The Reign of Philip II: Political Strategies and Conflicts

8.2 Philip II: Following the abdication of Charles I, his son Philip II divided the territories. Unlike his father, Philip II of Castile did not leave except to go to Portugal. He gave the kingdom a fixed capital, Madrid, in 1561, placing it there because it was better for the king; there was a strong nobility and a powerful bishopric, meaning the city would have no opposition. His political principles are:

"The support of the Catholic Church against a movement that occurs with Protestantism in Europe. The Church holds a Catholic Counter: new orders, art, repression, censorship... by the Inquisition.

• Expand their territories.

There was internal repression against Protestantism; indeed, in Castile and Aragon, many were prosecuted by the Inquisition.

• The battle against Islam is one of the problems: on the outside, there is highly developed piracy (hijacking and stealing). One point that emerges is the Battle of Lepanto, where he defeated the Turks but did not manage to end piracy. In the interior of the peninsula in 1568, there is the rebellion of the Alpujarras (rebellion of the Moors). The Moriscos rebelled because they were forbidden to speak Arabic, wear their typical dress, or go to public baths... that is, they were forbidden to practice their culture. Las Alpujarras were very crowded because it was raising silkworms. We had to send an army to end the rebellion and expel the Moors, who were spread throughout Castile.

There are clashes against Protestants. In the Netherlands (1566), Philip II wanted to rule as an absolute monarch from a distance, imposing the same taxes, uniting territories, and implementing the Inquisition. This desire leads to a conflict that lasts throughout his reign.

On the other hand, Elizabeth, Queen of England, was a champion of Protestantism. Additionally, the clash was due to England's attempt to control America. This confrontation prevents the arrival of Flanders, causing a cut in the wool trade connections (economic crisis).

- Philip II achieves the integration of Portugal in 1580. The king of Portugal, in an attempt to conquer Morocco, disappeared and, dying childless, Philip II (son of a Portuguese princess) claimed the throne. Philip had the support of the Portuguese and Spanish bourgeoisie, but not of the people. Thanks to the Duke of Alba, the nobility and the bourgeoisie, Philip II managed to annex Portugal and promised not to change the laws, respect the institutions, and not to alter the trade.