Philip's Foreign Policy (The Netherlands) (3) Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Philip's Foreign Policy (The Netherlands) (3) Deck (29)
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1
Q

From 1566, where was Philip’s attention focused?
From his first trip, how did he gain an appreciation of the independent spirit of the 17 provinces and ambitions of the nobility?

A
  • growing involvement in the affairs of the Netherlands (a key part of the empire)
  • nobles turned against professional administrators of Granvelle following government disputes and Philip was forced to dismiss him
  • 1566: higher aristocracy went on strike by resigning their offices
2
Q

How did Philip’s relationship with the Netherlands differ from that of his father, Charles?

A
  • he had little personal knowledge of the states (was born and raised in Spain, had only visited the Netherlands 3 times)
  • under Charles, the Netherlands had felt at the centre of the empire (Charles born there, there that he abdicated)
  • Charles was seen as a ruler with genuine commitment to their well-being
3
Q

In the past, what was the generally held view of Philip’s aims in regards to the Netherlands? (by both historians and contemporaries, eg. Elizabeth I)

A
  • that he wished to impose despotic rule over the Low Countries
  • make them a base from which to force Protestant countries in Europe to reintroduce Catholicism
  • this is now considered too extreme
4
Q

What are now considered Philip’s two aims in the Netherlands?

A
  • establish firm government in which his rights as ruler are protected
  • ensuring the position of Catholicism
5
Q

Why was appointing Margaret of Parma as governor-general in the Netherlands a bad idea? (Philip’s first mistake)

A
  • spent most of her life in Italy

- little experience of Netherlands

6
Q

What was Philip’s second mistake in the Netherlands? Who was angered? Why were they angered?

A
  • creation of an inner advisory council
  • made up of three known supports of centrally controlled government
  • angered nobles (esp. William of Orange)
  • felt that their position gave them the right to advise Margaret of Parma, felt that attempt was being made to lead to more centralised government, would lead to loss of their traditional power and prestige
  • went against political tradition of Netherlands, all states were equal and decisions made by consensus
7
Q

What was Philip’s third mistake in the Netherlands?

A
  • left a garrison of Spanish troops behind him in Netherlands
  • feared this was a sign of imposing Spanish authority
8
Q

What was Philip’s fourth mistake in the Netherlands, related to religious policy?
How else did religion/ politics intertwined motivate the first revolt?

A
  • Granvelle: planned to increase number of bishops in Netherlands from 4 to 18
  • argued it would make it easier for them to tend to peoples spiritual needs and discourage heresy
  • many abbots were forced to resign their positions to new bishops
  • Granvelle made cardinal - alienated Dutch politcial elites
  • church reforms - church offices provided an invaluable source of income and patronage
9
Q

Incidentally, how would increasing the number of bishops also increase Philip’s political power?

A
  • Philip would decide who was appointed to a bishopric

- bishops would have seats in local and national assemblies (provincial estates)

10
Q

How were firmer attempts made to deal with the growing threat of Protestantism?

A
  • IQ increased in size
  • further edicts against heresy issued
  • Protestant texts burned
  • death sentences for attending Protestant services
11
Q

Serious opposition was created as a result of Philip’s policies - how does his reaction demonstrate the Spanish government at its most ineffective?

A
  • there were long delays while Margaret waited for clarification of action to take (Philip never visited himself so tried to monopolise decision-making from afar)
  • baron de Montigny sent to Madrid in 1566 to obtain concessions
  • Philip decided to make concessions but matters had already got out of hand ie. ‘Iconoclastic fury’ (Calvinist riot and seriously damaged Catholic churches) - motivated by religious extremism?
12
Q

In 1567, the Duke of Alba was sent to Netherlands. Why?Was this a good decision?

A
  • to deal firmly with what was considered a ‘rebellion’
  • sent with 10,000 troops
  • no, Marge seemed to have matters under control and order was being speedily restored
13
Q

On Philip’s instructions, what did Alba do? Which policy caused most trouble? What was this trouble?

A
  1. set up a ‘Council of Troubles’
    - sentenced 1000+ people to death for involvement in 1566 disturbances
    - Orange exiled
    - 9000 people lost all/part of their land
    - provided anti-Spanish propaganda
  2. Alba tried to set up a 10% sales tax (Tenth penny)
    - definitely the second policy - led to second outbreak - would have caused widespread effects
    (Pierson: example of crisis management, not long planning as Alba needed more money for troops)
    - Netherlands had enjoyed earlier times of prosperity so they resented heavy taxation
    - by 1572: large areas of northern Netherlands (Holland and Zeeland) were in revolt led by William of Orange
14
Q

How did Philip try and deal with the second revolt of the Netherlands? Was he successful?

A
  • replaced Alba with Requesens as governor-general in 1573 (showed inconsistency in government)
  • Requesens made concessions to rebels
  • too late to be effective
  • Philip wouldn’t consider religious tolerance or a reduction of his rights as ruler (all Requesens could offer was 6 months for Protestants to leave)
15
Q

After Requesens’ unfortunate death in 1576, there was an intervening period before Don John took up position as governor-general. Why in this period did the once loyal southern states join with the North against the Spanish?

