Philip II (1527-1598) was a Spanish king who ruled one of the largest empires ever created. He belonged to the Habsburg (or Hapsburg) royal family. In 1555 and 1556, Philip’s father—who ruled Spain as Charles I and the Holy Roman Empire as Charles V—gave up his crowns. Philip became king of Spain and ruler of lands that included what are now Belgium, the Netherlands, part of Italy, and much of Central and South America.
Philip spent much of his reign at war defending his empire. Spain, Venice, and their allies defeated the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto, near Greece, in 1571. Philip absorbed Portugal into Spain in 1580. But the Netherlands, one of Spain’s most valuable possessions, rebelled in the 1560’s and declared its independence in 1581. England aided the Dutch rebels. Sir Francis Drake and other English captains also looted Spanish possessions in Central and South America. Philip assembled a fleet of ships so powerful that it was called the Invincible Armada and sent it against England in 1588. The Armada failed to achieve its goals. Philip’s many wars strained Spain’s resources and contributed to its slow decline in the 1600’s.
Philip considered himself the champion of the Roman Catholic faith and strongly supported the Inquisition, which punished Christians accused of holding views opposed to those of the church. He also built El Escorial, a palace and religious center near Madrid.
Philip was born on May 21, 1527, at Valladolid, Spain. The Philippine Islands, where Spain established a colony in 1565, were named after him. He died on Sept. 13, 1598.
See also Escorial; Mary I; Spanish Armada.
