Section 3.14

Philip II and the Counter Reformation

Questions to consider

• Why could Philip II rightly regard himself as an international figure? Why was Spain ideally suited to be the instrument of Philip’s ambitions?

• How would you describe and characterize the general state of political and religious affairs in Europe in the first years of Philip’s reign? What conflict existed between religious and national loyalties?

• How permanent were the triumphs of Philip and of the Catholic cause in the years 1567 to 1572?

• Explain the political, economic, and religious issues that entered into the revolt of the Netherlands. How did the revolt merge with the international political and religious struggles in Europe?

• How would you analyze the reasons for Spain’s decline?

How did there come to be two Hapsburgs?• Charles V abdicated 1556

– Moved to a monastery• Divided holdings between son and

brother– Ferdinand (bro)

• Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and HRE

– Philip II (son) • Spain, New World, Spanish

Netherlands, Burgundy, Milan, Naples, Tunis

• Briefly king of Portugal and England

• Hapsburgs now divided between Austrian and Spanish domains

Ferdinand I

Philip II

Note the position of

France

Who was Philip II (1556-1598) and why was his rule considered a Golden Age?

• Fanatically Catholic• Grave, somber, dark, brooding man• ABOVE ALL ELSE, Committed to upholding

the universal Catholic Church above• Gave no thought to economic, material loss• 33% of population in service of Church

(1600)• Ultimately this would lead to Spain’s decline• Ruled during Siglo de Oro (1550-1650)• The Century of Gold (Golden Age)

– Cervantes-Don Quixote– El Greco WebMuseum: Greco, El– art represents a blend of passion and

restraint, religious fervor and Neo-Platonism, influenced by the mysticism of the Counter-Reformation.

El Greco

The Escorial• A palace, monastery

and mausoleum• 30 miles from Madrid• Bleak, arid plateau of

central Castile• Layout in form of grill • Honoring St. Lawrence

(roasted alive in 258 AD)

• Coffins of father, dead wives, children relocated there

• Lived in Spartan fashion

What was the general state of political and religious affairs in Europe in the first years of

Philip’s reign? • Catholic Offensive• 1567 Philip sent Duke of Alva & 20

thousand soldiers to suppress Netherlands

• Brutally put down revolt of Moriscos

• Kept Turks at bay in Mediterranean

• Encouraged Catholics in England to rebel against Elizabeth

• Approved of St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of Huguenots

• None of these proved lasting

Fernando Alvarez, Duke of Alva (1567-1573

Revolt of the Netherlands• Germanic (Dutch) in North

– Fishing industry, strong Protestant presence• French South• Comprised of 17 provinces (including Luxembourg)• Hatred of Philip’s rule unites regions• League of Nobles (200)

– Petition Philip to keep Inquisition out• Philip refuses==revolts

– Sends troops, Inquisition, Council of Troubles• Known as Council of Blood• Executed thousands, confiscated estates, taxed

population• William of Orange

– A stadholder (soon to become hereditary title, was a leader of provinces of Netherlands)

– Known as “The Silent”– Mobilized anti-Spanish forces at sea– Encourages Danes, Scots, English, Dutch to

pirate Spanish ships

Involvement of England• Elizabeth quietly supports protestants in

Netherlands• Mary “Queen of Scots”

– Great granddaughter of Henry VIII– Was queen of France (husband died),

Queen of Scotland (driven out by Calvinists)

– Imprisoned by Elizabeth (suspicious of her intrigue)

• Don Juan’s Plot (Babington Plot)• Was hero at battle of Lepanto (defeated

Turks)• Half brother to Philip• Wanted to conquer Nether, invaded

England, marry Mary, place her on throne, and rule England as King

• Died before his plot came to fruition• Mary beheaded

– Letters supporting the plot discovered Reburied by her son, James I

Involvement of England Continued• Parma becomes new leader after

Don Juan in 1578• Promises liberties to moderates,

zealous Catholics tired of mob violence

• Northern provinces (led by Holland and Zeeland) declare independence under Union of Utrecht in 1579 (renamed United Provinces of Netherlands in 1581)

• Parma moves against Antwerp forces Elizabeth to openly side with Holland

• Philip prepares to invade

The Spanish Armada (1588)• Great armada or armada catolica• Fleet of mixed nationalities• plan was to sail to Netherlands and take

Parmas’ army to England• English met the Armada in the English

Channel with 200 ships• Sir Francis Drake • Stalwart and nimble English vessels out

maneuvered the Spanish galleons• Refuge in Calais was lost to “fire ships”• “Protestant Winds” from south to north

pushed the Spanish into unfamiliar waters

• Retreat around northern British Isles was catastrophic

• Complete victory for the English is realized and the ascendancy of England begins

Spanish Armada and the

Protestant Wind

Sir Francis Drake

Results of the Struggle• Philip II died (of cancer) in 1598 a broken man• England’s national spirit is emerging under

Protestantism and set out to conqueror the seas• The Netherlands are divided north and south

– North (7 provinces) becomes Protestant, tolerant, close the Scheldt, and emerge as a rising commercial force at sea and in banking

– South (10 provinces) becomes Catholic, is in ruins (40 yrs of war), and little help is forthcoming from Spain

• called Spanish Netherlands (Belgium today)• Spain is imploding, financial dependence on New

World wealth is becoming desperate, and leadership was directed toward Catholic affairs rather than Spain’s need

• Final blow to Spain is the line of incompetent kings that follow Philip