Philip II Biography

Birth of Philip II

Given the Government of Milan

His father prepares him for eventual succession to Habsburg rule.

Begins practical training in ruling the Spanish monarchy.

Begins exercising substantial authority in the Spanish kingdoms.

Receives major governing responsibilities in Spain from Charles V.

The dynastic marriage strengthens ties between Spain and Portugal.

Marries Maria of Portugal, 1st of 4 wives

Marries Maria Manuela of Portugal while still a teenage prince.

Death of Maria of Portugal, a few weeks after giving birth to Carlos

Sends de Feria to Elizabeth I to arrange a marriage, the mission fails

Given the Government of Naples & Sicily

Given the Government of Naples & Sicily

Arrives in Southampton on his way to marry Mary I

Mary I marries her cousin the future Philip II of Spain, in Winchester cathedral

Philip & Mary are greeted with a pageantry in the City of London after their marriage

Philip returns to Spain

Philip II is given the Government of The Netherlands by his father Charles V

Succeeds as Duke of Burgundy

Prompted by Philip II wishing to be crowned King of England

Prompted by Philip II wishing to be crowned King of England

Philip II supports Elizabeth's succession to the English throne to stop Mary of Scots

Philip II retains Spain, Italy & The Netherlands

Given the Government of Spain

Jesuits begin a Counter-Reformation, alienating Protestants & Catholics

Succeeds as King of Spain, only son of Emperor Charles V & Isabella of Portugal

Philip becomes King of Spain while remaining Mary I's husband

Spain & France go to war

Philip II defeats the forces of Henry II of France & drives the French out of Italy

Invades northern France with a force of 50,000 including 7,000 English

Philip II defeats the forces of Henry II of France & drives the French out of Italy

Philip II visits England to arrange marriage between Elizabeth I & Emmanuel Philibert

Philip II visits England to arrange marriage between Elizabeth I & Emmanuel Philibert

Philip II visits England to arrange marriage between Elizabeth I & Emmanuel Philibert

Philip II persuades his wife Mary I to declare war on France

Philip draws England into war against France

Philip II continues the Habsburg war against France

Spanish forces defeat the French near Gravelines

Mary I dies leaving Philip II without the English crown

Rules from Madrid for the rest of his reign

A Papal Bull establishes the foundation of the University of Douai at Walloon Flanders

Philip increasingly governs his monarchy from Madrid

A Papal Bull establishes the foundation of the University of Douai at Walloon Flanders

Appoints Margaret of Austria, the Duchess of Parma & his half sister, as Regent

Appoints Granvelle to head the Council of State which governs The Netherlands

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Franche-Comte

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Milan

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Naples

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Sicily

Philip II makes peace with France after decades of Habsburg Valois warfare

Spain retains Franche-Comte, Milan, Naples & Sicily. Philip II marries Henry II's daughter Elizabeth. Henry II's sister marries Emmanuel Comte de Savoy. Ends the war between the Valois of France & the Habsburg Empire

Philip II marries Elizabeth of Valois under the Cateau Cambresis settlement

Philip appoints Margaret of Parma as regent in the Netherlands

Philip II returns to Spain after leaving the Netherlands

Spanish-led Christian forces suffer a major naval defeat at Djerba

Marries Elizabeth of Valois, daughter of Henry II of France

Rules the Spanish Netherlands through regency and councils from Madrid

Philip strengthens Madrid as the administrative centre of the monarchy

Continues central oversight of the Netherlands from Spain

Philip II establishes Madrid as the main seat of his government

Philip continues building Madrid as the administrative centre of his monarchy

William I resigns from the Dutch Council of State over Philips Hispanicization

Spanish forces resist the Ottoman aligned siege of Oran

Enacts the Council of Trent in The Netherlands

Accepts the resignation of Graneville from the Council of State in The Netherlands

Sends his Ambassadoe de Silva to visit Elizabreth I & to rally Catholic support

Spain occupies the Philippines

Replies to Williams appeal for toleration in The Netherlands by attacking heresy

Sends a subsidy to Mary Queen of Scots, it is shipwrecked off the Northumbrian Coast

Religious and political unrest spreads through Flanders during the iconoclastic disturbances of 1566.

Riots break-out in southern Flanders

Sends an Army led by the Duke of Alba into The Netherlands

Governess Margaret of Parma demands the Dutch nobles to swear an oath of allegiance

The war begins after religious persecution & centralization of Government in Brussels

The war begins after religious persecution & centralization of Government in Brussels

The Calvinists are defeated

Tournai surreders to the Spanish, the ringleaders are executed

Valenciennes surreders to the Spanish, the ringleaders are executed

Has his son Carlos arrested

Philip II accuses his son Carlos of sedition & trying to usurp the throne

Death of Carlos, Philips son, 7 months after being arrested

Defeats the revolt & expels the Moriscos from Spain

Defeats the revolt & expels the Moriscos from Spain

Marries Anne Maria of Austria, daughter of Emperor Maximilian II

A Spanish fleet on the Zuiderzee is defeated by the Watergeuzen

Philips troops become undisciplined due to lack of pay & sack Antwerp

The "Pacification of Ghent" is signed between the north & south of The Netherlands

The Governor of The Netherlands signs the Eternal Edict to evacuate the Spanish Army

Spain defeats Portugal at Alcantara & captures the country

Spain defeats Portugal at Alcantara & captures the country

Spain invades Portugal, led by the Duke of Alva

Spain defeats Portugal at Alcantara & captures the country

Spain defeats Portugal at Alcantara & captures the country

Captures Portugal

Begins making plans for the Armada on England by gathering plans, maps & intelligence

Completes the construction of the Escorial

It would end the English support for the United Provincesthat had successfully seceded from Spanish rule and cut off English attacks on Spanish trade and settlements in the New World.

