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King Philip II: A Life from Beginning to End
As the heir to the Spanish Empire of his father Charles V, Philip II came into this world with some rather big shoes to fill. Eventually, Philip would prove himself in his own right even though he turned out to be a much different ruler than his father. He won a life or death struggle against a resurgent Ottoman Empire, he consolidated Spanish dominion in the Americas, and he fought to maintain Spanish holdings in Europe. He also used a ruthless Spanish Inquisition in order to keep his subjects in line with his own version of the Catholic faith.
Even now, the legacy of this powerful ruler is being sorted out. As such, some are beginning to change their long hardened views of the monarch, and new aspects of his dynamic and complicated life are starting to come forth. Read for yourself the life, the legacy, and the unbridled achievement of this colossal potentate—King Philip II of Spain.
Even now, the legacy of this powerful ruler is being sorted out. As such, some are beginning to change their long hardened views of the monarch, and new aspects of his dynamic and complicated life are starting to come forth. Read for yourself the life, the legacy, and the unbridled achievement of this colossal potentate—King Philip II of Spain.
45 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 16, 2020
61 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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Hourly History
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 15, 2023
Yikes. This dude just couldn't keep a wife alive for nothing!! Poor guy lol
October 27, 2020
A fascinating tale of a King who ruled the New World and a substantial part of the Old World as well yet went through a lot of turmoil in personal life and also presided over the beginning of the end of the Spanish Empire.
February 22, 2022
Published in 2020 by Hourly History
King Philip II (1527-1598) ruled Spain at its most powerful. This is the Spain that took over Portugal, consolidated its New World holdings, conquered the Philippines, stopped Ottoman naval expansion in the Eastern Mediterranean, stopped Protestant expansion in several areas yet lost the Spanish Armada to the English and suffered a series of losses in the Netherlands. It was the first that could reasonably claim that the sun never set on its empire.
Philip's personal life takes up a lot of this book. For such a powerful man, his personal life had to humble him. He had multiple wives who died from a variety of ways, but usually related to giving birth. He also lost several children.
His oldest son suffered from physical and mental illnesses that were so pronounced that the Philip II stepped in and barred his son from being next in line for the throne. That son died in custody, possibly by making himself ill while being held in confinement by poisoning himself or freezing himself by covering himself in ice and sleeping on beds of ice.
The beauty and the weakness of this book series is the brevity of each book. They are designed to be read in about an hour, which means I can explore a whole new area or person with little time commitment. But, I always end up with questions. In this book, Philip's self-assigned role as a defender of the Catholic faith and the politics in that arena was given light treatment.
I rate this short e-book 3 stars out of 5. Nothing wrong with this book - it doesn't make the reader an expert, but it did fill in some blanks in my personal knowledge of this time period.
https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2022...
King Philip II (1527-1598) ruled Spain at its most powerful. This is the Spain that took over Portugal, consolidated its New World holdings, conquered the Philippines, stopped Ottoman naval expansion in the Eastern Mediterranean, stopped Protestant expansion in several areas yet lost the Spanish Armada to the English and suffered a series of losses in the Netherlands. It was the first that could reasonably claim that the sun never set on its empire.
Philip's personal life takes up a lot of this book. For such a powerful man, his personal life had to humble him. He had multiple wives who died from a variety of ways, but usually related to giving birth. He also lost several children.
His oldest son suffered from physical and mental illnesses that were so pronounced that the Philip II stepped in and barred his son from being next in line for the throne. That son died in custody, possibly by making himself ill while being held in confinement by poisoning himself or freezing himself by covering himself in ice and sleeping on beds of ice.
The beauty and the weakness of this book series is the brevity of each book. They are designed to be read in about an hour, which means I can explore a whole new area or person with little time commitment. But, I always end up with questions. In this book, Philip's self-assigned role as a defender of the Catholic faith and the politics in that arena was given light treatment.
I rate this short e-book 3 stars out of 5. Nothing wrong with this book - it doesn't make the reader an expert, but it did fill in some blanks in my personal knowledge of this time period.
https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2022...
October 17, 2020
King Philip of Spain
I enjoyed this very after reading the biographies of Elizabeth I and William of Orange. He certainly “lived in interesting times”. Caught between three competing empires: Ottoman, French and England. Family, marriage, and early deaths troubled him all his life. Bad weather cost him two armadas and bankrupted the economy.
American world history pretty much ignored him.
I enjoyed this very after reading the biographies of Elizabeth I and William of Orange. He certainly “lived in interesting times”. Caught between three competing empires: Ottoman, French and England. Family, marriage, and early deaths troubled him all his life. Bad weather cost him two armadas and bankrupted the economy.
American world history pretty much ignored him.
June 7, 2022
Good short history
This is a good overview of this individual. He lived in an era of dramatic world-wide change and tried to bridge the gap between the ancient way of life and the approach of a new era of world wide politics.
This is a good overview of this individual. He lived in an era of dramatic world-wide change and tried to bridge the gap between the ancient way of life and the approach of a new era of world wide politics.
August 9, 2022
King Philip The Good and the Bad.
A great read. Loaded with important dates and facts. He endured many trials... and in the end much suffering as his health deteriorated over the years.
A great read. Loaded with important dates and facts. He endured many trials... and in the end much suffering as his health deteriorated over the years.
August 23, 2020
A good introduction.
September 18, 2020
Gran Rey, bastante incomprendido
Excelente resumen de la vida de un gran hombre, con mala fortuna en muchas situaciones. Perder varias esposas e hijos debió ser muy difícil
Excelente resumen de la vida de un gran hombre, con mala fortuna en muchas situaciones. Perder varias esposas e hijos debió ser muy difícil
November 23, 2020
Well, this was a short book. Don't even think it can be called a book. :(
However short, I did enjoy it. Was just ready for a long, historial read.
However short, I did enjoy it. Was just ready for a long, historial read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews