Customer Reviews:
terrific historical account .......2007-02-11
King Philip II of Spain was also the King of England when his wife devout Catholic Mary sat on the throne. Like his spouse he loathed the Reformation and tired to end its pervasive insurrection while also building a powerful empire. When Mary Tudor dies, which means her widow is no longer an English monarch, her half sister Protestant supporter Elizabeth I becomes ruler of England. Philip proposes marriage, but she rejects his offer. Instead she challenges his Catholic ways with her Protestant ways leading her nation into being a rival maritime superpower until by 1588 he sends his powerful armada to conquer England.
This is a terrific historical account of how personal alliances were amongst the sixteenth century European monarchies. In some ways the tome feels like a romance novel as the widower pursues his former sister-in-law who rejects his advances. However, their dysfunctional relationship represents the war between Catholic and Protestant domination of Europe and the New World. Well written and fun to read, Elizabethan aficionados (sorry Philip but history is written by the winner) will appreciate this insightful look at the latter half of the sixteenth century when national conflict was personalized.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating character study.......2005-10-18
This book helped along the fascination I have for that period. Jean Plaidy in her characteristic style brings out all the influences on Philip's life. His strict spanish upbringing warring with his deeper sensual nature. The book is divided into 3 parts, dedicated to 3 different phases of his life as well as 3 different women that he was married to. The impression I got is this: That JP started with an extreme close up view of Philip when he was young and gradually distanced the view by including more characters into the story. One of those books that brings out the shades of grey - in historical characters - only to well. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the tie ins between English and Spanish histories.
AWESOME BOOK!.......2004-02-14
This book rocked! It was my fourth book that I read by Jean Plaidy, and it was the one that made me fall in love with her books and make her my favourite author.
Philip was a small fair boy and was raised to be a serious Catholic. When he was a teenager, he married Maria Manuel from Portugal. She was very pretty with her dark hair and dark eyes. Philip was in love, but he didn't want to tell her because he had his whole life to anyways. After an encounter with his grandmother, Juana the Mad, Maria is with chid and to Spain's happiness it is a son, Don Carlos. To Philip's greif, Maria dies too. Philip got upset because he never got to tell her how much he loved her.
After years of widowhood, Philip marries for state reasons. He married Mary Tudor (read In The Shadow of The Crown by Jean Plaidy). Don Carlos was a little screwed up in the head and Philip knew that he would not be a good ruler. So, he figures if he marries Mary and gets a new heir for his empire and add gets England for his son.
He meets Mary and is not too charmed by her. She was old, but she had been a beauty in her youth. He treated her kindly and Mary was thrilled. She had been neglected and hardly loved since her mother's death and was thrilled that this handsome young man was treating her kindly. This was a man who would help her country come back to Rome (it was a Protestant country ever since the reign of her father, King Henry VIII). But Philip does treat her well and she is very happy. (If you type in Philip II into google and go to images, you will see that Philip is even handsome by today's standards.)
But after living with Mary, he is not crowned king of England. The people hate him. But Philip does like Mary's half sister, Elizabeth. He considers marrying her if Mary were to die. Philip didn't even love her as a husband should love a wife. He sort of thought of her as a painful old aunt. He leaves and promises to be back in a few months. But he doesn't come back until he needs help from England in a war against France.
Mary dies later. She was very unhappy and wanted Philip there. She really did love him. Poor Mary.
AFter that, Philip asks for Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth I (Queen of this Realm by Jean Plaidy and Gay Lord Robert by Jean Plaidy)to marry him. She dallies with the proposal. She did have many to choose from. Since he didn't get any real answer, Philip marries a French Princess, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was originally intended for Don Carlos, but Philip married her himself. But Don Carlos was already half in love with her himself. He saw her minature and was in love with the idea of marrying her. He would even stop killing animals for her. Don Carlos was furious when Philip married her. He already hated Philip enough.
Elizabeth, now Isabella, just wanted to stay in France. But it was her duty to go to Spain and be Queen. In Spain, her husband was cold to her and hardly smiled. Sometimes in private he would treat her tenderly though. Her step-son was a comfort. He spoke French to her and made her feel not so alone. After a few years of marriage to Philip, she only has princesses. Philip was sure that she would eventually give him a son.
But, Philip finds himself in love with her. He never wanted to love anyone else since his first wife. Isabella was pregnant and he was planning on telling her his feelings towards her. Unfortunately, she dies in childbirth, her daughter with her.
