3.10 Age of Absolute Monarchs student notes.docx - The Age...

The Age of Absolute
Monarchs
(1500-1715)
I. The Rise & Fall of Spain
A. Spain Reign- During the Age of Absolute Monarchs- Spanish
king/queen held total power (absolutism)
B. Habsburg Family- reached greatest power in mid-1500’s under
Charles V, controlled both Spanish & Holy Roman Empires
(Charles V retired & gave empires to his brother and son)
C. Philip II- (Charles V’s son) ruled Spain 1556-1598, planned to
defeat the Muslim Ottoman Empire and bring Protestants back
under the authority of the Catholic Church
1. Spain’s navy led the Catholic forces to victory over the Muslim
Turks at Lepanto (1571), saved Italy from Turk invasion
D. Dutch Revolt (1568-1648)- Protestant northern
provinces of the Spanish Netherlands revolted against Philip’s
harsh, pro-Catholic rule (Dutch began their own trading empire)
E. War with England- Philip II enraged that Queen Elizabeth of
England supported Protestantism, and she allowed English
“sea dogs ” to raid Spanish outposts
1. In 1588 Philip organized 130 ships and 60,000 soldiers
to invade & conquer England, but Elizabeth prepared an ambush
2. The Spanish Armada defeated in the English
Channel and by a storm called the “Protestant Wind ”
F. Decline- Spain’s money wasted, economy weak