Which dynasty belonged to the king of Spain, Philip 2. Philip II, King of Spain

After the Peace of Augsburg and the abdication of Charles V, international relations in the West entered a new phase, influence of the general struggle between Catholicism and Protestantism. In the foreign policy of the first half of the XVI century. religious motives played almost no role. The alliances of the Protestant cantons of Switzerland with the German imperial cities and with Philip of Hesse, and of the Catholic cantons with the Habsburgs and Savoy, are the only examples of political combination on religious grounds. On the contrary, in the rival wars of Charles V and Francis I, which were the main phenomenon in the history of international relations of that time, there was nothing that would in any way suggest a religious strife. A completely different spectacle is presented to us by the second half of the 16th century, when in their mutual relations the states were sharply divided into catholic and protestant camps, which waged a diplomatic and armed struggle among themselves. Only France stood now on one side, then on the other. Her vital interests and traditions forced her to continue to fight the Habsburgs, but since it was the latter who were at the head of the Catholic camp, France sought an alliance with the Protestants, following in this respect the example of Francis I and Henry II, who supported the Protestant princes in Germany. On the other hand, France remained faithful to Catholicism, and therefore, when people who put the interests of the church above the interests of the state gained the upper hand in her, she, on the contrary, sought rapprochement with the Catholic powers.

97. The power of Spain in the XVI century

In the second half of the 16th century, under Philip II (1556 - 1598), Spain retained that preeminent position which she occupied under Charles V. This sovereign and his son owned the vast New World, from where they received a lot of precious metals. The possession of the industrial and commercial Netherlands also represented great material benefits for the Spanish government. Charles V also left as a legacy to his son a good army, seasoned in battle, and a large fleet that defeated enemies in the Mediterranean. Even Ferdinand the Catholic and Isabella of Castile established royal absolutism in the country, and the Spaniards not only got used to the new order of things, but also submitted to it internally, identifying the power of their king with their national glory. They directly considered themselves the first nation in the world, and at the same time nowhere did orthodox Catholicism reign so unshakably and undividedly as here. Charles V failed to place the imperial crown on his son's head, but Philip II still remained the head of the senior line of the dynasty, and the junior line, which reigned in Austria and did not have such power, was to play a relatively secondary role in international relations.

98. Politics of Philip II

Philip II generally continued his father's policy in the sense of striving for superiority in Europe. But there was also a difference between them. If Charles V cannot be attributed to any nationality, then Philip II was first of all a Spaniard and put his own interests above all else, just like the Spanish king. Charles V was an enemy of the Reformation, but for political rather than religious reasons, while Philip II was a fanatic who "would rather not be a king at all than govern the infidels." In the latter respect, he was a true son of his people, who were distinguished by their extreme intolerance. At the very beginning of his reign, Philip II completely cleared Spain from "heretics", committing execution by burning - in his presence - all those who could be convicted of belonging to Protestantism. The descendants of the conquered Moors (Moriscos), who retained their native language and the old national costume, were at the same time subjected to this terrible persecution and were almost completely exterminated. Personally, Philip II was a gloomy and unsociable person, devoid of the ability for pity and compassion. "If," he once said, "my own son were a heretic, I myself would bring wood to the fire to burn it." (The sad fate of his eldest son is known Don Carlos, whom he imprisoned for disobedience, where the unfortunate infant ended his days).

99. Wars of Philip II

At the beginning of the reign of Philip II in general enjoyed great success in his foreign ventures. In the war with the French king Henry II, which began under Charles V, the Spanish commanders won several victories. The pope (Paul IV) took the side of France, but Philip II sent the Duke of Alba against him and thereby forced him to abandon the alliance with Henry II. France was forced to ask for peace, which was concluded in Cato-Cambresi (1559), and Henry II had to return to Philip II Savoy and Piedmont, taken by Francis I from their duke, an ally of Spain. Another important success of Philip II was the defeat of the Turks in the naval battle of Lepanto(1570), whose hero was Don Juan the Austrian(brother of the king from another mother). Shortly thereafter, Philip II managed to further increase his possessions. annexation of Portugal where the former dynasty ended (1580). Philip II, whose mother was a Portuguese princess, laid claim to the vacant throne and backed up his claim with a large army sent to Lisbon. The Portuguese, in essence, did not want this connection and constantly made attempts to overthrow the Spanish rule, but Philip II severely punished all conspiracies and uprisings in this country until his death.