This book is awesome and I think that you should read it. I loved it and it is one of my favourite Jean Plaidy books. You should also read the books that I put in there too. It is interesting to see what the different people are thinking over the same situations. Also, I recommend the Isabella and Ferdinand series if you liked The Spanish Bridegroom. The first book is called Castile for Isabella, 2nd is Spain for the Sovereigns and 3rd is Daughters of Spain. They are awesome too.
What do you think about Philip II of Spain?.......2003-09-27
This is one of my favorite Plaidy books! It is very well written, and it really makes you think, "Was Philip II of Spain a good guy, doing everything he did out of duty, or was he bad, doing it out of hatred and sadism?" I didn't like him before I read this book because of his role in the Inquisition and the fact that I blame him for my heroine's death, Lady Jane Grey (hence my nickname). I still wonder.
Philip II grew up with duty always first. He was serous about everything, and he always acted like an adult. His first marriage was his choice. He fell in love with his first wife, but never knew how to tell her. She died before he got a chance. Around this time, the Inquisition started heating up, under his control. Also, Mary I cam to the throne in England. She was a Catholic trying to bring Catholicism back to England, as well as the Inquisition. The marriage would be good for Philip, but he had no feeling towards Mary, and the English hated him. He married anyway, and in a few years, she died as well. After she died, Philip had to make another alliance, this time with France. He married the daughter of the King. Once again, he fell in love, and once again, she died before he could tell her. Philip had a son by his first wife that was not quite right in the head and he tried to kill Philip. Philip thought it was his duty to his country to get rid of his son. For the sake of Spain, he did.
From reading this review, you will probably despise Philip. I am not a good a writer a Plaidy, so I cannot be surprised. The only thing I ask is to read this book before you judge him.
Excellent historical account.......2000-12-23
This book was much more fascinating than I thought it would be. The authors thoroughly researched their history and presented a view into the mind and emotions of Phillip II and the other characters which is fascinating. His family history is very interesting. It includes mental illness, psychopathy, and tragic romance. The characters' personalities and emotional functioning come to life in this analysis of the reasons behind their behaviors. It builds to a climactic end. I enjoyed this book very much.
Book Description
The Armada is the definitive story of the English fleet's infamous defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, one of the most spectacular events of the sixteenth century. The esteemed and critically acclaimed historian Garrett Mattingly explores all dimensions of the naval campaign, which captured the attention of the European world and played a deciding role in the settlement of the New World. The Armada is sure to appeal to the scholar and amateur historian alike.
Customer Reviews:
The Armada.......2007-10-05
Wonderfully put together piece of writing. Not as boring as textbook, but not quite a novel...Mattingly's piece is extremely readable and easier to relate to than a more didactic compliation of the same historic events.
A classic worthy of the title.......2007-01-30
Not all "classics" of history age as well as Garrett Mattingly's "The Armada," which was first published in 1959 to coincide with the quadricentennial of Philip II's failed attempt at the so-called "Enterprise of England." His scholarship may be subject to legitimate contemporary scrutiny and reassessment, but his writing is timeless.
The naval commander of the Spanish Armada, the duke of Medina Sidonia, emerges as the unlikely hero in Mattingly's narrative of the epic events in the fateful year of 1588. Medina Sidonia has for centuries been the primary scapegoat for the failure of the Armada, a fate that the duke himself perpetuated by taking blame for the disaster and frequently admitting that he was not up to the challenge. Mattingly's rejoinder is "hogwash" - Medina Sidonia did an admirable job in leading the Armada to within a whisker of success despite the tremendous odds stacked against it for a variety of reasons. The author suggests that Horatio Nelson himself could have done no better than the much-maligned duke. As far as finger pointing goes, Mattingly condemns the duke of Parma, the Spanish land commander in the Netherlands and generally considered the greatest general of the age, for his failures to be adequately prepared to meet the Armada and sail on to the invasion of England. (Modern scholars such as Geoffrey Parker have vigorously defended Parma's performance recently.)
