King Philip II: King Of Spain

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Philip II, King of Spain, was born on May 21, 1527, in Valladolid, Spain. His father was Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, and his mother was Queen Isabella of Portugal. Philip ruled over Spain for 42 years as an autocrat before dying of cancer in 1598. He was a devout christian and advocated religious unity throughout Spain. Philip was able to successfully lead his country through victories and defeats, solidifying his rule through a series of events. One event that really solidified King Philip's rule was the Battle of Lepanto. The Battle of Lepanto was fought between the Ottomans and Spain, with Italy as Spain's ally. The Ottomans had been challenging Spain from the Mediterranean Sea, and a war erupted. Spain and Italy defeated the Ottomans, which was a great victory for Spain. Spanish Christians viewed the …show more content…

This fact allowed Spain to form alliances with Portugal, England, and France. As a result, Spain became even more powerful. In fact, at the time, Spain was perhaps the most powerful country in Europe. However, not all of Philip's history was a story of success. Protestant provinces in the north of Spain declared independence and became the Dutch Netherlands, resulting in a loss of wealth and power for Spain. In addition, Philip saw Queen Elizabeth of England as his biggest enemy, especially since she went against Spain and helped the Netherlands. When England attacked Spanish South American colonies, Spain sent an enormous fleet of ships, the Armada, to fight. However, England defeated Spain immediately. After the defeat of the Armada, the Spanish empire began to decline. King Philip was a fair ruler who was devoted to his people. He expanded Spanish influence immensely, uniting Portugal and Spain under his rule and forming alliances with various countries. He compacted his overseas empire in the Americas, and strengthened the Spanish church. He was a patron of the arts and enjoyed science and

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