Age of Religious Wars: Spain and England These are two different examples, given the fact that Spain...

Age of Religious Wars: Spain and England

• These are two different examples, given the fact that Spain was embroiled in Religious Wars...

• While England was able to avoid them.• Starting with Spain, we see the greatest power

in Europe, bolstered by riches from the new World and an avid belief in roman Catholicism, will look to expand their empire in Europe.

• Phillip II will look to, as an Absolutist, conquer all of the Netherlands and then England.


Pillars of Spanish Power

Riches from the New World

Rising Population

Efficient Bureaucracy

Strong Military

Control of the Mediterranean


• It will be in the Netherlands, and then later with the failure of the Spanish Armada, and his attempt to invade England, that Phillip II will help bring an end to Spanish supremacy in Europe.

• What are the key moments in this arc, and how does this qualify as part of the Age of Religious Wars.


• Spain, being avid Roman Catholics, wanted to suppress the Protestant autonomy in the Netherlands.

• Keep in mind as well that the Netherlands was the most vibrant area for trade and commerce in Europe. Spain was looking to make money there as well.

• Hence, as Spain looked to oppress Protestantism in the Netherlands, we see Catholic vs. Protestant warfare.


• The timing of this is key...• As the Netherlands is a bastion of religious

tolerance, Protestant sentiment, and a desire for Political autonomy...

• Phillip II will look to enforce the newly concluded Council of Trent, and oppress those who would not believe in Transubstantiation.

• William Of Orange will be the face of Protestant resistance, and he will place Political autonomy over religious affiliation.


• Key People:• Cardinal Grenville – will do Phillip II’s bidding

in the Netherlands.• Think about establishing a centralized

bureaucracy in the Netherlands, answering to Spain, as analogous to re-instituting the type of top down control of the Roman Catholic Church.


• William of Orange – Leader of Protestant resistance in the Netherlands.

• Remember that there are northern provinces of the Netherlands that were Protestant...

• And, Southern Provinces, controlled by Spain, that were predominantly Roman Catholic

• We will see, eventually, both of these united against Spain = putting politics ahead of religion.


• The Duke of Alba - a hit man sent by Phillip II to the Netherlands.

• This will lead to the Council of Troubles and the Council of Blood.

• These names give you a perfect example of how where you come from can impact how you report “the war”.


• Remember that the nobility in France gravitated toward Protestantism?

• The same will apply in the Netherlands.• So...any attempt at increased Spanish control

will equal the loss of both religious and political freedom in the Netherlands.

• That is our lens: any conflict between Spain and the Netherlands must be put into our Religious Wars lens/formula:


Decisions by

Spain

What is the situation?

Is there a Religious

aspect to it?

What did Spain do?

What is the outcome/agr

eement?

Would you classify it as a

Religious War?


Council of Troubles/

Blood



aspect to it?

What does Spain do?


eement?


Religious War?


Sea Beggars



aspect to it?

What Spain do?


eement?


Religious War?


Pacification of Ghent



aspect to it?

What Spain do?


eement?


Religious War?


• Ok...what about England???• Here is the legacy of Henry VIII.• After the death of his long awaited son, Edward

VI...• His daughter from his first marriage, (remember

Catherine?) Mary I, will rule from 1553 – 1558.• After Mary, it will be his daughter from his second

marriage, (Remember Anne Boleyn?) Elizabeth I will reign for more than 40 years. 1558 - 1603


• 28th January 1547: The father of Mary Tudor the great and terrible King Henry VIII dies and the young, half brother of Mary Tudor is proclaimed King Edward VI


• 6 July 1553: The young King dies.• Mary I becomes Queen of England.• 1554 July 25: Philip II of Spain married

Queen Mary I ( Mary Tudor) of England. • Mary was eleven years older than Philip.

The English Parliament refused to crown him jointly with Mary so he had little power in England


• March 18, 1554 - Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower for eight weeks.

• Mary feared Elizabeth was plotting against her.

• She was only released when it was discovered that Mary was pregnant, a child that would later be determined to be a false pregnancy.


• Phillip II is made King of Spain in 1556.• He abandons Mary after she has second

“hysterical” pregnancy.• The marriage between Phillip II and Mary I is

dissolved after her death in 1558, probably from ovarian cancer.

• Elizabeth will take over and have, arguably, the greatest reign of any monarch in English history.


• Elizabeth was supposedly sitting under an oak tree when she heard of the News of mary I’s death.

• Upon hearing that she was Queen, legend has it that Elizabeth quoted the 118th Psalm's twenty-third line, in Latin: "A Dominum factum est illud, et est mirabile in oculis notris" -- "It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.


• Keys to understanding the Reign of Elizabeth I.• While she is Queen:• The Wars of religion are happening in France.• Spain is in conflict with the Netherlands in their

Wars of Religion.• The Counter Reformation is in full effect.• Most importantly, Phillip II, who was married

briefly to Mary I, Elizabeth’s half-sister, will be looking do the same with Elizabeth I.


• Elizabeth as a Politique:• The reason there will be no “Wars of Religion”

in England is the Elizabeth will embody the tru spirit of the Politique.

• Elizabeth will have to navigate the opposing forces of those in England that seek to promote a Protestant Agenda, and those who seek a more Catholic Agenda.


Decisions by

Elizabeth



aspect to it?

What did Elizabeth I do?

What is the outcome/agre

ement?

How would you measure

this in the Politique lens?


Act of Supremacy;

Act of Uniformity



aspect to it?

What did Elizabeth I do?

What is the outcome/agre

ement?

How would you measure

this in the Politique lens?


• Elizabeth and Catholic Extremists.• Still, at this time, Catholicism was the majority

religion in England, despite Henry VIII’s Reign.• Remember that plots against Elizabeth would

focus on her Religious decisions.• And, Phillip II, King of Spain, rejected in his

proposal of marriage to Elizabeth I, would stirr up Catholic radicals against Elizabeth.

• And, we have another Mary to worry about:


• King James V of Scotland has a three children with his wife, (a member of the hyper Catholic Guise family from France.)

• Only one survives, and that is his daughter Mary Stuart.• King James V dies, and Mary becomes an “infant

queen” in 1543. Mary will, at the age of 13, will marry Francis II, son of Henry II and Catherine de Medici of France. (Remember them?)

• Francis II dies less than a year after their marriage. No kids...


• Mary Stuart will then re-marry, and her second husband will...uh...be found dead, mysteriously.

• She did have a son, James VI, who will later succeed Elizabeth I as King James I of England.– You might know him from the King James Bible.

• And Mary? She will flee to England for safety, and then will become a thorn in the side of Elizabeth I.


• Last point about Mary Stuart• Her grandmother was the sister of Henry VIII• Elizabeth I was the child of the second

marriage of Henry VIII.• Some felt that Mary Stuart might have a more

legitimate claim to the throne of England.• This will not be lost on Elizabeth I, who does

not tolerate challenges to her authority.

Age of Religious Wars: Spain and England These are two different examples, given the fact that Spain...

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