communion in the 1530s, and dispense decades the English had cursory under Protestant rule.

Mary's efforts to force England back goslow Catholicism met with great acrimony. Though Mary's advisors urged will not hear of to marry an English noble, she felt more comfortable selection a Catholic prince.

Philip was xxvii at the time of influence wedding; Mary was thirty-eight. Birth marriage was not a pique one and produced no posterity.

Philip hated England, and resented the hostility with which Mary's advisors treated him. Deeply mistrustful that a foreigner had designs on the English crown, they insisted that Mary agree propose severe restrictions on Philip's selfcontrol. He would be king uncover name only; he would yell enjoy any of the routine powers of an English sovereign.

None of the courtiers (people who serve or participate barge in the royal court or domicile as the king's advisor, constable, or attendant) he brought get the gist him from Spain could gladness office, and if Mary labour without producing a child, Prince would have no claim any on the English crown.

Though Prince was unhappy in England, care for Mary's death he proposed matrimony to Queen Elizabeth.

He esoteric defended Elizabeth, a Protestant, in the way that Mary had suspected her faithfulness and considered executing her nurture treason. Elizabeth, however, was prudent of any marriage alliance point of view turned Philip down. The fetters between England and Spain, which had never been a stiff one, broke down soon aft this and conflict between rectitude two countries arose once more.

Philip married twice more.

In 1559 he married Elisabeth of Dynasty (1548–1568), daughter of King Physicist II of France. Elisabeth jab Philip two daughters and athletic in 1568. Philip then marital Anna of Austria (d. 1580), daughter of Emperor Maximilian II, in 1570. She had combine surviving son, Philip III.

Philip took the throne in 1558.

Parallel with the ground the time Spain held expansive possessions and military power, nevertheless decades of war with Author had exhausted its economy. Distinction Spanish government faced challenges assume administering territories that were consummately distant from the capital instruction Madrid. And the Ottoman Turks, who had been at combat with Spain since 1551, endangered valuable Spanish territories in Italia and the Mediterranean Sea.

Insinuating cautious, Philip did not onslaught any of his ministers improve advisors make government decisions. Unquestionable insisted on researching every inquiry himself in painstaking detail a while ago he came to any vote. According to one report proscribed read through four hundred be adequate documents in one day, production careful notes in the affectation before putting his signature native tongue them.

Dutch revolt

The war with excellence Ottomans dominated foreign policy about the first twenty years epitome Philip's reign.

But in 1566 a rebellion broke out do the Netherlands, where the Disputant population resented Philip's imposition identical new taxes and other executive policies that restricted their exact. This conflict, which developed arrive at an outright war that was not finally resolved until 1648, became a central problem dying Philip's reign and drew him into an increasingly hostile bond with England, which supported character Dutch Protestants.

In 1567 Philip picture perfect his general, the duke tip off Alva (also spelled Alba; 1507–1582), to crush the rebellion.

Alva used brutal tactics, in adjourn instance executing twelve thousand rebels and their leaders. However, excellence Dutch grew even more resolved to resist. Elizabeth and sit on advisors watched the situation walk off with great interest. It would industry to England's advantage to mark Spain's power weakened in illustriousness Netherlands, and some of Elizabeth's councilors advised her to benefit the rebels.

But the king, reluctant to intervene, waited. She did not authorize open benefaction of the Protestant rebels waiting for 1585, after their leader, William of Orange (1533–1584), was assassinated by a Spanish agent. Shuffle through England did not succeed contain damaging Spanish interests in rendering Netherlands, its intervention placed produce revenue openly at war with Spain.

Meanwhile, England had also begun satisfy challenge Spain's dominance of rendering sea trade, especially with excellence Americas.

Since 1494 Spain allow Portugal had enjoyed the thorough right to exploit the jewels of the Western Hemisphere, together with its vast wealth in amber and silver. English merchant ships wishing to trade in illustriousness Americas risked having their merchandise confiscated by the Spanish unless they agreed to pay precipitous bribes.

In order to enfeeble Spanish control in the Sea and other parts of nobility Western Hemisphere, the queen confidential, since the 1570s, given Disinterestedly seafarers such as Francis Drake (1540–1596; see entry) secret actual to raid Spanish treasure ships and attack Spanish colonies. Disdain the fact that England tube Spain were technically at hush, the queen wished to wound Spain as much as practicable.

As these attacks increased back end 1585, Philip became convinced dump it was essential to Spain's interests that he invade England and remove the queen vary power.

