Created by María Jesús Campos Fernández, teacher of Social Sciences, History and Geography at a bilingual section in Madrid (Spain). learningfromhistory.wikispaces.com learningfromgeography.wikispaces.com

1. THE RISE OF MODERN MONARCHIES. THE
HISPANIC EMPIRE: PHILIP II
María Jesús Campos
learningfromhistory.wikispaces.com

2. INDEX
 Phillip’s II personal background and
inheritance
 Domestic Policy: the Hispanic Monarchy
 Foreign Policy
 Succession

3. PHILIP’S II OF SPAIN PERSONAL BACKGROUND
 In 1556, Charles V abdicated dividing his
possesions:
 His son Philip II received the Hispanic posessions:
Spain, America, Italy, Flanders…
 His brother Ferdinand I received the Holy Roman Empire

5.  Although Philip II did
not receive the title of
emperor, the amount
of territories in which
he ruled can be
considered an
empire.
 The “empire” of Philip
II was the most
powerful of his time.

6.  The “empire” consisted of:
 Spain
 The Americas
 Territories in the North of
Africa
 Territories in the Far East
 The Low Countries,
 A large part of Italy
 Territories in Central
Europe
 Portugal and its overseas
territories

8.  Philip II had been raised in
Spain and he considered
Castile the centre of his
monarchy, specially as this
Crown provided the bulk of
the empire’s military and
financial resources.
 He established the court in
Madrid.
 For this reason, the reign of
Philip II is called the
Hispanic Monarchy.

9. Political Objectives
Preserve the
territories
Defend Catholicism
(unify subjects on
common grounds)

10. DOMESTIC POLICY
 He ruled his territories from
Madrid.
 He mantained the polisinodyal
system with different territorial
and ministerial councils.
 He strengthened the
bureaucracy to better control
and gobern the territories
 Problems he had to face:
 Revolt of the Low Countries
 Adquisition of Portugal

11. REVOLT IN THE LOW COUNTRIES
 The Low Countries were the roots of his paternal
branch.
 The Protestant Reform, specially Calvinisim,
spread through the Low Contries
 Phillip II refused to give his subjects freedom of
religion as he considered Catholicism a mean to
unify his subjects.

12.  So he focused on
suprressing Protestantism
within his kingdom.
 The Inquisition acted
harshly against heretics and
religious intolerance grew.
 But the northern provinces
of the Low Countries, in
which most of the
population had converted
into Calvinism, were
dissapointed with the
religious intolerance of the
monarch.

13.  Poor harvest, the
interruption of trade
because of the war
with England, and a
raise of taxes damaged
the relations even
more.
 In 1566, the Northern
provinces rebelled
against Phillip II and
declared their
independence under
the name of the United
Provinces.

14.  This is called the Revolt of
the Low Countries.
 The war lasted 80 years so it
is also known as the 80
years War.
 Spanish troops quickly
started attacking the rebels
but the war against England
forced Phillip to halt his
troops advances.
 The rebels obtained financial
support from England who
was trying to weaken Phillip
II.

16.  The war was far from ending so, by the end of his
reign, Phillip tried to solve the situation by naming
his daugther Isabel Clara Eugenia governor of
the Low Countries.
 The agreement with the Flemish subjects was
that if Isabel had any descendants the Low
Countries would become independent, if she had
none, they would again become subjects of the
Hispanic Monarchy.

17. ACQUISITION OF PORTUGAL
 During Phillip’s II reign, the
direct line of the Portuguese
royal family ended when
King Sebastian of Portugal
died without heir (1578).
 His uncle, the elderly
Cardinal Enrique, succeeded
him but as a clergy he did
not have descendants. So,
when he died a succession
crisis broke out.

18.  3 grandsons of Manuel I (former king before King
Sebastian) claimed the throne:
 As the son of Isabel of Portugal, Phillip II
claimed his right to the throne.
 Infant Catalina, duchess of Braganza
 Antonio, Prior of Crato

19.  Portugal was divided
among the supporters of
Antonio and the supporters
of Phillip II.
 After a short war, Phillip
became King of Portugal in
1581 as King Phillip I.
 He was recognized king by
the Cortes of Tomar.

20.  The kingdom of Portugal plus its vast overseas
possesions in Africa, Brazil and the East Indies
added to the Hispanic Empire.
 He left for Madrid in 1583, leaving his nephew
Albert of Austria as viceroy.
 Portugal would maintain its own Cortes, law,
currency and government.

21. AMERICA
 Expeditions in America
continued.
 Government was
controlled by the
Council of the Indies
and the Viceroys and
trading and
communication by the
Casa de Contratación.

22.  A lot of Spaniards
travelled to America
where they occupied the
highest positions in the
Indies.
 Criollos, the children of
the Spaniards occupied
the second highest
positions in society.
 Mestizos, the children of
Spanish men and Native
American Women were
not always well
considered.

23.  Indians performed
manual work, largely in
agriculture.
 Black slaves were in the
worst situation. They
were captured and
brought from Africa by
English, French and
Dutch traders and
bought by Spanish to do
the hardest work. They
had no rights at all.

26. ECONOMY
 Charles’ V wars and
the policies of Philip II
further burdened
Spanish economy.
 Despite the gold and
silver that came from
America, the king had
to ask for loans.
 Inflation spread
throughout Europe.

27.  Due to the situation, Philip II was forced
to declare bankruptcy 4 times.

28. FOREIGN POLICY
 Although Philip was the most
powerful monarch of his
times, he had to face many
problems:
 France
 The Ottoman Turks
Empire
 England

29.  France: he inherited
Charles’ V problems
with France. Philip
defeated the French at
the beginning of his
reign and as France
plunged into its own
war of religion, the
problem dissapeared
although it started up
again towards the end
of his reign.

30.  The Ottoman Turks: the Turkish Empire
threatened Spanish possesions in the
Mediterranean. Philip II formed and alliance with
the Pope and Venice (also threatened by the
Turks).
 The alliance, commanded by Don Juan de
Austria, the king’s half brother, defeated the
Turks at the Battle of Lepanto (1571)
 In 1585 a permanent alliance was signed with
the Ottomans.

32.  England:
 Before Charles’ V
abdication, Philip married
Queen Mary of England in
1554.
 Philip was 27 years old,
Mary was 37.
 According to the Act for the
Marriage, Philip would
received the title of King of
England and Ireland for as
long as their marriage
should last.

33.  However, they had no children
and when Queen Mary died in
1558, before the union could
revitalize the Church in England,
the throne wet to Elizabeth, the
Protestant daughter of Henry VIII.
 Philip left the Crown, but after the
execution of Mary, Queen of
Scots, the catholic great-niece of
Henry VIII and the legitimate heir
to the throne for the English
Catholics, Philip decided to make
England a Catholic country once
again by invasion.

34.  His opportunity came
when England provided
support for the Low
Countries Revolt.
 King Philip sent a fleet,
the Spanish Armada,
to lead an invasion.
 The fleet, not properly
built, was lashed by
severe storms.

35.  The lack of communication
between the two
commanders roced the army
into retreat.
 Two more Armadas were
assembled but also failed.
 Anyway, England was unable
to take advantage of its
success.
 English buccaneering in the
Caribbean were once and
again defeated by Spain’s
rebuilt navy.

36. DEATH AND SUCCESSION
 Philip II died in el
Monasterio de El
Escorial in 1598 after a
long suffering.
 He was succeeded by
his son Philip III.

38. Developed by María Jesús Campos
Chusteacher
wikiteacher