100. Struggle of Philip II against Protestantism in foreign lands

Much had less luck Philip II in his efforts to bring universal triumph to Catholicism. Even in the reign of his father, he married the English Queen Mary Tudor, a zealous Catholic, who began the restoration of the old church in her kingdom. Maria soon died, and the Spanish king offered her hand to her sister Elizabeth, but the latter rejected his proposal, insulting the proud Spanish king to the core. Another reason for his hatred of Elizabeth was that the English queen and her subjects promoted Protestantism not only in Scotland and France, but also in the Netherlands belonging to Philip II himself. The Reformation won its final victory in Scotland only with the help of Elizabeth. With his despotism and fanaticism, Philip II caused Dutch uprising, which also began to enjoy the patronage of the English queen and the support of the French Protestants. In France, just at that time, there were religious wars, in which Philip II did not hesitate to intervene in order to establish Catholicism in this country and even subjugate it to his dynasty. He clearly understood that the achievement of his goal on the mainland required the crushing of England, especially since this country began to threaten the sea power of Spain. English sailors, who themselves were not averse to robbing other people's ships and coastal colonies, often attacked the Spaniards both at sea and on land. All this, taken together, forced Philip II to constantly think about how to subjugate England to his power. At first, he pinned all his hopes on the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart, who challenged Elizabeth's right to the English crown. It was supposed to overthrow and kill Elizabeth, and Philip II secretly led conspiracies that set themselves this goal. He even founded a seminary in Belgium to train English Catholic priests, who then went to their homeland to perform Catholic worship and indignation of subjects against the heretic queen. When Mary was executed, Philip II decided to punish Elizabeth for this and equipped a huge fleet to conquer England, which had previously received the name Invincible armada(1588). This venture, however, ended in complete failure. All England rose up in defense of national independence and put up against the armada their hastily equipped fleet, which, however, turned out to be excellent. Storms and inexperience in the naval affairs of the main Spanish commander helped the British, and only the miserable remnants of the armada returned to Spain. This was a terrible blow to the naval power of Spain and greatly damaged her in the matter of pacifying the Netherlands, some of which shortly before (1581) resigned from PhilipII and formed an independent republic. Philip II also failed with his plans for France. During the religious wars that took place here, the Catholics called for help from Philip II, and he sent them money and soldiers. When in 1589 in France The Valois dynasty ended and the Protestant Henry of Bourbon, the closest relative of the royal house, came to the throne, Philip II did not want to recognize him as king and continued to assist the Catholic party, which resisted the new sovereign. The Spanish king, as the husband of a French princess, even had the idea of ​​placing his daughter on the throne of France or sitting on it himself. Henry of Bourbon had to establish inner peace in his state, repel the Spanish invasion from both the south and the northeast (from the Spanish Netherlands). This new war between France and Spain ended only in 1598, the same year that Philip II died.

101. Weakening of Spain

The wars waged by Philip II for the predominance of Spain and for the triumph of Catholicism, only weakened and ruined his state. The deposition of part of the Netherlands, the death of the Invincible Armada, the failure in France marked the loss by Spain of the preeminent position that it occupied until the second half of the reign of Philip II. The enterprises of this king cost enormous amounts of money and cut off a lot of people from productive labor. Spain could no longer be saved by the gold and silver of the New World, especially since the nation, accustomed to easy money in overseas countries and in war, neglected the development of agriculture, industry and trade. The material impoverishment of the country corresponded to cultural decline under the yoke of a fanatical government and an ignorant clergy. It is quite understandable that after Philip II Spain descended to the rank of a minor state.

Philip II of Habsburg
(May 21, 1527, Valladolid - September 13, 1598, Escorial, Madrid).

Antonis Mor.Portrait of the Philip II, King of Spain (1554, Szépmyvészeti Mázeum, Budapest)

Philip II of Habsburg(Felipe II), king Spain c 1556 year, king Portugal c 1580 year (as Philip I). Son of Habsburg and Isabella of Portugal.
Prince Philip, the son and heir of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, was raised in the Spanish spirit. He was fluent only in the Castilian dialect and later, after becoming king, he never left Spain during all the years of his reign. In general, the Infante received a good education and, even before accession to the throne, managed to gain considerable life and political experience.

The years of Philip's first regency (1543-1548) became for him the first and most important practice in Spanish politics. Supported by the experienced elite of the Soviets, as well as constantly coordinating all issues with his father, Philip performed a double function. On the one hand, he acted as the responsible regent of the Spanish kingdom. Therefore, observing the Spanish interests, Philip in 1543 married the daughter of the Portuguese king, Princess Mary of Portugal(1527-1545), who was Philip's cousin (his mother's niece). Through this marriage, Philip considered himself heir to the Portuguese throne.

