Royal Powers and Conflict

Europe

• 1500 and 1600’s philosophy of rule by ABSOLUTISM

• Form of gov’t with unlimited power• Held by 1 person or a group

• Divine Right-King or Queen rule derived absolute or complete authority to govern directly from God and God was responsible for his/her actions

Spain

• Philip II (Hapsburgs)• Ruled from 1556-1589• Most powerful monarch

in all of Spanish History• Devout Catholic-went

to great efforts to end Protestantism

• Son of Charles V(HRE) and Isabella of Portugal

Philip II

• Built a granite palace called El Escorial

• Served as a royal court, gallery, monastery, and tomb for Spanish royalty

Philip II

• Known as the “Prudent King”• Was cautious, hardworking, and suspicious of

others• Spent most of his time reading and

responding to hundreds of documents• He made all decisions and signed all papers

Unrest in Spain

• 1469- Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile unite Spain-but no central gov’t (separate laws)

• Phillip II-continues this but makes Castile the dominant gov’t

• By 1500’s Castile has: Largest Territory, Largest Population, Greatest Wealth

Castile

• Castile becomes the center of Spain and the Empire

• Madrid is located in Castile—becomes capital• Seville-Castilian city controlled trade and the

overseas empire• 1590’s Aragon revolts--defeated

Religious Policies• Concerned w/large populations of religious

minorities– Protestants– Morranos-Jews who converted to Christianity– Moriscos-Muslims who converted to Christianity

Phillip II supported the Inquisition efforts to -eliminate heresies-He attended many of the Public Sentencing's (Autos da fe) followed by execution (Protestantism never took hold in Spain because of the Inquisition)

• 1567—Philip II imposes Catholicism on the Netherlands– Dutch rebel– Conflict is bloody, long, and complex1581—Dutch declare their independence—fighting

continues--English support the Dutch--English begin to raid Spanish ships (Privateers)

Spanish Armada

• Philip supported Elizabeth I early in her reign until the English helped the Dutch

• 1586– Philip plans to invade England

• May 30, 1588– 130 Spanish Ships– 33,000 men– Set sail for England

• Late July enter the English Channel in crescent formation

• English have faster ships and longer range cannons

• Yet they are unable to block the Spanish

A Stormy Sea Saves the English

• 40 Spanish ships sink in the Irish Sea• They were circling Great Britain• 15,000 soldiers were killed• Spain is defeated

Last of the Spanish Hapsburgs

• Defeat of the Armada—Beginning of decline• Costly war drained the treasury—had to

borrow from foreign banks• Spanish economy suffered—inflation—sharp

rise in prices w/ an increase in currency• Industry and agriculture decreased

Philip III and Philip IV

• Son and Grandson• Lacked intelligence and interest in politics• Gov’t nobles ran the affairs of State• Mismanagement and corruption• Built extravagant homes--Royals

Decline of Spain

• War w/ Dutch renewed under Philip IV• Conflicts w/ Germany• Overburdened and taxed citizens• Rebellion by citizens—Portugal a part of Spain

since 1580 rebels—struggle until 1668 for Independence

• Philip IV son—Charles II is the last Spanish Hapsburg

Charles II• Became King 1665 at

the age of 4• Ruled under the

regency of his mother• He was physically and

mentally weak• He does marry but has

no children—no heirs to the throne other European monarchs plot to control Spain

England

Tudor Dynasty1485-1603

The Tudors

• Bring unity to the country• Henry VII– 1st Tudor-War of the Roses– Help rebuild commercial prosperity– Encouraged foreign trade– Improved the method of tax collection– Avoided war through diplomacy– Used marriage to increase English strength in

Europe

Henry VIII

• Most powerful of all Tudor monarchs• Fought wars in Europe• Made England a great Naval power• In pursuit of a make heir—married 6 x’s• Broke from Catholicism w/Parliaments

approval

Edward VI

• Son of Henry VIII• 9 yrs old when he took the crown• Was sickly• Dies in 1552 at the age of 15

Mary I

• Daughter of Henry VIII• Catholic• English people support her claim to the throne• Reestablishes Catholic policies married Philip

II of Spain in 1554• Kills 300 Protestants—burned at the stake—

heresy (Bloody Mary)

• Went to war with France—English lose its final foothold in France (Port Calais)

• English fear Spain will control them• She dies childless• Throne then goes to

Elizabeth I

• Daughter of Henry VIII• Becomes Queen in 1558—Age of 25• Highly educated and shrewd—forceful

personality sharp tongue and asserted her iron will

• Often fought with Parliament• Subjects were loyal to her—believed her

honest and good

• Great cultural period during her reign—Shakespeare

• Never married—saw that a “foreign prince” like Philip II was bad for England

• And an English prince would cause jealousy among the English nobility

• Did not want to share power

Court and Government

• Elizabeth was assisted by a Council of Nobles• They drafted proclamations• Handled foreign affairs• Administration of justice• Regulation of PX’s and wages

Parliament

• Did not have the power to initiate legislation• Could plead, argue and hold approval• Had influence especially to tax laws

Justice of the Peace

• Enforced the Queen’s law—where unpaid respected community members

• Most belonged to rural land owning classes• Collected taxes• Kept Gov’t informed of local problems

Social and Economic Policy

• Elizabeth believed in the importance of social rank

• Rank– Queen and court– Prominent nobles and great landed families– Gentry: lesser nobles, merchants, lawyers, and

clergy– Yeomen: farmers, small landholders, laborers

The Statute of Apprentices of 1563

• Declared work to be a moral duty• Required to live and work where they were

born• Controlled the movement of labor, wages and

regulated apprenticeships

The Poor Laws of 1597 & 1601

• Made local areas responsible for the homeless and unemployed

• Means to raise money for charities• Provide work for vagabonds

Elizabeth I

• Inherited a monarchy that was badly in debt• She spent lavishly on court ceremonies• But was known as a “pinchpenny”• She sold official royal land, offices and licenses,

monopolies, and the rights to collect customs• She was forced to turn to Parliament for taxes

due to inflation and wars• When she ended her reign—England remained

badly in debt

Foreign Policy

• By Elizabeth’s time, England had lost all of its possessions on the European Continent

• France was too powerful to defeat• For security relied on the English Channel for

protection• Built and maintained a strong Navy• Feared an alliance between Spain & France

used diplomats to protect their interests

Balance of Power

• Work to maintain equal power throughout Europe

• One nation becomes too powerful then a third nation can balance it

• E.g.. England & Spain feared France—cooperated w/each other to balance France– Keep France out of the Netherlands– Later England supported the Dutch vs. Spain

Scotland and Ireland

• 1550’s Scotland is largely Catholic—resisted English rule

• Ireland resisted English rule also

• 1560’s Elizabeth feared Scotland and Ireland would ally with Spain and attack England

• Elizabeth was successful in converting Scotland to Protestantism—now an ally of England

Mary Queen of Scots

Death MaskMadam Trousseaus Wax Museum

Mary Stuart

• Elizabeth’s Catholic cousin• Forced to abdicate her position as Queen of

Scotland in1567• She fled to England-she is also an heir to the

throne of England• Protestants feared that she could replace

Elizabeth I• In 1587 Elizabeth agreed to execute Mary-she

is hesitant to execute another monarch

• In 1590’s England carried out military campaigns in Ireland to conquer the Irish

The Virgin Queen

• 1609 Elizabeth dies—age 69—end of the Tudor Dynasty

• Death Mask

King James VI of Scotland

• Son of Mary Queen of Scots (Stuart)

• Becomes King James I of England

• Ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland