Philip II Of SPAIN

Notes:

Name:
Philip II of Spain, called the Prudent' (el Prudenta), was King of Spain (1556-98), King of Portugal (1581-98, as Philip I), King of Naples and Sicily (both from 1554), and 'jure usoris Kingof England and Ireland (during his marriage to Queen Mary I from 1554-58). He was also Duke of Milan. From 1555 he was lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands.

Known in Spain as "Felipe el Prudente" ('"Philip the Prudent'"), his empire included territories on every continent then known to Europeans, including his namesake the Philippines. During his reign, Spain reached the height of its influence and power. This is sometimes called the Golden Age. The expression "the empire on which the sun never sets" was coined during Philip's time to reflect the extent of his dominion.

During Philip's reign there were separate state bankruptcies in 1557, 1560, 1569, 1575, and 1596. This was partly the cause of the declaration of independence that created the Dutch Republic in 1581. A devout Catholic, Philip is also known for organising a naval expedition against Protestant England in 1588, the Spanish Armada, which was unsuccessful, mostly due to storms and serious logistical problems.

Philip was described by the Venetian ambassador Paolo Fagolo in 1563 as "slight of stature and round-faced, with pale blue eyes, somewhat prominent lip, and pink skin, but his overall appearance is very attractive". The Ambassador went on to say "He dresses very tastefully, and everything that he does is courteous and gracious."[4]

Philip married Maria Princess Of PORTUGAL in 1543. Maria (daughter of John III King Of PORTUGAL and Catharina Of SPAIN) was born on 15 Oct 1527; died on 12 Aug 1545. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Philip married Mary I Queen Of ENGLAND on 25 Jul 1554 in Winchester Cathedral. Mary (daughter of Henry VIII King Of ENGLAND and Catherine Of ARAGON) was born on 18 Feb 1516 in Greenwich Palace; died on 17 Nov 1558 in St. Jame's Palace, London. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Philip married Elizabeth Of VALOIS in 1559. Elizabeth (daughter of Henry II King Of FRANCE and Caterina DE'MEDICI) was born on 02 Apr 1545; died on 03 Oct 1568. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Catherine Michelle Of SPAIN was born on 10 Oct 1567 in Madrid, Spain; died on 06 Nov 1597 in Italy.

Philip married Anna Of AUSTRIA in 1570. Anna (daughter of Maximilian II Holy Roman EMPEROR and Maria Of SPAIN) was born on 01 Nov 1549; died on 26 Oct 1580. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Philip III Of SPAIN was born on 14 Apr 1578 in Madrid, Spain; died on 31 Mar 1621 in Madrid, Spain.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Emperor of Austria
• Name: Charles I King of Spain
• Death: 1556

Notes:

Charles V (24 February 1500 ? 21 September 1558) was ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Castile (1516-1556), King of Aragon (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily (1516-1554), Archduke of Austria (1519-1521), King of the Romans (or German King), (1519-1531) and Holy Roman Emperor (1530-1556). In Spain, though he is often referred to as Carlos V, he ruled officially as Carlos I, hence Charles I of Spain. He is also known in English by his French name, Charles Quint.

He was the son of Philip the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile. His maternal grandparents were Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, whose marriage had first united Spain. His paternal grandparents were Emperor Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy. His aunt was Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England and first wife of Henry VIII, his cousin was Mary I of England who married his son Philip.

Charles V's reign introduced the first documented use of the styles of His Majesty or His Imperial Majesty. Because of his far-reaching territories he was described as ruling an Empire "in which the sun does not set".

Combining in himself the heritage of the German Habsburgs, the House of Burgundy, and the Spanish heritage of his mother, Charles transcended ethnic and national boundaries.

Charles was born in the Flemish city of Ghent and brought up in Mechelen by his aunt Margaret until 1517. The culture and courtly life of the Burgundian Low Countries was the prime influence in his early life. He was brought up to speak French and Flemish, but also added Spanish and some German [1]. Indeed, he was said to speak "Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to his horse". He could not speak Spanish very well, as it was not his primary language.

From his Burgundian ancestors, he inherited an ambiguous relationship with the Kings of France. Charles shared with France his mother tongue and many cultural forms. In his youth, he made frequent visits to Paris, then the largest city of Western Europe, which he thoroughly enjoyed. In his words: "Paris is not a city, but a universe" (Lutetia non urbs, sed orbis). But Charles was also born into the tradition of political and dynastical enmity between the Royal and the Burgundian lines of the Valois Dynasty.

This conflict was amplified by his accession to both the Holy Roman Empire and the kingdom of Spain. Though Spain was the core of his kingdom, he was never totally assimilated and especially in his earlier years felt and was viewed as a foreign prince. Nonetheless, he spent most of his life in Spain, including his final years in a Spanish monastery.

In his youth, Charles was tutored by Adrian of Utrecht, later Pope Adrian VI. His three most prominent subsequent advisors were Lord ChiËvres, Jean Sauvage and Mercurino Gattinara.

Charles married Isabella Of PORTUGAL on 10 Mar 1526. Isabella (daughter of Manuel I King Of PORTUGAL and Maria Of ARAGON) was born on 04 Oct 1503 in Portugal; died on 01 May 1539. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]