Maria Manuela de Avis of Portugal, (October 15, 1527, Coimbra - July 12, 1545, Valladolid) - Portuguese princess, first wife of King Philip II of Spain.Mary's parents were the king of Portugal Juan III And Catherine of Austria. The marriage ceremony between Mary and Philip took place in 1543 year. Since they were close relatives, a papal dispensation was required for their marriage, which was obtained without complications. She gave birth to an heir to the throne don carlos, who, however, was physically and mentally ill, which may have been a consequence of the close relationship of the spouses. Maria died very young during childbirth.

On the other hand, Philip had to closely monitor the actions of his father in Germany in order to be able to mobilize the resources of Spain, especially money, for the costly imperial policy. When in 1547 In the year Charles finally managed to defeat the Protestants in the empire, he rose to the pinnacle of his power.

This, and the fact that his brother's son Ferdinand, who was expected to become emperor, sympathized with Protestantism, prompted the emperor to decide to prepare Philip for the imperial throne. The son was ordered to come to Germany And Netherlands. Only in 1559 Philip was destined to finally return to Spain, so that the years 1548-1559 became for him an excellent school of European politics.

So in autumn 1548 a year with more than two thousand retinue, Philip left Spain and went to Italy, where he made stops in Genoa, Milan, Mantua and Trient; then, having crossed the Alps, he visited Munich, Speyer and Heidelberg, then through Luxembourg reached Brussels, where he met his father. The journey was accompanied by endless festivities and feasts, in which Philip, who had reached the age of twenty-one, took an active part. Then, for almost a year, from July 1550 to May 1551, while attending the Augsburg Reichstag, he met his uncle, King Ferdinand I, with his son and heir Maximilian, as well as with the most important princes of the empire. In the previous year, Philip traveled Netherlands to get acquainted with the country, which he learned to appreciate. The impressions taken from the Netherlands subsequently influenced the architecture of the buildings and parks he erected in Spain, in the planning of which he took an active part. He also fell in love with Dutch painting; soon there were 40 paintings in his collection alone Hieronymus Bosch. During these years, Philip fell in love with the Netherlands, which, however, was destined to become the most "sore spot" of his reign.

IN 1551 In the year Philip returned to Spain for three years and tried to act from there on his own to support his father against the uprising of the German princes, however, in vain. Charles V and, accordingly, Philip lost power in the empire. King Ferdinand I and his son Maximilian managed to defend their interests there against the now Spanish line of the Habsburgs. Charles eventually ceded the Austrian fiefdom and the emperorship in Germany to his brother, but secured the Italian and Dutch possessions for his son Philip. The latter he hoped to strategically protect by Philip's marriage in 1554 year on a much older English queen Mary I Tudor(1516-1558), which was also not very beautiful .. For this purpose, the Kingdom of Naples was transferred to Philip, and he moved to London.

If Mary had any feelings for her husband and even wanted to give birth to a child from him, then he did not even show his wife outward signs of attention. The conclusion of this marriage opened up the prospect of a dynastic union between Spain and England. With the assistance of her husband, Mary Tudor pursued a policy of terror in England against the supporters of the Reformation.

Anthony Mor. Mary Tudor(1554, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie, Wien) eldest daughter Henry VIII from marriage to Catherine of Aragon. (daughter of the founders of the Spanish state, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile). Maria was Philip's cousin and was 11 years older than him. According to the marriage contract, Philip had no right to interfere in the government of the state; children born from this marriage became heirs to the English throne. In the event of the queen's premature death, Philip had to return to Spain. The people disliked the new king. He was pompous and arrogant; the retinue that came with him behaved defiantly. Bloody skirmishes began to take place on the streets between the British and the Spaniards.

Hans Eworth or Ewoutsz. Portrait of Philip II. and his second wife Mary I Tudor (1558, Bedford Collection, Woburn Abbey).

In September, doctors discovered signs of pregnancy in Mary, at the same time a will was drawn up, according to which Philip would be regent until the child came of age. But the child was never born, and Queen Mary appoints her sister, Elizabeth, as her successor. Already in May 1558, it becomes obvious that a false pregnancy was a symptom of the disease - Queen Mary suffered from headaches, fever, insomnia, gradually losing her eyesight. In the summer she contracted the flu and on November 6 1558 officially appointed Elizabeth as her successor. On November 17, 1558, Mary I died. She was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Images of Philip II of Spain and his wife, the English Queen Mary Tudor "Bloody". (Cathedral of St. John in Gouda)

When Mary Tudor died in 1558, the English Parliament refused to recognize Philip's claim to the crown of England.

IN 1556 year Charles V decided to retire from public affairs and transfer his vast possessions to his heirs. As a result of the division of the Habsburg possessions, Philip inherited Spain with her possessions in Italy ( Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Sardinia,Milan), V Africa and overseas, and Netherlands, franche-comté And Charolais(Burgundy).

A fanatical champion of Catholicism, Philip II considered the main task of his reign to be the fight against the enemies of the Roman Catholic Church, the eradication of Protestantism and heresies. At the same time, the deep religiosity of the Spanish king did not rule out conflicts with the popes for political reasons. When Philip ascended the throne, Spain was engaged in a tense struggle with France in the Italian Wars.

Evasion Henry II from the observance of the treaty concluded with Charles V at Voscelles, prompted Philip to declare war on France, which he waged for two years, and very successfully. In addition to the Austro-Spanish troops under the banner of Philip were Sardinians, Flemings and the British. 10th of August 1557 Duke of Savoy, Emmanuel Philibert, won a brilliant victory over the French at Saint-Quentenay(S. Quentin). After a seventeen-day siege, Saint-Quentin was taken; Katele, Gam and Nuyon soon suffered the same fate. Marshal's Victory de Terme(de Thermes) at Gravelines, completed the successes of the arms of Philip II in France, and the long-desired peace for the latter was concluded at Château Cambrésis on April 13 1559 of the year. To further strengthen the treaty, Henry II gave the hand of his daughter Elizabeth to the king of Spain.

Anthony Mor. Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois (1545-1568), (Louvre, Paris)
Elizabeth of Valois was born April 2, 1545 in Fontainebleau, she was the eldest daughter of the King of France Henry II and his wife Catherine de Medici. Elizabeth was the second child in the family and was brought up with her brothers and sisters. In contrast to his older brother Francis, who grew up very sickly and was physically and mentally ill, the young princess grew up smart and inquisitive. Elizabeth inherited black hair, dark eyes, and a high intellect from her Italian mother. But unlike her mother, Elizabeth had a softer character and more tact in behavior, she was also distinguished by great piety. The virtues of Elizabeth did not go unnoticed at the European courts, and soon numerous candidates began to seek the hand of the daughter of the French king. France was weakened by numerous wars with Spain, so Henry and Catherine decided to betroth their daughter to the Spanish heir to the throne. Don Carlos and thus strengthen relations with Spain. However Philip II suddenly after death 1558 year of his second wife Mary I Tudor, the Queen of England broke off the engagement between her son and Elizabeth and sent the Duke of Alba as a matchmaker to Catherine de Medici. The French Queen was at first puzzled by this unexpected change. However, in the end, she agreed to the engagement of her daughter with a much older Spanish king in the hope that Elizabeth could influence the policy of Spain in the right way for France. It is also possible that Catherine heard rumors about the poor physical and mental state of Don Carlos, plying throughout Europe. As part of the wedding festivities, Elizabeth's father Henry II arranged a jousting tournament on June 30, 1559. Henry was an avid tournament fighter and on this day competed with Count Gabriel de Montgomery. During the fight, his spear bounced off his armor and pierced the king's eye. He never recovered from such a severe wound and, despite intensive medical care, died a few days later on July 10, 1559. The wedding ceremony, overshadowed by the difficult struggle for the life of Elizabeth's father, took place by proxy (Latin per procurationem) on June 21 1559 year in Paris. Acted as groom Duke of Alba. From that moment on, death became for Elizabeth and her friend of youth Mary Stuart constant companion. Six months later, Elizabeth left France in the direction of Spain and arrived after a tiring journey through the Pyrenees to Guadalajara, where she saw her husband for the first time, who was 18 years older than her. The real marriage took place on February 2 1560 years in Toledo. The Spanish people named the French princess Isabel de la Paz (Isabelle of Peace), since her marriage to King Philip II crowned the long-awaited peace between Spain and France under the Treaty of Cato-Cambresia. Elizabeth was only 15 years old when she got married, all contemporaries admired her beauty. In February 1560, she fell ill with chickenpox and recovered only after a rather long time. Her weakened body also suffered from smallpox at the end of the year, so the queen spent most of her time in bed. During this period, Philip II, despite the danger of infection, almost did not leave her bed and looked after her selflessly. Elizabeth was touched by this attitude from the king and gradually overcame her initial fear of a silent husband. In the following years, until her premature death, Elizabeth was a confidant for her husband, with whom he discussed many problems, including important political issues. Philip, according to the description of his contemporaries, is a very prudent, cold-blooded and unfriendly person, under the influence of a young wife, he turned into a cheerful and loving husband who literally read all the desires of his wife on the lips. Over the course of the marriage between Elizabeth and Philip, the ossified court etiquette was softened a little, and the young queen filled the gloomy Spanish court with life, French lightness and French fashion. Although Philip truly loved Elizabeth, family life was in the background in his daily routine. Phipip II was a monarch, as they say, body and soul and could spend days on end planning upcoming military campaigns and making important political decisions. Elizabeth assisted her husband in public affairs and grew more and more from a young French princess into an intelligent, merciful, pious and compassionate Spanish queen. Catherine, who before her daughter's marriage hoped for a friendly Spanish policy towards France, was shocked by this development and noted in her letters that her daughter had become very Spanish. However, the most important task of the queen, namely, the birth of the heir to the throne, she, due to her fragile physique, could not fulfill. Elizabeth was pregnant five times. Her first pregnancy was, compared to the others, quite harmless: in April 1560 she gave birth to a son, who died a few hours after birth. In May 1564, her second pregnancy began, and with her, real torment did not stop until her death. As a result of incorrect methods of treatment, she went into premature birth, and she lost two twin girls. Frequent illnesses and unsuccessful childbirth did not go unnoticed for her health. She became increasingly pale, thin and weak. Despite this, she tried to help her husband in public affairs. But at the end of 1565, she became pregnant again and, after a difficult birth, was born in 1566 year Isabella Clara Evgeniya, and a year later - Catalina Michaela. .