Mattingly focuses on several aspects of the naval engagement itself that are worthy of note and rather counter to conventional wisdom. To begin with, he rightfully stresses the unprecedented nature of the sea battles that ensued when the Armada met the English fleet off the southern coast of England in the first week of August 1588. Never before had fleets of such size met in running combat. A change so dramatic in naval warfare would not happen again, Mattingly writes, until 1942 when the US and Japanese fleets engaged in a contest of aircraft carriers fighting each other over the horizon. Thus, all major naval battles from 1588 to 1942 differ only in ship design and tactics, not in any other fundamental way. And Mattingly notes that the four naval engagements that occurred along the south English coast from the Eddystone to the Isle of Wight were each far larger in terms of ships engaged and shots fired than all other sea battles before them.
Perhaps most surprising is Mattingly's generally positive assessment of Spanish seamanship, discipline and tactics, and his argument that the "revolutionary" English strategy of long-range heavy bombardment from more mobile "race built" ship designs was largely a failure (for some reason the author makes no mention of the four-wheel artillery carriage design that did so much to add firepower and rate of fire to English ships). Indeed, Mattingly asserts that Sir Francis Drake's destruction of a depot of barrel staves at St. Francis Cape in 1587 that were destined for the Armada did as much, if not more, than anything else to cripple the Spanish fleet because they were forced to sail with green wood barrels that caused much of their water and food to putrefy. And the greatest English advantage in the entire campaign, according to Mattingly, was that the battles occurred close to home ports so they could quickly and easily resupply critical items like powder, ammunition, and victuals, all of which the English ships ran out of on several occasions during the week. If the English fleet had met the Armada off the coast of Portugal, as many had argued for, they would have been forced to break off the engagement after just one or two battles of the ferocity and intensity that occurred off the English coast.
Much has been made of the English advantage in leadership and crew experience and the outdated Spanish "crescent" arrangement, which was the common deployment of gallies in the Mediterranean but totally unsuited, many have argued, for naval warfare in the open ocean against huge warships. But Mattingly writes that the crescent was the perfect formation for the Armada's essentially defensive task - secure passage through the Channel, rendezvous with the Parma's army, and escort the convoy across. Time and again, the author lauds Medina Sidonia and the Spanish sailors for keeping in formation and sliding past the tactically superior English fleet on their way through the Channel. Meanwhile, the English were frustrated by the inability of their advantage in long-range gunnery and superior maneuverability to destroy the Spanish warships located at the horns of the crescent. It was only the famed fireships that ultimately caused the Armada's formation to lose cohesion and thus vulnerable to English decimation.
So, was the defeat of the Armada really all that decisive? Militarily speaking, Mattingly says "no." The Spanish were able to recover, defeat the Drake-led invasion of Portugal the next year, and continued to fight Elizabeth and import bullion across the Atlantic for decades. Politically speaking, the author says "yes," the failure of the Armada to link with Parma and invade England permanently undermined Spanish prestige and influence in Europe, ushering in the ultimate defeat of the Counter-Reformation that Philip II championed and led in many ways.
All in all, a great book that is both fun to read and informative.
Better than a novel.......2004-06-16
This is an absolute page-turner on the Invincible Armada and its demise before Calais in the fateful year 1588.
The book tells the story of the campaign from different angles with chapters on The Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain and England. The author's prose is sometimes difficult to read and stuffed with naval jargon but on the whole quite enjoyable. In fact, the narrative is gripping and comparable with the best historical novels.
What I also find commendable about this book is its relative neutrality. Because it opens with a chapter praising Queen Elizabeth, I was afraid that it would be flagrantly and outrageously pro-Brittish but as the story unfolded the author was able to present each actor in a quite objective way and even the defeat of the Spanish fleet was not as heart-rending as I had feared (I have a lot of Spanish blood in my veins!).
The Armada focuses on political and military events rather than on a colorful historical reconstruction of details. The book contains no lengthy descriptions of clothes or weapons or dietary habits or a social critique of the 16th century. What you do find is a wealth of acute psychological portraits of the main characters (but thank God without any Freudian undertones!). Elizabeth I, Philip II, Drake and Medina Sidonia, the Spanish admiral, are all described incisively along with Henri III, the Duke of Guise, Mary, the queen of Scots, and other minor actors.
The only thing I regret about The Armada is the sore lack of illustrations: pictures of the different vessels used in combat and of their armament would have been most welcome. True, there are two maps at the beginning of the book and they are enough to understand the narrative, but still my imagination was hampered by my ignorance of what pinnaces and galleasses look like.
All in all an excellent book. If you love 16th century history this is the book for you.
