Spanish Empire and Absolutism in Europe

• Warm Up: Music: Fandango

• Objective: Trace development of Spanish power and the tyranny of absolute rule

• Standard: 10:1.2

• Homework: Cornell Notes 155-161

• Extra Credit: Girl with a Pearl Earring

Building Spanish Empire• Unification (Ferdinand and Isabella)

of Aragon, Castille, invasion of Granada In 1490’s

• Charles V Holy Roman Emperor (1555- Charles splits Empire gives brother Holy Roman Empire. Gives Spain and rich Netherlands to son.)

• Phillip II takes Portugal – Lived in a large granite palace Escorial

• Phillip II felt that it was his duty to defend the Catholic church

• 1566 Iconoclastic rioting breaks out in Flanders Phillip sends in troops led by duke of Alva

Jean Bodin on absolute rule

“ The first characteristic of the sovereign prince is the power to make general and special laws, but- and this qualification is important- without the consent of superiors, equals or inferiors. If the prince requires the consent of superiors then he is subject himself, if that of equals, he shares the authority, if that of subjects, senate or people he is not sovereign”

• 1568- Rebellion of Moors in Southern Spain due to intolerance

• Royal Share in the Americas about 1/5 (most spent on wars)

• Between 1550-1650 339,000 lbs. Of gold and 16,000 tons of silver

Spain

• 1571- Battle of Lepanto (Moors attack Spain

• 1572- Sea Beggars (Dutch Pirates) attack Spanish

• 1576- Spanish Sack Antwerp

Golden Age

• Patrons of the art (El Greco and Velazquez)

• Cervantes and Don Quixote

Excerpt- Don Quixote de la Mancha

“He rushed with Bavieca utmost speed upon the first windmill he could come at, and, running his lance into the sail, the wind whirled about with such a swiftness, that the rapidity of the motion presently broke the lance into shivers, and hurled away both knight and horse along with it, till down he fell, rolling a good way off the field”

Flanders and Antwerp

• Charles V was able to avoid problems

• Anabaptist become strong and rebel

• William of Orange leads aristocratic rebellion

• As Spanish Build up in Flanders Elizabeth becomes concerned of an attack

A weakening Empire• Heavy Taxes (10% sales tax)-

No middle class• Inflation – Growing demand

+ devaluing of money (silver)• Expulsion of Jewish Muslim

Middle Class =Tax burden on poor (1492)

• Dutch Revolts• Pirates• Defeat of Armada by British

(1588)• Borrowing from Bankers

(Bankruptcy 1590)• Phillip II dies (1598)• New Plague Epidemic (1599)

Dutch Trading Empire• Banking System- replaces

Italian• Republic- United

provinces of the Netherlands in 16th century

• Dutch Art (Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Vermeer) (light and Dark, middle class merchants, anti-Spanish)

• Trading- Buying supplies and creating false demand

Summary Questions

1) What country had the powerful war ships called the Armada?

2) Who gradually replaced the Italians as European Bankers?

3) Who wrote Don Quixote de La Mancha?4) What religion did Phillip II promise to

defend?5) What was Phillip II granite palace called?