Sofonisba Anguissola (1530-1625). Infantas Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela (1570).
Isabella Clara Evgeniya(August 12, 1566 - December 1, 1633), wife of the Archduke Albrecht VII(brother Anna of Austria), the ruler of the Spanish Netherlands (Albrecht became regent of the Netherlands, and after his death Isabella Clara began to rule. They say that the period of their joint rule was a golden age for the Habsburg Netherlands. Rubens became their court painter in 1609). And for the last twelve years of her life, Isabella Clara will be regent for her nephew, Philip IV.
Catalina Michaela(October 10, 1567 - November 6, 1597) wife Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy. From this marriage come the kings of Sardinia and Italy from the Savoy dynasty up to Umberto I. Among the descendants of this couple were the famous commander Prince Eugene of Savoy (on the male side) and King Louis XV of France (on the maternal side)

With another pregnancy in the fall 1568 The queen fell ill and never recovered. On the morning of October 3, she went into premature labor. The child, again a girl, barely managed to be christened before death. Elizabeth died on the same day in the presence of her husband, without having given birth to him an heir to the throne. She died in Aranjuez and was buried in the convent of San Lorenzo del Escorial. According to legend, Elizabeth had a love affair with her stepson Don Carlos, which inspired Friedrich Schiller to write the drama Don Carlos.

Philip's relationship with his eldest son, don carlos(1545-1568) deserve a separate story. Carlos was an unbalanced man, prone to senseless cruelty.

Portrait of Don Carlos (A. Mor or A. Sanchez Coelho) (1564, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)
Don Carlos(July 8, 1545, Valladolid - July 24, 1568, Madrid) - heir to the Spanish throne, son of King Philip II of Spain and his first wife, Mary of Portugal. He was born in Valladolid, his mother died a few days after his birth, never recovering from a difficult childbirth. Don Carlos was the eldest legitimate son of Philip II and thus heir to the Spanish throne. He grew up stooped and mentally retarded. It is assumed that this was a consequence of incest practiced among the Habsburgs and between the royal houses of Spain and Portugal. Don Carlos had only four great-grandparents, out of a possible eight, and only six great-great-grandparents and great-great-grandmothers out of a possible sixteen. In 1559, Infante Carlos was engaged to Elizabeth of Valois, the daughter of King Henry II of France, but a few months later, for political reasons, she was married to his father, as a result of the conclusion of the Cato-Cambresia peace between Spain and France. Other brides were proposed to the prince: Mary Stuart, Marguerite of Valois, another daughter of Henry II, and Anna of Austria, daughter of Emperor Maximilian II, who later became the fourth wife of Philip II. Although his mental health worsened every year, he was named in 1560 heir to the Castilian throne and three years later heir to the Aragonese kingdom. After the king appointed not Don Carlos, but Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, the third Duke of Alba, as commander-in-chief in the Eighty Years' War, Don Carlos rebelled against his father. In a rage, he wrote a list of the people he hated the most, in which his father was in the first place. In the same year, he killed Philip II's favorite horse. To appease his son, Philip appointed him Minister of the Council of State, a role Don Carlos performed very well. However, later he again quarreled with his father and he deprived him of this post. In 1568, Don Carlos, being at odds with his father, intended to flee from Spain to the Netherlands, but was captured and imprisoned. Philip II wanted to arrange a trial of his son on charges of treason, but the infant died before it began. The suspicion that Don Carlos was poisoned by order of Philip was not confirmed.

In honor of the victorious end of the Italian wars, a palace-monastery was built in Madrid Escorial the favorite residence of the king. Later, after the suppression of the Valois dynasty, marriage to Isabella served Philip as the basis for claims to the French throne.

During the reign of Philip II, royal absolutism was strengthened, Spain gained a permanent capital - Madrid. The king systematically limited the medieval liberties of individual regions, cities and institutions (the abolition of the liberties of Aragon in 1591, the restriction of the prerogatives of the church), sought to unify his possessions, strengthened and enlarged the bureaucratic apparatus of government, which, in terms of his character, was the best match. The excessive caution of the monarch, the desire to personally control all the springs of power, distrust of subordinates - all this turned into an insufficient efficiency of the administrative apparatus, a fatal delay in making important decisions. At the request of the king, all reports came to him in writing, he sorted out papers in a small office, where only a few people had access.

Titian. Portrait of Philip II (1551, Prado Madrid)

Philip II zealously supported the Inquisition, heretics in his lands were burned, severely persecuted moriscos, who were evicted in 1568-1570 to the barren lands in the hinterland of Spain. To avoid the influence of the Reformation, Spaniards were forbidden to study abroad. The active foreign policy and religious intolerance of Philip II had a negative impact on the Spanish economy, leading to an unjustified increase in taxes, the destruction of the financial system, the ruin of peasants and artisans, and, ultimately, to a deep economic decline of the whole country. Waging endless wars required huge amounts of money. Philip II increased taxes (including the alcabala), to pay off the state deficit, he repeatedly confiscated gold, silver, cargo arriving from America, and made huge loans. But expenses invariably turned out to be more than income. Philip II in 1557, 1575, 1598 declared state bankruptcy, which brought even more disorder into the economic life of the country.

Titian. Philip II.

For the fourth time, Philip married his niece Anna of Austria. Anna was the daughter of Philip's younger sister Mary of Spain and emperor Maximilian II. He did not feel love for his wife, but highly appreciated her, always emphasizing that in her person he found a true friend. Anna finally gave him the long-awaited heir, the future Philip III, but he did not justify his father's hopes, and Philip II understood this too well. Before his death, he regretted that he did not have the courage and reason not to enter into a fourth marriage, but to transfer the crown to his eldest daughter, Isabella, as his friend and the only person whom Philip trusted, Prince Eboli, advised him. Philip outlived Anna by 18 years, never remarried.

Anthonis Mor (1519-1575) .(1570, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie, Vienna) Anna of Austria(November 2, 1549 - October 26, 1580) - the fourth wife of King Philip II of Spain. She was the eldest daughter Emperor Maximilian II and his wife Mary of Spain, daughters of the emperor Charles V. Initially, she, like the third wife of Philip II, Elizabeth of Valois, was intended to be the wife of the heir to the Spanish throne. Don Carlos but he died unexpectedly on July 24 1568 of the year. In the same year, on October 3, Elizabeth of Valois also died. King Philip II was thus left without a wife and without an heir to the throne. In 1570, Anna arrived in Madrid, accompanied by her brothers. Albrecht And Wenzel who stayed in Spain to be educated at the royal court. 12-th of September 1570 Years in Segovia, Philip II married Anna. She was his niece, her mother was the sister of the King of Spain. In 1571 she gave birth to their first child, Ferdinand. However, of the five children she gave birth to, only the fourth, Philip, lived to adulthood and later became the king of Spain. Philip III.

Portrait Philip III in childhood (on the left is his older brother Diego, alas, who did not live long):

IN 1580 d. Anna and her husband went to Portugal to claim the Portuguese throne after the death of the king Enrique I who left no heirs. They reached Badajoz, where the king became seriously ill with the flu. While caring for her husband, Anna also contracted the flu and died at the age of thirty.

However, the Spanish monarch could not transfer the deep feelings that he had for his third wife to his fourth wife, as well as establish close relations with the children from his fourth marriage. Both of his daughters Isabella Clara Evgeniya And Katharina Michaela, were his confidants, from whom he, as well as before that from their mother, asked for advice on important political issues.

A significant place in the foreign policy of Philip II was occupied by the fight against Ottoman Empire- the most powerful Muslim state of the 16th century. The onslaught of the Turks in the Mediterranean contributed to the formation Holy League as part of Spain, Venice and the papacy. United League Fleet 1571 defeated the Turks at Lepanto, which allowed to stop the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean. In the colonies, the reign of Philip II became a time of transition from discoveries and conquests to the organization of the administration of the conquered territories. IN 1580 year after the suppression of the Portuguese royal dynasty, the king of Spain put forward his candidacy for the throne and was successful. Personal union for 60 years united Portugal and Spain. It was an undoubted foreign policy success of Philip II - the dangerous rival of Spain in the colonies was eliminated. In the future, Portugal no longer played a leading role in the discoveries and conquests of overseas territories.