Absolutely Amazing!.......2003-01-30
This has got to be one of the absolute best historical books on the Armada. Not only on the Armada but on the politics on the continent as it pertained to England and Spain. It is very accurate in its facts and portrays them in a way that brings the characters and events alive, leaving you with a craving feeling to read more and more. Written like a novel yet with the facts of a history book. A recommend for anyone looking for a gripping historical account of the struggle between Spain and England that resulted in the Armada's attempt to invade England.
Debunking Collective Memory and Highlighting Diplomacy.......2002-06-28
Given Mattingly's insight into Mendova's political manuevers in Paris, Philip II's understanding of European powers, and the role of the Catholic Church in European politics, this was required reading for a college course on European Diplomacy (1500-1918). While a naval historian might find fault in the lack of details and maps, Mattingly does cover the moves and countermoves by the English and Spanish reasonably well, especially for novice sailors like me. However, Mattingly correctly focuses on the lasting influence of the English Enterprise by the Spanish Armada: the flawed belief of a power shift in European politics and the myth(s) it produced.
Yes, in keeping with the title of the book, the moves by Spanish Armada are covered in a "daily diary" format, which actually serves to better highlight the real driving force of this work. Mattingly loves to dive into all the source material available and gain a sense of the diplomacy, delayed communication, and potential thoughts of the majors players. In doing so, Mattingly presents all the rumors and views (circa 1588), shows how historians have ran with those "facts" (now rooted in a collective memory), but he then corrects and deals those assumptions as flawed, baseless, or plausible. For example, Drake is often given credit for defeating the Spanish Armada, though he was not in command of the British fleet. Contrary to some stories, the Spanish were not damned by poor weather, but actually had the best seas imaginable. These are minor points, but were often touchstones for historical and political spinning. Mattingly does well in not only debunking these "truths" but in determining when and why they began.
This is not revisionist history in the "politically correct" sense of the word. Rather, it lays out the various stories, notes the points of the bias, and seeks to synthesize a coherent story given the available primary sources. Mattingly presents history as it should be - a clear story driven by primary sources which respects the prism of bias inherent in sources.
Buy this book.
Book Description
In order to understand Spanish America, one must begin with Philip II, who at one time controlled a quarter of the world's population. This new edition is brought up to date with new material including photos, map and charts, and an essay in which the author evaluates new works about this "obsessed personality." "A well-managed and impressively clear story." - The New York Times
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Biography on Philip II.......2003-06-13
I picked up this book by chance from my father's personal library and found it to be a wonderfully written work on the life of Philip II.
An aspect I like about this book is that the author -- Geoffrey Parker (who at one point taught at Christ's College) -- tries to give as much of an objective account as he can, recognizing that the life of Philip II has been distorted by historians who have had a Protestant bias (and therefore portrayed Philip II as an inflexible tyrant) and who otherwise have not appreciated the cultural contributions of Spain because of what he describes as the "Black Legend" (wherein the Spanish are believed to be "tainted" with Jewish and Moorish blood).
Mr. Parker appears to exonerate Philip II of many simple-minded charges, and portrays him as a very competent and astute ruler with a strong intellectual curiosity who devoted his life to the Catholic Church. Philip II was somewhat of a connoisseur on art, who enjoyed the works of Bosch and Titian, but who happened to overlook the genius of El Greco. Another interesting detail in the book is Philip II's enthusiasm for hunting.
The book gives a good overview on Philip II's numerous wives and children (he was married 4 times and some of his children were stillborn). It also allows one to understand the period under which the Netherlands was ruled by the Spanish as well as of the "taming" of the New World, as well as the aftermath of the Armada disaster.
King Philip II preferred a very centralized government. He was an indefatigable ruler who did an incredible amount of paperwork.
Philip II is portrayed as an enlightened ruler who at times showed incredible mercy to his subjects. He even dressed like the common man and did not require subjects to bow down to him as did other monarchs. This was the quintessence of "Spanish nobility."
A very concise story of the man behind the king........1997-09-13
Geoffrey Parker wrote tight, leaving nothing extra or unneeded in "Philip II" which I rate a very concise story of the man behind the king.
Parker drew from good research and could have included other aspects which may and may not have been true but he chose the journalistic route which leaves the reader with a stronger sense of knowing King Philip II, one of the most influential monarchs in the world. Parker's text gives thought to the effects of Philip's daily habits and events in his life which still have an effect in Spain and parts of the then Spanish Empire. Parker's effort reads well and should be included on the list of any serious follower of old or modern Spain, or of any countries effected by its empire.
