PhilipII09

media type="custom" key="4652477" King Philip II of S pain was very great and intelligent ruler of various countries such as Spain, Naples, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sicily and Milan. However, with his wonderful fortunate’s came with a great deal of responsibility. Philip's life began May 21, 1527 in Valladolid, Spain to his father, the famous Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire, and, mother, [|Isabella of Portugal]. Philip's first wife was Maria of Portugal, who unfortunately died giving birth to his son, Don Carlos, but her death, he married Elizabeth of Valois in 1559. Many would describe King Philip II as industrious, tenacious, devoted to study, serious, simple-mannered, and generous to those who served him, the friend and patron of arts. King Philip II was very productive during his rule of Spain. Even though his father left him with a great responsibility to rule Spain, he prevailed, and conquered which increased Spain as a powerhouse and helped Spain reach the height of its influence and power. King Philip’s II reign had started with the continuation his father’s war with France, but it came to an end in 1556 by the Treaty of Vaucelles. This was soon broken by France, and caused Paul IV to go against him. At the same time, he was in a war with the Low Countries. Philip defeated the French at Saint Quentin and Gravelines. Afterwards, he signed the Peace Treaty of Château Cambresis in 1559, which was sealed by his next marriage with Elizabeth of Valois. King Philip II and Charles V had ensured that Spain remained thoroughly Catholic. He generally believed that what was good for [|Spain] was good for the Catholic Church. [|Philip] himself was a devout Catholic and used up vast sums of money in defense of Catholicism. He looked on the pope as the spiritual head of the Catholic Church. King [|Philip II] saw himself as the lay protector of the Catholic Church with two responsibilities of fighting in its defense, and ensuring its spiritual regeneration. He was a champion of the Counter-Reformation but failed to put down rebellions in the Netherlands in 1568 and to conquer England which suffered the defeat of the Spanish Armada Although during Philip’s reign Spain was at the height of its power and influence, its wealth was illusory and soon to fall into rapid decline. Charles V had left Philip with a debt of about 36 million and an annual deficit of 1 million ducats, from reducing state revenues for overseas expeditions, and various wars. He tried to pay off these debts with a serious of taxes known as the "Three Graces." The end result of all this taxation resulted in a tax increase of 430% between the years 1559 and 1598. This hit the Spanish peasantry hard, since the nobility were tax exempt. During Philip’s reign the price of goods increased fourfold, population grew dramatically, and plagues killed many people. These things created a big problem for King Philip II. In conclusion, King Philip II reign promoted Spain’s Golden Age, but it also led to the economic downfall of Spain. He died September 13, 1598 in Madrid, Spain. He was followed by his son, King Philip III. 
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Philip II of S pain  **__

Life __** -Born May 21,1527 in Valladolid Spain. -Son of Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire -First wife was Maria of Portugal (Died giving birth to Don Carlos) -In 1554 Philip married Queen Mary I of England -After her death, he married Elizabeth of Valois in 1559 -Lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581. -Died September 13, 1598 in Madrid, Spain -He was followed by his son King Philip III. -He was industrious, tenacious, devoted to study, serious, simple-mannered, and generous to those who served him, the friend and patron of arts. Achievements __** -Philip had already been given Naples, the Netherlands, Sicily and Milan by his father. - Under Philip II, Spain became the richest and most formidable nation on earth -He and Don John of Austria broke the power of the Turks in the Mediterranean in 1571 **-** He was the **S**elf-proclaimed leader of Counter-Reformation -During Philip II's reign the Philippine Islands were conquered and named for him and a North American colony was established in Florida. -In 1563 Philip began the construction of El Escorial, a somber monastic palace outside Madrid, which ranks among Europe's finest architectural monuments -Later reign was the conquest of Portugal, to which he had a claim as the son of Isabella of Portugal, daughter of Manuel I. -When King Henry of Portugal died (1580) without issue, Alba overran the country, and Philip was recognized as king by the Portuguese Cortes. Rule of Spain __** ** - **Imbued with ideas of absolutism -Philip ascended to the throne over Spain when his father resigned. -He continued his father's war with France -In 1559 the war came to an end by the Treaty of Château Cambresis -It was soon broken by France, which joined Paul IV against him -Encouraged Spain's literary Golden Age -He formed a Holy League to destroy O ttoman naval power in Mediterranean -His reign was troubled by financial instability and threatened Muslim invasions, as well as conflict with England and the secession of the Netherlands. -He was merciless in the suppression of the Lutheran hersey -Philip continued the policy of the Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella -He exterminated Protestantism in Spain -Students were barred from studying elsewhere and books printed by Spaniards outside the kingdom were banned. -Highly respected churchman such asArchbishop Carranza, was jailed by the Inquisition for seventeen years for publishing ideas that seemed sympathetic in some degree to Protestant reformism. -He engaged in conflict with the Muslims outside the country. -Philip wished to force them to renounce their language and dress, whereupon they revolted and engaged in a bloody struggle against Spain which lasted three years -The seven United Provinces eventually declared their independence from the Spanish king in 1581 following the Union of Utrecht of 1579 -His reign severely neglected farming in favor of sheep ranching, thus forcing Spain to import large amounts of grain and other foods -He made the Church and the upper classes exempt from taxation -This made the tax burden fall on the classes engaged in trade, commerce, and industry -The Spanish state structure, industry was also greatly over-burdened by government regulations -The religious expulsion of the Jews and the Moors also deprived Spain of skilled financiers and craftsmen -Dependent on sales taxes from Castile and the Netherlands, Spain's tax base was far too narrow to support Philip's overseas adventurism
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 * - **Spain and England became enemies, especially in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition
 * -**Built the palace of El Escorial

The second half of Philip's reign was dominated by the revolt of the Netherlands Philip appointed (1567) the duque de Alba to replace his half-sister, Margaret of Parma, as governor, but when Alba's harsh methods failed to quell the revolt, Philip supported the more conciliatory tactics of Alba's successors—Luis de Zúñiga y Raquesens, John of Austria, and Alessandro Farnese, duke of Parma—who managed to reconquer the S Netherlands. English support of the Dutch rebels and their persistent attacks on Spanish shipping led Philip to plan the invasion of England in 1588. However, the "Invincible Armada" was ignominiously defeated. The Dutch also received support from the French Protestants, and Philip intervened (1590) in the French Wars of Religion to aid the Catholic League against the Protestant Henry of Navarre. He claimed the French throne for his daughter Isabella but was finally forced (1598) to recognize Henry.
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The main stage of Spanish colonial expansion was completed before Philip's accession; during his reign, however, the Spanish established colonies and garrisons in the present United States and conquered the Philippine Islands.The debilitating effects of depopulation, of colonial overexpansion, and of the influx of gold began to make themselves strongly felt in Philip's Spain. American gold and the proceeds of an increasingly burdensome taxation were not enough to finance Philip's foreign wars and interventions and had to be supplemented with loans. The king repudiated his debts four times during his reign. He was succeeded by Philip III, his son by his fourth wife, Anne of Austria.
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(2009). Philip II of Spain. // Wikipedia //. Retrieved from [] (2009). Philip II of Spain.// Catholic Encyclopedia //. Retrieved from [] (2009). Philip II of Spain.// Encyclopedia //. Retrieved from [] (2005). Philip II of Spain.// Answers //. Retrieved from [] (2007). Philip II of Spain. // Columbia // // Electronic Encyclopedia //. Retrieved from []

