Felipe II - History Lab

Announcement relating to the edict of expulsion of the Moors from the kingdom of Aragon

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:51 +0000

The expulsion of nearly three hundred thousand Hispanic Moriscos, decided by Philip III on 4 April 1609, was the culmination of the process of eliminating religious minorities that began in our country with the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 and put an end to the more or less peaceful coexistence that had been taking place since the Middle Ages between Christians and Mudejars. The compulsory conversion of the Mudejars, after the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada (1492), now known as Moriscos, brought the conflict to a standstill for a few decades, during which there was equal parts distrust and support, hostility and rapprochement. The different solutions proposed for the assimilation of the Moriscos, ranging from evangelisation to inquisitorial repression, show that doctrinal controversies also involved a political process of repression motivated by the context of the Hispanic Monarchy’s ongoing conflicts with the Turks and Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean. The uprising of the Moors in Granada (1568-1570) marked the end of illusions about the possibility of mutual understanding. The general expulsion sanctioned the triumph of an exclusive Catholicism in Spain. The vicissitudes in which the expulsion took place and the social and economic consequences of forced emigration were suffered throughout the 17th century and are detailed in thousands of documents recorded in volumes and bundles in the Archive of the Crown of Aragon.

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Process of faith of the Moors

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:42 +0000

During his reign, Philip II (1556-1598) encountered serious social problems within his dominions. In particular, the case of the Moors, i.e. Mudejars who had accepted their conversion to Christianity in order to remain on Spanish soil, is particularly relevant. For decades, numerous processes of confirmation of conversion and faith took place in order to account for the correct religious behaviour of the converted families. The historical process, marked by events such as the Rebellion of the Alpujarras or the War of the Alpujarras, finally led to the expulsion of the Moors from the Hispanic Monarchy. This order, issued by Philip III, was carried out in stages between 1609 and 1613.

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Warnings from France on the uprising being prepared by the Moors in Spain

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:42 +0000

During his reign, Philip II (1556-1598) encountered serious social problems within his dominions. Of particular relevance was the case of the Moors, i.e. the Mudejars who had accepted their conversion to Christianity in order to remain on Spanish soil. An example of this can be seen in this document, which warns, from France, of the possibility of an uprising in the territories of the Monarchy. As a result of these events, numerous processes of confirmation of conversion and faith took place over the decades in order to account for the correct religious behaviour of the converted families. The historical process, marked by events such as the Rebellion of the Alpujarras or the War of the Alpujarras, finally led to the expulsion of the Moors from the Spanish Monarchy. This order, issued by Philip III, was carried out in stages between 1609 and 1613.

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Letter from Charles V to the Marquis of Frómista, announcing the decision to renounce in his son Philip

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:42 +0000

After decades of warfare, Charles I’s last years were marked by retirement and distance from all political matters. Thus, during the process of the Brussels Abdications, Charles I left the imperial government to his brother Ferdinand I (Holy Roman Empire) and that of Spain and the Indies to his son Philip, who became Philip II in 1556 after the death of the monarch.

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Theatrum Orbis Terrarum de Ortellius

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:37 +0000

it covers the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and the coasts of North Africa. The profile of the mountain systems, the most important rivers and the cities as a grouping of buildings are depicted. The toponymy appears in Latin and Spanish. Dated during the reign of Philip II (1556-1598)

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Royal engineer Fratín’s project for Fuenterrabía in 1572

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:18 +0000

Fuenterrabía demonstrated its great defensive power during the battles of the early 16th century, culminating in 1524 when the Castilian troops managed to recover it from the Franco-Navarrese army. In 1539 Charles V visited the damaged fortifications of Fuenterrabía, and shortly afterwards sent Captain Luis Pizaño to supervise the works in this square and in those of San Sebastián and Pamplona. One of the first actions was to raise the bastion of La Reina and the bastion of San Nicolás in 1545, partially modernising the fortified enclosure of the square.
During the reign of Philip II, work continued in the north of the peninsula, especially in Pamplona. These amazing works temporarily withdrew the focus of attention from Fuenterrabía, and its improvement work ceased until 1572, when a section of the old wall collapsed due to lack of maintenance. This caused Philip II to order his engineer Jacobo Palear Fratín to carefully analyse the square and give his verdict, which turned out to be rather unfavourable.
Under the king’s command, Fratín undertook a major reform project and numerous repairs. The aim was to extend the bastion in order to gain artillery capacity against the French in the east and to cover possible access from the sea. Although Fratín’s official layout is not available, the correspondence between the engineer and the Court has been analysed and a virtual reconstruction of the shape of the proposed plan has been made.

