Spain and England meanwhile fought one another with proxies on the Continent and in South America. In the years to come, the Spanish empire, though wealthy, slowly stagnated, and Philip increasingly functioned as a cautious caretaker known for his pale complexion and melancholy demeanor. He passed his days sequestered in a small office within the massive walls of the Monasterio de El Escorial, arriving at decisions—or more often, deferring them—according to his ministers’ written recommendations.