Giacomo Antonio Moro. Portrait of Philip II

The pacification and expulsion of the Moriscos, the cruel persecution of Muslims, Jews, Protestants contributed to the impoverishment of the country, its economic decline, which was noticed already from the first decades of Philip's reign; but political power, at least judging by appearances, belonged to Spain until the height of the rebellion in Netherlands. This uprising was largely the work of Philip, who rigorously introduced and strengthened the Inquisition in this country.

The policy of Philip II caused discontent, and then the performance of the opposition-minded layers of the Dutch nobility and aristocracy. The prince became the opposition to the king William of Orange, Earl of Egmont, Count Horn and etc.

The opposition organized in union agreement(“Compromise”), on whose behalf April 5 1566 In Brussels, the Spanish viceroy was handed a petition demanding an end to religious persecution, to take away historical "liberties" and to convene the Estates General to solve the problems that had arisen. In a response manifesto on August 25, 1566, the viceroy made a number of concessions. She promised amnesty to members of the nobles' union. They fully accepted its terms, disbanded their alliance, and, together with government troops, set about armed suppression of the uprising, seeking to curry favor for their former "sins". On August 25, the Prince of Orange reported in a letter to Margaret of Parma that, on his orders, two iconoclasts were hanged in the market square, and twelve more were subjected to various punishments.

In August 1566 The Iconoclastic uprising began in Flanders. Philip said that he would “give retribution for insulting God” and his shrines (that is, Catholic churches), and sent Alba, one of his best military generals, to the Netherlands. In the continuation of the terror introduced by Alba, Philip remained the most active inspirer of all the cruelties of his protege.
In summer 1567 Spanish troops entered the Netherlands under the command of Duke of Alba(Fernando Alvarez de Toledo).

Antonio Moro. Duke of Alba (1507-1582)(1549)

IN 1568 And 1572 fled to Germany William of Orange, relying on the help of German Protestant princes and French Huguenots, twice invaded the Netherlands with troops. In both actions, the prince suffered a military defeat.
April 1 1572 years after the capture by sea geese of the city of Brielle A general uprising began in Holland and Zeeland. In the summer of the same year, having gathered in Dordrecht, the representative bodies (states) of these rebellious provinces made a number of important decisions on the organization of power.
In the autumn of 1572, William of Orange was given the highest executive power and supreme military command. Defense Haarlem in December 1572 - July 1573, Alkmaar in 1573 and Leiden in October 1573 - October 1574 ended in defeat from the Spanish army. However, in 1573 the Spanish government was forced to recall Alba from the Netherlands.
IN 1574 year in Dordrecht, a meeting of the synod was held, which laid a solid organizational foundation Calvinist Church In the north of the country. Calvinism became the spiritual banner under which the struggle for the elimination of Spanish domination and feudal arbitrariness unfolded.
After the victorious anti-Spanish uprising on 4 September 1576 year in Brussels, the center of the anti-Spanish movement moved to the southern provinces.
In the autumn of 1576 the Estates-General of all the Dutch provinces were assembled, and November 8, 1576 year was published Ghent appeasement(French la Pacification de Gand, see Dutch Revolution) - an agreement between the northern (Calvinist) and southern (Catholic) provinces.
February 12, 1577 years, the Estates General concluded with the new Spanish governor, Don Juan of Austria Eternal edict- an agreement on reconciliation with the Spanish king on the condition that he recognizes the appeasement of Ghent.
However, already on June 24, 1577, don Juan captured the fortress Namur and began to gather forces to suppress the Dutch revolution.
In September 1577, he arrived in Brussels from Holland. William of Orange, who was elected ruvard (ruler) of Brabant. The leadership of the political life of the country passed into his hands.
In October 1578 the Spanish governor don Juan died, who was replaced by a skillful politician and commander Alexander Farnese.
autumn 1578 years of provincial uprising Gennegau led by Catholic nobles. They were joined by the nobles of Artois, Douai and Orsha. January 6, 1579 d. they concluded among themselves Union of Arras and actually seceded from the revolutionary Protestant provinces.
In response, the provinces of the North signed January 23, 1579 of the year Union of Utrecht, which was later joined by the Protestant cities of Flanders and Brabant.
May 17, 1579 the Arrasians concluded a separate treaty with Philip II.
June 15, 1580 Philip II issued a decree declaring Prince of Orange outlaw.
26 July 1581 The States General responded to this with a counter act deposing Philip II and declaring the Netherlands independent from Spain.

