THE EUROPEAN WARS OF
RELIGION
c. 1560-1648
Philip II (r. 1556 – 1598)
Son of Charles V
Ruled Spanish &
Portuguese
Empires,
Netherlands and
Southern Italy.
Strongest military
power in the world.
El Escorial
New royal palace/fortress (and monastery
and mausoleum) in shape of grill, reflected
Philip’s religious and military convictions.
Catholic Crusade
Philip II fanatically seeks to reimpose
Catholicism in Europe.
Takes on Calvinists in his Netherlands
territories.
Fights against Protestant England due to
Elizabeth I’s support of the Dutch
Takes on Muslim Turks power in the
Mediterranean.
Battle of Lepanto
Encouraged by Pope Pius V, Philip used
combined Spanish and Italian fleets to fight the
Turks.
Spain defeated Turkish navy off coast of Greece.
Turkish navy severely weakened as result.
The Dutch Revolt
Calvinist Netherlands
resented foreign rule by
Spain (both on religious,
economic, and political
grounds).
Philip II sends the Duke of
Alva to suppress revolt.
1567-1572 reign of terror
Duke of Alva killing thousands of rebels.
The Dutch Revolt
1579, seven northern provinces form
Union of Utrecht to continue fight.
William I (William of Orange) (1533-
1584), led 7 provinces against Inquisition
and revolt against rule of Philip II. He was
assassinated in 1584.
Struggle continued to 1609; 12-year truce
enacted; Defacto Dutch independence
formally recognised in P of W in 1648.
England v. Spain
Queen Mary Tudor (Philip’s wife)
reimposes Catholicism in England.
Alliance with England ends with death of
Mary in 1558 and the accession of
Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth I reverses Mary’s edicts
Elizabeth helps Protestant Netherlands
gain independence from Spain.
Philip plots to reimpose Catholicism in
England
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603)
championed Protestant causes in Europe.
England was an unlikely foe to Spain (lost
possessions in Europe, had no overseas
possessions)
Elizabeth carefully crafted her image to instill the
love of her people.
Elizabeth supported the Dutch Revolt and
English privateers regularly attacked Spanish
colonial shipping.
The Armada, 1588
Philip II attempts to
invade England to end
Protestant resistance.
Fleet attempts to pick up
Spanish troops in the
Netherlands for invasion.
Armada is harassed by
smaller, better armed
and more manuverable
English fleet
The Armada, 1588
The combination of better
English seamanship and bad
weather (“the Protestant
Wind”) defeated the Spanish.
Forced to return home via
northern route, half the fleet
lost.
Marked the beginning of the
end of Spanish power; leads
to rise of Netherlands,
England and France.