Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism

1. Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism Chapter 21, Section 1

2. Section Opener • During a time of religious and economic instability, Philip II rules Spain with a strong hand. Philip II of Spain May 21 1527 - September 13 1598

3. A Powerful Spanish Empire • A New Spanish Ruler • In 1556, Philip II begins ruling Spain and its possessions • Philip II’s Empire • Philip seizes Portugal in 1580 • Gold and silver from Americas make Spain extremely wealthy

4. By Philip’s time, Spain is raking in massive amounts of gold and silver. • By around 1600 (shortly after his death) to 1650, Spain had taken in 339,000 pounds of gold and 16,000 tons of silver and the king took 25-33% of it. • That’s a lot of bling. Yo.

5. Philip’s palace, Escorial

7. A Powerful Spanish Empire • Defender of Catholicism • Philip defends Catholicism against Muslims and Protestants • Spanish fleet helps defeat Ottomans at Lepanto in 1571. • Spanish Armada is defeated by the British in 1588 (more on that later).

8. Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature • El Greco and Velázquez • El Greco uses unusual style to convey religious themes • Works of Velázquez show Spanish court life • Don Quixote • In 1605, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is published • Novel marks the birth of the modern European novel.

9. “Portrait of an Old Man” • This painting titled “Portrait of an Old Man” is considered a self portrait by El Greco, circa 1595–1600, oil on canvas.

10. The Assumption of the Virgin (1577–1579, oil on canvas, 401 × 228 cm, Art Institute of Chicago) was one of the nine paintings El Greco completed for the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo, his first commission in Spain. This shows the religious themes of his painting.

11. Diego Velázquez: two self portraits

12. Portrait of Pablo de Valladolid • A court fool or jester, circa 1635

13. The Spanish Empire Weakens • Inflation and Taxes • Inflation (due to the huge influx of American gold and silver) weakens Spain’s economy. • Taxes on lower class prevents development of middle class. • Making Spain’s Enemies Rich • Spaniards buy goods abroad, making Spain’s enemies rich. • Philip declares bankruptcy three times due to weak economy. • The Dutch Revolt • Protestants in the Netherlands win independence from Spain in 1579. • The Defeat of the Spanish Armada at the hands of England in 1588.

14. Lepanto was the good naval battle. The Spanish Armada, aka The Invincible Armada, was the bad one, in 1588. • Philip is motivated to restore Roman Catholicism to England against Elizabeth (who was Phillip’s sister-in-law since he was married to Bloody Mary). • He’s also put out at English support of the rebellious Dutch in the Netherlands and the fact that Elizabeth had commissioned Sir Francis Drake as a privateer who raided Spanish treasure ships. • Phillip even put a bounty of what would be about $10 million on Drake’s head. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMpigAUQt_4 • “I, too, can command the wind sir!”

15. Fate of the Spanish Armada • He sends a fleet of 133 ships to attack and conquer England. The English fight back in the English Channel with superior longer range canons and more maneuverable ships. • That was after they sailed fire ships into the Spanish lines in order to break their formation. • The English also had better gunnery. The Spanish guns weren’t as good (and many had the wrong ammo) and the gunners not well trained. • That and the Spanish were planning on boarding the English ships and fighting hand-to-hand. The English wouldn’t allow that. The English pound the Spanish who retreat. The Spanish then keep encountering bad weather and more ships are lost. • Ultimately, 15,000 Spanish sailors are killed and nearly half the fleet lost.

16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39fmG1IGjjc

17. The battle also occasioned one of Elizabeth’s most famous speech’s when she visited the troops: • “I have come amongst you as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst you all, to lay down for my God and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.” • Do you think Elizabeth I had the makings of a good monarch???

19. The Dutch revolt in the 1560’s and 1570’s. • They had been under Spanish rule but resented it, especially since they were protestant and quite religiously tolerant. • The Dutch succeed in part because they had funding from Queen Elizabeth I of England

20. "Queen Elizabeth I Feeds the Dutch Cow", a satirical Flemish painting, c. 1586. The cow represents the Dutch provinces. King Philip II of Spain is vainly trying to ride the cow, drawing blood with his spurs. Queen Elizabeth is feeding it while William of Orange holds it steady by the horns. The cow is defecating on the Duke of Anjou, who is holding its tail - a reference to Anjou's fiasco at the "French Fury" in Antwerp, three years previously

21. The Independent Dutch Prosper • A Different Society • The Netherlands is a republic and practices religious toleration. • Dutch Art • In the 1600s, the Netherlands becomes center of European Art • Rembrandt and Vermeer are famous Dutch Painters

22. Rembrandt • Self portrait

23. Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee by Rembrandt, circa 1633. This original painting was stolen in 1990 and was never recovered.

24. Paintings by Vermeer • Vermeer painted scenes from every day life. This painting Milkmaid, is circa 1658-1660.

25. Paintings by Vermeer • Officer Laughing With Girl, is circa 1657-1659.

26. Paintings by Vermeer • The Little Street, is circa 1657-1658.

27. The Independent Dutch Prosper • Dutch Trading Empire • Dutch merchants engage in world trade • Dutch have world’s largest trading fleet • Dutch people replace Italians as Europe’s bankers

28. Absolutism in Europe • The Theory of Absolutism • Rulers want to be absolute monarchs—rulers with complete power • Believe in “divine right”—idea that monarchs represent God on earth. (The idea can be derived from Romans 13: 1-4.) • Growing Power of Europe’s Monarchs • Decline of Feudalism, rise of cities help monarchs gain power • Decline of Church authority also increases power • Crises Lead to Absolutism • The 17th century is a period of great upheaval • Monarchs impose order by increasing their own power.

29. Possible Basis of“Divine Right of Kings”Romans 13:1-4  ”Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”