17th century

[SwordsMaster]

The Spanish Habsburg Empire A decent overview

Ruler: Philippe III (Biography)

Heir: Philippe IV (succeeded in 1621)

Prime minister: Duke of Lerma (Biography)


Lerma, a financial wizard, succeeded in turning Spain’s account books around and made himself one of the richest men in Europe with a fortune of some 44 million thalers, Lerma’s personal success attracted enemies and well-founded allegations of corruption; in 1618, the king replaced him with Don Balthasar de Zúñiga. While the Duke of Lerma (and to a large extent Philip III) had been disinterested in the affairs of their ally, Austria, Zúñiga was a veteran ambassador to Vienna and believed that the key to restraining the resurgent French and eliminating the Dutch was a closer alliance with Habsburg Austria.


Army Organisation:

Wiki Tercio

Tercio



Economic & military situation

Faced with wars against England, France, and the Netherlands, each led by extraordinarily capable leaders, already-bankrupted Spain was outmatched. Struggling with continuing piracy against its shipping in the Atlantic and the disruption of its vital gold shipments from the New World, Spain was forced to admit bankruptcy again in 1596. The Spanish attempted to extricate themselves from the several conflicts they were involved in, first signing the Treaty of Vervins with France in 1598, recognizing Henry IV (since 1593 a Catholic) as king of France, and restoring many of the stipulations of the previous Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis. A treaty with England was agreed upon in 1604, following the accession of the more tractable Stuart King James I.

Peace with England and France implied that Spain could focus her energies on restoring her rule to the Dutch provinces. The Dutch, led by Maurice of Nassau, the son of William the Silent and perhaps the greatest strategist of his time, had succeeded in taking a number of border cities since 1590, including the fortress of Breda. Following the peace with England, the new Spanish commander Ambrosio Spinola pressed hard against the Dutch. Spinola, a general of abilities to match Maurice, was prevented from conquering the Netherlands only by Spain’s renewed bankruptcy in 1607. Faced with ruined finances, in 1609, the Twelve Years' Truce was signed between Spain and the United Provinces.




In 1618 Spain got involved into the european 30 years war, but by 1640, with the tensions generated by the war, Portugal and Catalunya rebelled. While the rebellion in Catalunya could be supressed, Portugal was lost to the Crown forever.


Political Goals:
The Habsburg political goals were several:

*Access to American (gold, silver, sugar) and Asian products (porcelain, spices, silk)
*Undermining the power of France and containing it in its eastern borders.
*Maintaining Catholic Habsburg hegemony in Germany, defending Catholicism against the Reformation
*Defending Europe against Islam, notably the Ottoman Empire.


To be updated