Queen Elizabeth I feeds a Dutch cow. (1583)
This satirical painting depicts a cow that represents the Dutch provinces. King Philip II The Spanish tries in vain to ride the cow, spurring it on. Queen Elizabeth feeds her while William of Orange holds her tightly by the horns. Cow defecates on Duke of Anjou who holds her tail.
The painting was painted in the period after the visit of Francois, Duke of Anjou (brother of the King of France Henry III) to Queen Elizabeth in 1581–82 to discuss a marriage proposal and his military support for an Anglo-Dutch alliance against Spain. (In 1579, at the call of William of Orange, Francois supports the rebellious Flemings in the fight against King Philip II of Spain, becomes sovereign of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, Duke of Brabant and Count of Flanders. September 29 1580 The States General of the Netherlands signed the Convention at Plessis-les-Tours with the Duke, under which Francois received the title of "Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands" and became their sovereign. Alencon was not very popular among the Dutch, who still perceived Catholic France as an enemy. Provinces Zealand And Holland refused to recognize François as their sovereign, and William of Orange was heavily criticized for his pro-French policies.)

Attempts to suppress the resistance of the Netherlands cost Spain enormous material costs and human losses, but did not bring complete success. Freed from the feudal-absolutist oppression, the Republic of the United Provinces became one of Spain's main rivals in the colonies. At the same time, a new, even more dangerous enemy advanced against him - England.

Even after death Mary the Bloody, Queen of England Philip desired to marry her successor Elizabeth, but the latter skillfully rejected this matchmaking. As the success grew Netherlands Elizabeth showed more and more sympathy for their cause. Francis Drake, an adventurer patronized by the English government, attacked the shores of the transatlantic possessions of Spain, sometimes not sparing the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Finally, when Elizabeth sent help to the Netherlands in the form of a large detachment of infantry and artillery, Philip decided to deliver a decisive blow to the "heretic"; execution Mary Stuart only hastened his decision. IN 1588 d. Philip sent to the shores of England under the command Medina-Sidonia huge fleet (130 large warships) - " invincible armada", which died from a storm and successful attacks by a defensive English squadron.

Vroom Hendrick Cornelisz. Battle between England and Spain (1601)

Philip received the news of this misfortune with unusual outward calmness, but in fact, as it was clear to those close to him, it greatly depressed him. Still, he did not conclude peace with Elizabeth, and until the end of his life, Spain was subjected to severe attacks by the English fleet: Philip's treasury was so depleted that he absolutely could not build a more or less strong defensive fleet. The British succeeded in the most daring landings: for example, shortly before the death of Philip, they burned Cadiz.

The unsuccessful war between Spain and England unleashed the hands of both the rebellious and folded Netherlands, and Henry III of Valois(and then Henry IV Bourbon); both the Netherlands and France felt more free: the first - from stubborn military combat with the Spanish landings, the second - from diplomatic intrigues and intrigues on the part of Philip, who had long been in contact with Gizami. All his plans to profit somehow with the help of the French Catholic Party at the expense of France and even put his daughter on the French throne ended in complete failure. After death Henry III of Valois, he tried to put his daughter on the French throne Isabella and entered into 1591 year in Paris, the Spanish garrison. However, the Estates General 1593 year rejected the candidacy Isabella Habsburg, and in June 1595 the Spaniards were defeated Henry of Navarre at the Battle of Fontaine-Française. Spanish troops were expelled from France. In general, his many years of diplomatic secret and overt relations with the French court (first with Catherine de Medici And Charles IX, then with Gizami) provide much material to characterize Philip's duplicity, treachery, and religious fanaticism. He concluded peace with France only in 1598 city, in Vervain.

In family life, Philip was not happy. He had quite a few mistresses, but they did not ruin the state finances: in private life, the king was not wasteful. Endless wars, almost always unsuccessful, the barbaric persecution of the hardworking and merchant population for religious beliefs - this is what contributed to the impoverishment and almost complete bankruptcy of Spain by the end of Philip's life. Philip died of a painful illness; he treated physical suffering with his characteristic gloomy stamina

Sofonisba Anguissola (1530-1625). Philip II Habsburg. (after 1570, Prado, Madrid)

Philip's personality was assessed differently by his contemporaries. In the eyes of the Protestants, he was a bloody monster, all possible vices were attributed to him, his repulsive appearance was emphasized. Indeed, suspicion reigned at the Spanish court, the atmosphere of palace life was poisoned by intrigues. At the same time, Philip was a connoisseur and patron of the arts, Spanish literature in his time was experiencing its golden age, the king himself collected books and works of art from all over Europe.