Chapter 15 Part 1 Wars of Religion 1559-1648

Wars of Religion 1559-1648 Hapsburg-Valois Wars (1519-1559) The last of the purely dynastic wars of the 16th Century Considered political rather than religious since both the French and Hapsburgs were Catholic France believed that a divided German State on its eastern border was more important than Western European religious hegemony

1560-1648 Wars will be fought over religious issues Spain will try to end Protestantism in Western Europe and the spread of Islam in the Mediterranean French Catholics will try to squash the Huguenots The HRE will try to re-impose Catholicism in Germany A Civil War in England between Puritans and Anglicans

Spain Under Philip II Spain will enjoy its Golden Age Philip will try to re-impose Catholicism in Western Europe Built the Escorial: A palace, monastery and mausoleum in the Baroque style Symbolized the power of Philip AND his commitment to Catholicism

The Escorial

Spain v the Turks Spain waged war against the Turks in the Mediterranean to benefit the Christian merchants The Battle of Lepanto (1571) Spain defeated the Turkish navy off of the coast of Greece Crusade-like religious fervor Ended the Ottoman threat in the Mediterranean

Spain and the Dutch Revolt 1566-1587 The Spanish Netherlands were 17 sovereign provinces each led by a Statholder Each were self-governing: Made own laws, collected own taxes Were connected economically and by a common ruler (Spanish monarch) BUT no sense of Federation

The Spanish Netherlands All provinces sent representatives to the States General BUT important decisions were made in home provinces In the South 10 provinces spoke French and made their $ through textiles: wool and linen In the North 7 provinces spoke Dutch and made $ through fishing, shipping and international Banking

Antwerp Was the chief European financial and commercial center Antwerp was at the center of many intersecting trade routes Stuff came from all over the world Harbor could accommodate 2500 ships at one time 5,000 merchants from all over the world gathered daily at the Bourse (the stock exchange)

Other Dutch trading Centers Bruges Ghent Brussels

The Netherlands and the Church Corruption in the Church and Renaissannce ideas prompted a call for reform 1520’s and 1530’s: The Bible was translated into Dutch and the spread of Luther’s ideas The Netherlands was urban (unlike the rest of Europe) and ideas spread rapidly

The Netherlands under Charles V Charles was born in Ghent Was Flemish. Spoke language, knew customs Charles V identified with the Netherlands and they with him When the Dutch embraced Calvinism (Dutch Reformed) Charles reacted with mild repression and condemnation…not effective

Philip II and the Netherlands Philip was Spanish No identification with the Dutch When young was a wild child When older pious, religious, intolerant

Remember Lutheranism was no threat to existing political authority Calvinism was. They encouraged opposition to what they believed was “illegal authority” By 1560’s most Dutch cities had strong militant minorities of Calvinists

The Dutch A big middle class population Calvinism had appeal: Intelligent seriousness Moral gravity Emphasis on hard work Working class in the North converted because the bosses would only hire Calvinists Were well-organized and had financial backing

1556 Philip II appointed his ½ sister, Margaret as Regent of the Netherlands She was supposed to impose the Inquisition But lacked money so raised taxes Dutch resisted…pointed out that the Dutch paid more taxes than the Spanish She raised taxes anyway

Revolt August 1556 Grain prices went way up Hurt poorest classes the most The Dutch attacked: not people but religious idols in churches Was incited by Calvinist preachers First target: Cathedral of Notre Dame (Antwerp) Built 1124-1518. Was huge, beautiful Was totally dismantled by mobs in 6 days Then 30 more churches and libraries were burned

Philip II sent 20,000 Troops under command of the Duke of Alva Ruthless extermination of religious and poliltical dissidents Now…inquisition AND tribunal Called the Council of Blood 3-3-1568: 1500 executed Margaret was revolted and resigned

Alva levied a 10% sales tax on ALL transactions Caused widespread hardship

1568-1578 Civil War Provinces united under William the Silent (of Orange) Catholics v Protestants The Provinces v the Spanish

1578 Philip sent nephew, Alexander Farnese with German mercenaries To crush revolt Farnese fought patiently…one city at a time One city after another fell to the Spanish THEN at Antwerp, William the Silent opened the dikes and flooded the city Drove the Spanish out Stalemate

The Union of Utrecht Was formed by the 7 northern provinces 1581 Declared independence from Spain North had many canals Was highly defensible Could break dikes and flood invaders out

The 10 Southern Provinces Remained under Hapsburg control Land was flat Not defensible Power and influence : landed Nobility In the North: commercial aristocracy

The Northern Provinces asked for English help Chief market for English wool War in the Netherlands hurt the English economy Elizabeth hedged Then William the Silent killed… If the Provinces failed was England next?

1585-1587 Elizabeth sent help 2,000 troops and 250,000 English lbs In the meantime… Philip was getting old and was distracted Turks again in the Mediterranean Wives # 3 and 4 died Heir died Revolt of the Moriscos in Grenada

Philip wanted to bring England back to Catholicism Philip had earlier proposed to Elizabeth and was rebuffed Now Philip backed a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Queen of Scots Plot was discovered Mary Queen of Scots was executed by Elizabeth

Pope Sixtus V Outraged by death of Mary Queen of Scots Sent Philip II one million ducats ($) to send a fleet to England and crush Elizabeth

May 9, 1588 The War of the Spanish Armada Spain 130 ships to the English Channel England 150 ships: smaller but more maneuverable and more fire power Storms and squalls in the Channel Only 65 ships made it back to Spain

Elizabeth’s Speech http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=You+tube+video+Elizabeth+addressing+the+troops+War+of+the+Spanish+Armada&FORM=VIRE8#view=detail&mid=917B3BA1FE4BEF58D9D0917B3BA1FE4BEF58D9D0

Spain Will rebuild fleet and continue with Golden Age BUT 1609 truce with the Netherlands providing for independence of the Northern provinces The independence of the United Provinces will not be formally acknowledged by other European powers until 1648

Note Johan van Oldenbarneveldt took over for Wm the Silent HE got English help HE arranged the truce with Spain HE helped to for the Dutch East India Co. in 1602 Purpose of the DEIC was to protect Dutch trade in the East and to damage the Spanish at sea The DEIC even had the authority to govern territory