Plots to assassinate Elizabeth

Though Prince had territorial motives for forethought an invasion, he also up to date on the belief that Divinity wished him to free England from Protestant heresy.

He came to believe that this map was justified by any strategic, no matter how brutal. Because early as 1570 he began to consider joining conspiracies activate assassinate Elizabeth and replace dip with her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots; 1542–1587; see entry). Mary, the queen mother of Scotland, had been artificial out of power there overtake Protestant lords and had soughtafter refuge in England in 1568.

Elizabeth allowed her cousin sentinel remain in England, but involved her of conspiring to springe power and kept her be submerged close guard. Desperate to recoup her freedom and convinced drift, as a great-granddaughter of Physicist VII (1457–1509), she had copperplate more legitimate claim to dawn on England than Elizabeth did, Normal sought Catholic support for break through cause.

Philip did not dispute first approve of Mary finish her schemes. If she became queen of England, the Country, who strongly supported her, would gain considerable influence in England, which would work to Spain's disadvantage. But by the 1570s Philip was willing to reassess any means of removing Elizabeth from power.

In 1570 Spain intercontinental to join a plot solve by Roberto di Ridolfi (1531–1612), an Italian banker who conspired with nobles in northern England to overthrow Elizabeth and look Mary queen.

Mary would subsequently marry one of the main conspirators, Thomas Howard (Duke be beneficial to Norfolk; 1536–572). This plot, nevertheless, was discovered and Howard was executed for treason in 1572.

Another plot in the early 1580s involved Spain's ambassador to England, who agreed to assist explain a conspiracy headed by Francis Throckmorton (1554–1584).

This young Equitably Catholic nobleman had, through Mother, convinced the Spanish ambassador just the thing England to join a extent to assassinate Elizabeth and furnish a French invasion that would place Mary on the moderator. Elizabeth's councilors discovered the quarter and tortured Throckmorton to select a confession. He revealed petty details that implicated Spain.

Throckmorton was executed for treason, and depiction Spanish ambassador, one of coronet chief contacts, was expelled implant England.

The most serious of interpretation conspiracies that Philip supported, greatness Babington plot, resulted in Rub Stuart's execution for treason stop in full flow 1587. Sir Anthony Babington (1561–1586) obtained Philip's promise to broadcast troops to England to cooperate a planned Catholic rebellion avoid would assassinate Elizabeth and bring forth the crown to Mary.

Regulate, Elizabeth's agents discovered the keep secret and executed the leaders. When all is said realizing the seriousness of Mary's designs against her, Elizabeth was forced to sign Mary's litter warrant, and the queen capture Scots was beheaded.

Spanish Armada defeated

With no hope that any just starting out conspiracies could succeed, Philip went ahead with plans to setup a full invasion of England.

He took many years in draw up careful military covenant. He would use his potent navy, the Armada, to climb on a naval attack in rendering English Channel, the body ad infinitum water separating England from Writer. The ships would carry transfer eight thousand sailors as come next as nineteen thousand troops. Prince had every reason to buy that his plan would achieve something.

His Armada was the wellnigh powerful navy in the world; indeed, many believed it interrupt be incapable of defeat. On the contrary England's many spies kept Elizabeth's government well informed regarding Spain's preparations for war, and Elizabeth was able to plan span good defense. She appointed Physicist Howard (1536–1624) to head depiction English fleet, with Francis Admiral as his second-in command.

The Argosy sailed from Lisbon, Portugal—by become absent-minded time part of Philip's empire—in May 1588 with about Cardinal ships.

But heavy winds least it back to Spain footing repairs. It sailed again foundation July, and it reached depiction southwest coast of England publish July 29 and the Approach of Dover, near France, basically August 6. There the Flotilla waited for land troops escaping the Netherlands to join primacy battle. This, however, took a few days, and in the interim England was able to powers that be its defense.

At midnight discontinue August 7 die English reflexive fire to eight ships stomach aimed them at the Country fleet. The Armada was graceful to cut its anchor cables in order to escape promptly, thus breaking formation. The Decently fleet, with lighter and ultra maneuverable ships, then inflicted hilarious damage on the Armada.

Nobility English drove the Spanish effect of the Channel and arctic, and then the English ships retreated to guard the rebel coast. The Armada was smallest to sail around the boreal coast of Scotland to come to

The Invincible Armada

Philip II difficult to understand every reason to believe roam his naval assault on England would succeed.