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Dánae, Titian

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:12 +0000

Titian executed the so-called Poesias, commissioned by Philip II. Several mythological scenes, with a deeply erotic content, which are now in various museums in Madrid, London, Edinburgh and Boston. The one in the Hermitage does not appear to be part of this cycle, but it is very similar, with other Danaes by Titian in London (Wellington Collection) and Naples (Museo di Capodimonte)

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The Battle of Lepanto

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:53 +0000

Painting of the Battle of Lepanto (1663-1665), commissioned for the Chapel of the Rosary in the Convent of Santo Domingo (Murcia), where it remains today. Painted by Juan de Toledo, an artist who specialised in naval scenes, and Mateo Gilarte, who was commissioned to paint the image of the Virgin and Child and the four medals of the protagonists of the battle: Philip II, John of Austria, Pius V and Ali Baya.

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Miniature self-portrait

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:28 +0000

Sofonisba Anguissola (c. 1535-1625) was born in Cremona into a high-born family. She was educated according to the values associated with virtuous women in the 16th century and her training was based on a solid knowledge of literature, music, dance, drawing and painting. She excelled in the latter field and was admired by Michelangelo, the leading figure in Italian art. After visiting the family, Giorgio Vasari also confirmed the young woman’s mastery of drawing and painting. In 1559, at the age of fourteen, she arrived in Spain through the Duke of Alba and the Duke of Sessa, governor of Milan. At the court of Philip II she worked as a court lady to Queen Isabella of Valois until her death in 1568, after which she entered the service of the king’s daughters (Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catherine Micaela) and Queen Anne of Austria, the king’s fourth and last wife. He remained with them until 1573, when he left for good to return to his place of origin. This small parchment (now a pendant) depicts one of the artist’s most cultivated facets, the self-portrait. In her hands she holds a medallion with an inscription in Latin that reads: “The maiden Sofonisba Anguissola, represented by her own hand, from a mirror, in Cremona”.

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The Infanta Catherine Micaela

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:28 +0000

Catherine Micaela, daughter of Philip II and Isabella of Valois, was born in 1567 in the Alcázar Palace in Madrid. Her childhood was parallel to that of her sister Isabella Clara Eugenia, both of whom spent long periods in the convent of the Descalzas Reales in Madrid under the care of their aunt Juana of Austria. In 1584, when Philip II had already annexed Portugal, he decided to secure the overland route to his Flanders states, which the House of Savoy was holding up. This sovereignty was ruled at the time by Prince Charles Emmanuel, who in 1585 became the husband of Catherine Micaela. After the marriage, celebrated in Saragossa, they both left for Turin. Her husband’s belligerence forced her to make many decisions on economic and even military matters. The training she received as a young woman with her father served her well, as her actions never seemed to be an abuse of power or a whim, as in the deliberations of the Council of State she was praised for “her prudence and great knowledge as well as her assiduity and diligence in resolving everything she undertakes”. The city of Turin also underwent various changes after the arrival of Catherine Michaela, as she personally took charge of the renovation of royal residences such as the Miraflores Palace and the Valentino Castle, as well as promoting the construction of devotional buildings such as Our Lady of Mondovi and the Sanctuary of the Capuchins. As a result of his great devotion, he sent copies of the Holy Shroud to various members of the House of Austria, as well as to the monastery of Guadalupe (Cáceres). During this period he personally chose his court portraitists, among them Jan Kraek, Cesare Arbassia and the Sadeler brothers. The Duchy of Savoy then became a very important cultural centre, bringing together literary figures of the stature of Torcuato Tasso and Gian Battista Guarini. She lived in Turin until her death in 1597 as a result of premature childbirth.

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