A
  • there were attacks made on a number of loyal towns (Antwerp) by mutinous Spanish troops (unpaid, starving) - 8,000 lives
  • ‘Spanish fury’ led to belief that Spanish couldn’t protect them and the previously loyal southern states joined the North (made a reality of Spanish tyranny)
16
Q

On Don John’s arrival to Spain, he had little option in terms of action. What did he do?

A
  • States General at Ghent created the Pacification of Ghent (withdraw all troops), he was forced to comply
  • made further concessions in a ‘Perpetual Edict’ of 1577 (ideas of Valencian humanist - Ceriol)
17
Q

What was the purpose of the 1577 Perpetual Edict? Who broke the edict? How was Don John forced to react?

A
  • withdrew all foreign troops from Netherlands
  • Calvinists - who refused toleration of the Catholics
  • he feared for his personal safety and thus gained Philip’s agreement to call Spanish army back into Netherlands
18
Q

After the Spanish army were recalled to the Netherlands - what did the aim become? Who led the troops? Where was a victory won?

A
  • to reconquer the whole of the Netherlands
  • Alexander Farnese
  • Gembloux
19
Q

When Don John died in 1578, how did Farnese fare as governor-general?

A
  • highly intelligent
  • showed most understanding of problems there
  • had shown considerable political and military abilities eg. Lepanto
20
Q

How did Farnese win back the southern states? By 1585, what position was he in?

A
  • convinced them that they had more to fear from alliance with Calvinists than with Spanish - confirmed by Union of Arras (May 1579) - used shrewd diplomacy, few death sentences for treason and loyal nobles were always rewarded
  • seemed poised to secure the recovery of the North - Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht
21
Q

What two factors meant Farnese failed to retake the northern states?

A
  1. England became officially involved, Treaty of Nonsuch signed by Liz with rebels - gave them enough military aid to support their resistance to Farnese (6,000 men under Earl of Leicester)
  2. Philip’s decisions in regards to England and France
    England:
    - Philip decided that a retaking of the Netherlands required invasion of England first - Farnese was unable to fight while he waited for Armada to sail so troops could be taken to England
    France:
    - Farnese was ordered to fight alongside Catholic rebels in France to stop Protestant Henry of Navarre becoming king
  • Calvinist rebels could improve defences and make important gains under Nassau
22
Q

By 1592, why was Philip forced to halt campaign against rebels?

A
  • Calvinists had both France and England as allies

- Philip suffered further financial difficulties (another state bankruptcy in 1596)

23
Q

What method did Philip use to try and prompt the reuniting of the states? Why did this plan fail?

A
  • gave his daughter Isabella and her husband Archduke Albert the Netherlands to rule
  • hoped to separate it enough so that it would reunite
  • northern states were now a clearly distinct country that was referred to as the ‘United Provinces’ and they weren’t going to give up political/ religious independence
24
Q

Factors such as:
- Philip’s own hesitation and delays
- Philip’s refusal to compromise on religion
- decision to commit forces to England and France
have been identified as part of Philip’s failure.

Why might geographical factors be a consideration?

A
  • difficulties and delays in sending men and money by sea to Netherlands
  • Holland = ‘the Great Bog of Europe’ (many islands, separated by sea, to take each town took long sieges)
25
Q

Factors such as:
- Philip’s own hesitation and delays
- Philip’s refusal to compromise on religion
- decision to commit forces to England and France
have been identified as part of Philip’s failure.

Why was lack of resources a factor?

A
  • in early stages Philip had to direct resources against threat of Islam
  • lacking money led to ‘Tenth penny’ and the state bankruptcy led to Philip not being able to pay troops who then mutinied and frightened South into joining revolt
26
Q

What is Parker’s view about the differing factors motivating the revolt at different stages? Outline some examples of each

A

1566-1567: political and religious revolt

  • resentment of bishop number increase
  • resentment of IQ powers (infringement of rights and privileges, don’t like having Spanish institution on them)
  • increase in ‘hedge-preachers’ and 1565 harvest failure and English embargo on cloth trade increased receptiveness
    1572: revolt against Alba
    1576: revolt caused by Spanish fury
27
Q

Was everything Alba did terrible?

A
  • no
  • universities improved
  • 1570: produced an Ordinance of Penal Law - standardised legal procedures
  • Council of Troubles had more Dutch representatives than Spanish
28
Q

How did William of Orange harness support for his invasion in 1572? (he was exiled as part of Council of Troubles)

A
  • converted to Lutheranism then Calvinism
  • sea beggars were expelled from English ports in March, so they were harnessed to join revolt as well as merchants and financiers (patricians) who wanted to keep political control
29
Q

Why is the Netherlands particularly vulnerable to religious interference?

A
  • close to Protestant power in England, Lutheran states in Germany