I read through it in four brisk sittings.
Mike McIlvain
Excellent book on this complex person.......1997-06-15
I am shocked there are not more books about the personal life of this interesting person in history. This book gives a very good picture of Philip II and the forces that shaped him and the religion that governed every aspect of his life, loves and holy causes. Because of his long reign, and dealings with all the important persons of the 16th century, his personal attitudes shaped so much by his childhood, influenced the political, social and religious tide of that time. The conquests of lands in the name of God, influences the geography and history of today
Very intricate and detailed, A+.......1997-06-04
This book gives you many different views of
Philip II. Quotes coming directly from text written in the 14th century. Details about every aspect of his life in full detail. When I ordered it for my 11 pg. essay of him, this was exactly what I was looking for.
Average customer rating:
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The Armada
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000E7R6JW |
Book Description
This book, published four hundred years after Philip`s death, is the first full-scale biography of the king. Placing him within the social, cultural, religious, and regional context of his times, it presents a startling new picture of him. Drawing on Philip`s unpublished correspondence and on many other archival sources, Kamen reveals much about Philip the youth, the man, the husband, the father, the frequently troubled Christian, and the king.
Customer Reviews:
Competent.......2007-06-15
This book did the job for which I bought it i.e to cover the complete life of Philip & thus provide more knowledge & understanding of the Spanish Ride to its Abyss in the 16th Century. I have passed it to my Russian daughter-in-law accordingly. She,a keen Roman Catholic,while generally highly knowledgeable said she knew little about Spain & felt the impact of the Inquisition has been exaggerated. I disagree & this book substantiated my point. Philip accepted the Inquisition to govern Spain. Other counties both Protestant & Catholic perpetrated ghastly deeds against dissidents but with them it was Politics utilising Religion,not Religion managing the State.
Intriguing but Deflating.......2004-02-02
I suppose it is true of many a biography, and in individual experience, that we rarely recognize greatness in people we know well. Kamen does an excellent job painting an unconventional portrait of Philip. In the process, however, the "Black Legend" is reduced to a somewhat flighty renaissance princeling.
For whatever reason, I never received the anglophile's disdain for Philip. Perhaps it was Warren Carroll's portrait of Philip in his Christendom series, or Hillaire Belloc's view, both of which tended to paint Philip as the tragically ineffectual hero of Catholic Europe, standing in the breach against both the heretic and the Turk, and only partially saving Europe while dooming his own Empire.
As ought to have been expected, Kamen's well researched and presented portrait shows a complex individual, capable of progressivism (ala opposition to blood purity laws and early support for Tridentine reforms), while simultaneously enjoying the public manifestations of the Inquisition. The casual nature of Philip's early marriages contrasts starkly against his reaction to the death of his fourth wife. "Philip the Bureaucrat" would seem to be an apt title for a King paralyzed by paperwork, and unable to govern his vast realms due to slow communication, shifty underlings, and a byzantine political system that only Umberto Eco could love.
It is hard, in the end, to get a bead on Philip. It is indeed tragic for Spain that the many great chances for the establishment of their empire were lost in the various cataclysms of Dutch piracy, stormy seas, and overzealous generals - thus contributing to the later usurpation of Portugese westernization of the orient, English dominance of North America, and setting the stage for Cardianl Richelieu and far bloodier events in Europe.
Of course, Kamen avoids projecting out consequences, only hinting at the damage done to Spain by the misfortunes of Philip's reign. For a biography of "the world's most powerful man," the focus is so narrow as to be somewhat myopic. But it is at this price that we obtain the detail which saves Philip from both the Black Legend and latter-day sanctification - neither of which he deserves.
Prudence at a distance.......2002-06-11
About time the Prudent King received treatment worth his contemporaneous status! Not much has been written on Phillip II that would pass the most superficial test of historical accuracy. This book, a survey of his reign, is balanced and well written. Kamen describes neither a demon (the characterization of Phillip which most English readers would find familiar) nor a saint (the preferred version among Spanish monarchists), but the first modern bureaucrat. Kamen scholarship has some precursors in the English historical world, ie Elton, Parker, but his contribution to popular history in the form of biography is unique at this point. The 30 Years War, the casus belli for Modern Europe, is inconceivable without Phillip II's presence. This book paints with an informed brush the Spanish dynastic cause. I recommend this book highly.
