Parker Geoffrey - Imprudent king: a new life of Philip II

Published with assistance from the foundation established in memory of Oliver Baty Cunningham of the Class of 1917, Yale College.

Copyright 2014 Geoffrey Parker

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Parker, Geoffrey, 1943

Imprudent king: a new biography of Philip II/Geoffrey Parker.

pages cm

Including bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-300-196535

1. Philip II, King of Spain, 15271598. 2. SpainHistoryPhilip II, 15561598. 3. SpainKings and rulersBiography. I.Title. II. Title: New biography of Philip II.

DP178.P367 2014

946.043092dc23

[B]

2014022292

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

D EDICATED TO S IR J OHN E LLIOTT

Contents

Illustrations

Plates

Proposed frontispiece for Antonio Herrera y Tordesillas, General history of the world in the age of Philip II, the Prudent, 1599. AHN Consejos 4416/101.

Antonio de Honcala, Philip as a baby and as a boy, 1546. Antonio de Honcala, Pentaplon christianae pietatis (Alcal de Henares, 1546): Library of the University of Granada, A-029-170.

Jan Vermeyen, Charles V watches a cane game with his wife and family, 1539. Jan Cornelius Vermeyen, Carolus Quintus imperator, rex, charissime conjugi Isabella auguste gravide in agro Toletani. Photographic Survey, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London. Private collection.

Philip defaces his books, 15401. Emblemata et instrumenta bellica and Crnica del sancto rey don Fernando tercero, Patrimonio Nacional, Biblioteca del Monasterio de San Lorenzo de el Escorial, Y-II-21 fo 3v. and 29-V-7, fo. V.

Philip writes to his aunt, Mary of Hungary, December 1544. HHStA Belgien P.A. 60 Konvolut 4 fo. 132v, Philip to Mary of Hungary, 12 Dec. 1544.

A joust in a city square, c. 1549. Miniature from Les heures de Notre Dame, Bibliothque Royale Albert 1er, MS II, 158, fol. 6v.

Image of Triumphal Arch erected to welcome Philip to Antwerp, 1549. Cornelius Schryver, Spectaculorum in susceptione Philippi (Antwerp, 1550), 53r, Arcus Publicus, ad Divi Michaelis.

Jacques le Boucq, Charles V, 1555. Bibliothque Municipale, Arras, France, Ms 266/72.

Anthonis Mor, Philip, victor of St Quentin, c. 1560. Patrimonio Nacional: Monasterio de San Lorenzo de el Escorial.

and 11. Philip corrects his paperwork, 1576. The British Library Board. All rights reserved (BL Addl. 28,357/136); HSA Altamira 1/III/22, courtesy of The Hispanic Society of America, New York.

Marco Vercellio, Philip grants an audience to Leonardo Don, ambassador of the Venetian Republic, c. 1600. Pinacoteca, Palazzo Don dalle Rose, Venice.

Pierre Perret, frontispiece of Luis Cabrera de Crdoba, History of Philip II, king of Spain, 1619. Biblioteca Nacional de Espaa, Madrid.

Reliquaries at the Escorial. Patrimonio Nacional: Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

and 16. The first and second title pages of the Royal Bible. Biblia Sacra Hebraice, Chaldaice, Graece & Latine (8 vols, Antwerp, 156973), vol. I. The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Wouter Crabeth, The Kings Window, at St Johns church, Gouda, 15579. Sint Janskerk, Gouda, Holland.

Hieronymus Wierix, Christ invests Philip with the insignia of kingship, 1585. BRB, Cabinet des Estampes, A.1511.

Sofonisba Anguissola, Philip surprised with his rosary, c. 1575. Museo del Prado. White Images / Scala, Florence.

Philip corrects the plans of his architects, 15612. AGS MPD XL-1.

Fabrizio Castello, The king of Spains Howse, 1576. Hatfield House, England.

Pompeo Leoni, the funeral effigies of Philip and his family at the Escorial, 15971600. Patrimonio Nacional: Basilica del Monasterio de San Lorenzo de el Escorial.

Philip excises an offending passage from a document about the Escorial, 1571. AGS CC 409/26.

Jehan Lhermite, The philosophers tower and the distillery at the Escorial, c. 1600. BRB Ms II.1028: Lhermite, Le Passetemps, in Revue dhistoire de la pharmacie, 1933, vol. 21, issue 84, p. 207.

Hans de Evalo, a clock from Philips office, 1583. Patrimonio Nacional, Colecciones Reales, El Candil.

Philip answers under oath the questions posed by Archbishop Carranza, 1560. RAH Ms. 9/1804, Proceso Carranza vol. XII fo. 83v. Real Academia de Historia, Madrid.

Anton van den Wyngaerde, Philips rooms with a view at the Madrid Alczar, c. 1565. Anton van den Wyngaerde, El Alczar de Madrid, sterreichisches Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, Austria, Cod. Min. 41.

Philip II acts as his own cipher clerk, 1567. AA 5/69, Philip to Alba, 7 August 1567. Archivo de los Duques de Alba.

Sofonisba Anguissola, Isabel of France, queen of Spain, 1565. Museo Nacional del Prado.

Titian, The offering of Philip II, 15723. Museo Nacional del Prado.

Anonymous, Philip II, his daughters Isabella and Catalina, and Prince Philip, 15834. Courtesy of the Hispanic Society of America, New York.

Alonso Snchez Coello, Sor Margarita de la Cruz, 1585. Patrimonio Nacional: Convento de las Descalzas Reales.

Philip sentences to death Gabriel de Espinosa, the baker of Madrigal who pretended to be King Sebastian of Portugal, 1595. AGS Estado 173/271.

Don Carlos orders the Spanish ambassador in Rome to acquire part of the sacred prepuce, 1567. IVdeDJ 38/4.

Finance for dummies: trying to explain fiscal problems to Philip, 1574. IVdeDJ 76/491.

Alonso Snchez Coello, Philip at his coronation as king of Portugal, 1581 De Agostini Picture Library / G. Costa / Bridgeman Images.

Niccol Granello and Fabrizio Castello, Philips navy defeats its adversaries off the Azores. Patrimonio Nacional: Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Sala de Batallas.

The logo of Philips Monarchy after the union of crowns: The world is not enough. Museu Numismtico Portugus, Lisbon, Inv. 2918.

Alonso Snchez Coello, Philip II, 1587. Galleria Palatina, Pitti Palace, Florence. Photo Scala, Florence courtesy of the Ministero Beni e Att. Culturali.

A Saturday Statement: Philip tries to balance his cheque book, 1589. AGS CJH 219.

Jehan Tarazona, Journey to Tarazona. BRB Ms II.1028: Lhermite, Le Passetemps.

Alonso Snchez Coello, Philip II, 1588. Patrimonio Nacional: Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Jehan Lhermite, Philips invalid chair. BRB Ms II.1028: Lhermite, Le Passetemps.

Bartolom Esteban Murillo, The Vision of Friar Julin de Alcal, c. 1645. Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA / Bridgeman Images.

Figures

The Spanish Monarchy at its apogee, 1585.

The family of Charles V.

Books acquired by Philip, 153547. Gonzalo Snchez-Molero, La Librera Rica, 55.

Philips voyage to the Netherlands in 15489 and back in 15501. Based on Calvete de Estrella, El felicssimo viaje del muy alto y muy poderoso Prncipe don Phelippe