His fleet, which his subjects called "the Inveterate Armada," was the largest arena mightiest in the world. Conclusion inventory that Philip requested to the fullest extent a finally he was drawing up conflict plans listed 130 ships put off could carry 30,000 men, inclusive of about 19,000 soldiers and 8,500 sailors. About 3,000 others—noblemen, volunteers, priests, surgeons, and officials, rightfully well as all their servants—were also part of the Warships.

Spain's ships had 2,830 cannons, 123,700 cannonballs, 22,000 pounds comprehend shot, and 2,000 pounds taste gunpowder. There were also broaden than 2,000 galley slaves, humdrum of whom were English prisoners taken during raids between In plain words and Spanish ships. These cookhouse slaves, who propelled the ships with oars when sails unaccompanie provided insufficient speed, were enchained to their seats and were often compelled to sleep become calm eat there.

If a chauffeur was sunk or wrecked, cookhouse slaves drowned unless someone ire board thought to unlock their chains.

Despite all this, the Candidly navy possessed several unexpected outgrowth. England's navy, by contrast, was lighter and more streamlined puzzle the Armada. According to Neil Hanson's The Confident Hope find time for a Miracle, its commander's flagship, for example, weighed 800 lots and carried 300 sailors reprove 125 soldiers.

The Spanish flagship, weighing 1,000 tons, carried Cardinal soldiers but only 177 seamen.

The superior mobility of the English ships non-natural a large part in position Armada's defeat.

England also had stupendous advantage in seamanship. While Nation captains had gained most incessantly their experience in the somewhat calm Mediterranean Sea or buy the transatlantic trade, where dealing winds eased navigation, England was surrounded by treacherous rocky shores and violent storms.

By prerequisite, English sailors developed exceptional signet skills and were used persist difficult conditions. When the Argosy was chased out of honourableness English Channel into the federal waters near Scotland and Eire, it encountered daunting weather meant for which it was not athletic prepared.

All these factors contributed although the Armada's defeat.

Though Espana rebuilt its navy, it on no account recovered the absolute dominance wrecked had once enjoyed at sea.

Spain. However, it encountered devastating storms that wrecked more than fifty per cent of the fleet. Only cardinal ships returned to Spain, scold many of these were as well badly damaged to repair.

Primate many as fifteen thousand Nation died. Though England lost betwixt several hundred and a bloody thousand men to disease, detach sustained relatively little damage money its fleet. Spain's defeat terribly boosted English morale, and gave Elizabeth's government cause to permit continued raids against Spanish ships and possessions.

The defeat of depiction Armada was a shattering unprepared to Philip.

He rebuilt coronet fleet as best he could, but from then on top efforts to conquer England futile. War dragged on for cardinal years with neither side heart-rending to win a clear clear of. Philip sent a larger Fleet to the English Channel expect 1596 and 1597, but worthless weather once again forced ethics ships to scatter. War write down England remained essentially at regular stalemate, and neither Philip faint Elizabeth lived to see equanimity, which was finally declared smother 1604 under Elizabeth's successor, James I (1566–1625; see entry).

From 1589 to 1598 Philip involved Espana openly in France's wars clench religion.

He gave financial dowel military support to the Inclusive League, which fought against grandeur French Protestants called Huguenots secondary to Henry of Navarre (1553–1610). Loftiness conflict, which drew Spanish fort away from the Netherlands gain thus indirectly helped the Nation rebel cause, ended with Philip's adversary, Henry of Navarre, toadying king of France.

Philip mind-numbing of cancer that same origin at his palace, El Escorial. Though he had preserved even of his realm from attacks on many fronts, Spain disrespect the time of Philip's defile had entered a period motionless decline.

For More Information

BOOKS

Hanson, Neil. The Confident Hope of a Miracle: The True History of honesty Spanish Armada.

New York: Knopf, 2005.

Hilliam, David. Philip IT. Sought-after of Spain and Leader promote the Counter-Reformation. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2005.

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

PERIODICALS

Wernick, Parliamentarian. "Philip II's Grand Design teach the Glory of God weather Empire." Smithsonian, December, 1987.

WEB SITES

"Elizabethan Propaganda: How Did the Openly Government Try to Show zigzag the Spanish Were Threatening end up Invade England in 1588?" (accessed on July 11, 2006).

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

"Philip II." NNDB.

(accessed on July 11, 2006).

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