Philip planned an expedition to invade England in order to overthrow the Protestant regime of Elizabeth and reinstate Catholicism.

Plans the Armada. It is believed that Queen Mary's supporters will not offer resistance

The King was supported by Pope Sixtus V, who treated the invasion as a crusade, with the promise of a subsidy should the Armada make land. Reports suggest the old nobility will rally to the Catholics. Reports suggest 12 English counties are Protestant.

A raid on Cadiz, led by Francis Drake had captured or destroyed some thirty ships and great quantities of supplies, setting preparations back by a year

A raid on Cadiz, led by Francis Drake had captured or destroyed some thirty ships and great quantities of supplies, setting preparations back by a year

At the outset Sidonia has 128 warships and 2 converted merchant ships under his command, the plan is to sail through the English Channel and anchor off the coast of Flanders unite with the Duke of Parma's army & invade south east England

The Armada is blown north up the east coast of England and attempts a return to Spain by sailing around Scotland and out into the Atlantic, past Ireland but very severe weather destroys a portion of the fleet, and more than 24 vessels are wrecked.

The Armada is sent to suppress English support for the United Provinces, part of the Spanish Netherlands, and to cut off attacks against Spanish possessions in the New World and the Atlantic treasure fleets.

The expedition is supported by Pope Sixtus V, with the promise of a subsidy should it make land.

The fleet was to be commanded by the highly experienced Elvaro de , but he died in May 1588, a few months before the sailing date, and Medina Sidonia is appointed in his place.

This record states: At the outset Sidonia has 128 warships and 2 converted merchant ships under his command, the plan is to sail through the English Channel and.

This record states: The Armada is attacked by 200 English ships, assisted by the Dutch navy, in the North Sea at Gravelines, a fire-ship attack drives the Armada ships from their anchorage, and.

This record states: anchor off the coast of Flanders unite with the Duke of Parmas army & invade south east England.

This record states: in the ensuing Battle the Spanish abandon their rendezvous with Parma.

The fleet was to be commanded by the highly experienced Elvaro de , but he died in May 1588, a few months before the sailing date, and Medina Sidonia is appointed in his place

Pope Sixtus V allowed Philip II of Spain to collect crusade taxes and granted his men indulgences. The blessing of the Armada's banner takes place on 28th May

Pope Sixtus V allowed Philip II of Spain to collect crusade taxes and granted his men indulgences. The blessing of the Armada's banner takes place on 28th May

It included twenty eight purpose-built warships, of which twenty were galleons, four galleys and four (Neapolitan) galleasses.

The Armada set sail from Lisbon and headed for the English Channel.

The fleet was composed of 130 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers, and bore 1,500 brass guns and 1,000 iron guns.

The full body of the fleet took two days to leave port.

The remainder of the heavy vessels were mostly armed carracks and hulks together with thirty-four light ships.

The Armada, with around 130 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers, 1,500 brass guns and 1,000 iron guns, sets sail from Lisbon in Portugal, heading for the English Channel. An army of 30,000 men atands in the Spanish Netherlands waiting for the fleet to arrive, the plan is to land the original force in Plymouth and transfer the land army to somewhere near London, mustering 55,000 men

It takes until May 30 for all of the Armada to leave port and, on the same day, Elizabeth's ambassador in The Netherlands, Dr Valentine Dale, meets Parmas representatives to begin peace negotiations

Peace negotiations are abandoned

The Armada was delayed by bad weather, forcing the four galleys and one of the galleons to leave the fleet, and was not sighted in England until 19 July, when it appeared off The Lizard in Cornwall.

The Spanish convened a council of war, where it was proposed to ride into the harbour on the tide and incapacitate the defending ships at anchor and from there to attack England; but Medina Sidonia declined to act because this had been explicitly forbidden by Philip, and decided to sail

The news was conveyed to London by a system of beacons that had been constructed all the way along the south coast. On that evening, the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth Harbour by the incoming tide.

on to the east and towards the Isle of Wight

The Armada was delayed by bad weather, forcing the four galleys and one of the galleons to leave the fleet, and was not sighted in England until 19 July, when it appeared off The Lizard in Cornwall.

The Spanish convened a council of war, where it was proposed to ride into the harbour on the tide and incapacitate the defending ships at anchor and from there to attack England; but Medina Sidonia declined to act because this had been explicitly forbidden by Philip, and decided to sail

The news was conveyed to London by a system of beacons that had been constructed all the way along the south coast. On that evening, the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth Harbour by the incoming tide.

on to the east and towards the Isle of Wight

It was reported that, when Philip II learned of the result of the expedition, he declared, "I sent the Armada against men, not God's winds and waves."

Many more died in Spain, or on hospital ships in Spanish harbours, from diseases contracted during the voyage.

Many survivors were near death from disease because the ships were cramped and had exhausted their food and water.

Only 67 ships and fewer than 10,000 men survived.

Elizabeth I launched the Counter Armada, under Sir Francis Drake, but it was unsuccessful in its goals, resulting in Philip II retaining naval superiority

Intervenes in the French civil war against the Protestant Henry IV

Captures Calais

Henry IV and Philip II had end the Franco-Spanish War with the Peace of Vervins

Under the Treaty of Vervis Spain keeps Artois

Under the Treaty of Vervis Spain keeps Charololais

Under the Treaty of Vervis Spain keeps Flanders

Under the Treaty of Vervis Spain cedes Picardy to France

Spain keeps Flanders, Artois & Charololais but must leave Picardy. Henry IV and Philip II had end the Franco-Spanish War with the Peace of Vervins. Ends 3 years of war with Henry II of France

Dies at the Escorial Palace leaving Spain in financial straits. Death of Philip II