1. The Age of Absolutism
Chapter 16

2. Spanish Power Grows
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand unified the country (Spain), enforced religious unity, and commanded the Spanish conquest of the Americas
1516- Grandson Charles I became king of Spain- ruler of Spanish colonies in the America’s as well
Charles I became heir of Hapsburg Empire which included the Holy Roman Empire and the Netherlands

3. Charles I  Charles V Devout Catholic
Suppressed Protestantism in German states
Faced Muslim Ottoman Empire

4. Charles V Abdicates
Why would Charles V give up on the Hapsburg Empire?
Too scattered for one person to handle
What happened to the empire?
Gave the Holy Roman Empire to his brother Ferdinand
Charles V son- Philip II- got Spain, the Netherlands, and some southern Italian states

5. Philip II Solidifies Power
Reigned for 42 years
Expanded Spanish influence
Strengthened the Catholic Church
Made his own power absolute

6. Centralizing Power
Philip II made every part of the government responsible to him
Absolute monarch- a ruler with complete authority over the government and the lives of the people
Divine right- the power came directly from God
Explain why an absolute monarch is beneficial and detrimental to a country.

7. Battles in the Mediterranean and the Netherlands
Attempted to advance Spanish Catholic power
Battle of Lepanto- 1571
Protestants resisted Philip’s efforts to crush their faith

8. Armada Sails Against England
1580’s- Philip saw England as Spain’s chief Protestant enemy
Elizabeth supported the Dutch who were against Spain
Armada- fleet to carry a Spanish invasion force to England
Sent 130 ships and 20,000 men to the English channel
What was the outcome?

9. An Empire Declines
Defeat of the Armada marked the beginning of the end of Spanish power
Reason for decline: Philip II’s successors ruled far less ably than he did
Costly overseas wars drained Spain of its wealth
Treasure of the Americas meant that Spain neglected farming and commerce

10. Spain’s Golden Age
El Greco- “the Greek”- haunting religious pictures and striking portraits of Spanish nobles
Miguel de Cervantes- Don Quixote