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King Philip II of Spain (1527–1598)

King Philip II ruled Spain during the peak of its golden age. He was the leader of the Catholic Reformation and worked tirelessly to battle Protestantism. “I do not propose or desire to be the ruler of heretics,” he wrote to one of his ambassadors. Philip loved books, and Spanish literature flourished during his reign. In the European wars against the Ottoman Turks, Philip had great success, especially at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. In 1578, Philip conquered Portugal. But Philip also had his failures. His cautious, methodical work habits slowed his government; the war against the rebellions in the Netherlands dragged on for years, and the defeat of his “invincible” armada during the Anglo-Spanish war was a loss of epic proportion.

1. Determining Importance Think about Philip’s successes and failures. Which one do you consider to be the most important?

2. Making Connections Philip II was the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. What effect might this have had on the way he ruled Spain?

The first question is an opinion question so there really is no wrong answer as long as you provide reasoning. Personally, I think Philip's failed involvement in the 30 years war was his most significant loss. As a result of the Treaty of Westphalia, Philip II lost possession of the Netherlands as well as demonstrated his inability to keep Spanish lands Catholic. It is also one of the first significant failures that showed the decline of Spain.

As the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Philip II was influenced by the political affairs of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). Because of his strong ties to the HRE, Philip II was an ally to the Empire and shared many of the same beliefs. Both Philip's involvement in the 30 years war and the Protestant persecution in Spain show strong Catholic ties and allegiance to the HRE (keep in mind that the Pope lived in the HRE and held a lot of sway over the Empire).