A Book That Will Make An Excellent Film - By Me!.......2001-08-02
That's right! I am, at this moment, making a powerful epic screenplay about the greatest king in the 1500s. It is called PHILIP, KING OF SPAIN - and it will star me as the great king Philip II. I will show him as the man, the king, the warrior, the father, the husband, and the ruler of his court!
So forget about those other little biopics like THE LAST EMPEROR, AMADEUS, ELIZABETH, and others! PHILIP, KING OF SPAIN will be an Academy Award-winning, Best Picture epic film made by yours truly - Kristoffer Infante! It will be a companion to my other Oscar-winning Best Picture, PRISONER OF WAR - written, directed, produced, and starring me - and TRIANGLE, another Oscar-winning Best Picture!
I will be faithful to the man and the myth, and destroy all that negativity that has dogged Philip in the last 400 years! Philip will be loved and appreciated again!
Count on it!
Informative!.......2000-12-31
Kamen offers a very complete and detailed description of the great grandson of the Catholic Kings and the difficulty of managing the most extensive empire the world has ever known. The facts are taken from great sources and presented in an honest fashion. Kamen strays from legends and myths and even challenges some of them as he did in "The Spanish Inquisition". The dedication of Felipe II to his realm is explained realisticly. Finally, the chronology is followed with discipline and is commendable. I would recommend this book to anyone desiring information on this Hapsburg leader.
Average customer rating:
- Great Biography
- a worthy read
- Don't bother to read the review, just buy the book !!
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Philip II (European History in Perspective)
Patrick Williams
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
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Imperial Spain: 1469-1716
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Grand Strategy of Phillip II
ASIN: 0333630432 |
Book Description
Four hundred years after his death, Philip II remains one of the most controversial figures in history, admired and reviled in equal measure. This new study traces the development of the 16th-century spanish king and of a kingship that lay at the heart of European political, religious, and cultural evolution. It looks at the government that evolved during his reign as well as the pressures of his tortured private life, exploring the paradox of a man who as a young ruler was deeply prudent but who became extraordinarily aggressive in old age and who reshaped the world through his successes and failures.
Customer Reviews:
Great Biography.......2007-02-21
Very good and interesting biography on Philip II. It was very easy to read and will written. Becoming the most powerful person in Europe at the time. The amount of land and countries he ruled over is impressive.
a worthy read.......2005-06-30
A very easy-to-read book, well written, comprehensive, well researched. It does not challenge other biographies of the Prudent King, like those classic ones by G. Parker and H. Kamen, on any significant point, but/and is a nice choice if you are a casual reader, or a student. Well structured and vividly written, with what the Greeks call "a sensitivity towards the subject", and a sensitivity towards the reader, I might add, this is a nice biography in all.
Don't bother to read the review, just buy the book !!.......2002-08-09
For anyone with an interest in Philip II of Spain or the convulsive times Europe was going through in his age, this is an absolute must. The author's mastery of the subject is obvious and his writing is never heavy or boring. The book is superb, simple, clear,discretly erudite. Mr. Williams writes to please and interest the reader, not to impress the world with his knowledge. His book should be compulsory reading for French historians, most of whom are pompous bores.
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Spain, 1474-1598 (Questions and Analysis in History)
Jocelyn Hunt
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0415222664 |
Book Description
The rise of Spain from obscurity to the position of Europe's greatest power is centrally important in the history of Western Europe in the sixteenth century. Spain, 1474-1598 explores key themes including the unification of Spain and the domestic and foreign policies of each of the monarchs-Ferdinand and Isabella, Charles V, and Philip II. This book also examines whether the sixteenth century was a 'golden century' for Spain culturally with its art and literature, as well as with its society and economy.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad, but limited........2002-08-21
This seems to be a review for a high school or college History course, but could be read by anyone interested in the subject. Each chapter is divided into three parts: narrative, analysis and (study) questions. The first two parts are excellent: informative and interestingly composed. The study questions are abhorrent. No doubt they're designed to make students think more deeply about the subject, but they obscure it and render it more intimidating. But you're safe if you don't read them. Also there are some excellent maps, particularly of Spanish possessions in the Netherlands. And that chapter is very well explained.
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Phillip II (Seminar Studies in History)
Geoffrey Woodward
Manufacturer: Longman Publishing Group
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0582072328 |
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