Philip II of Spain was born on 21 May 1527 in Palacio de Pimentel. King of Spain from 1556 until his death, Philip II ruled the most powerful empire of his age, including the Netherlands, much of Italy and the Spanish possessions in the Americas and the Philippines, and he added Portugal to his crown in 1580. A devout Catholic, he saw himself as the defender of the faith against Protestantism and the Ottomans, and his forces won the naval Battle of Lepanto. His reign also saw the Dutch Revolt, the failed Spanish Armada against England in 1588, and several state bankruptcies. He built the monastery-palace of El Escorial. He was briefly king of England through his marriage to Mary I.
Before and after
- from 1526 to 1791Ottoman–Habsburg Wars
- from 29 August 1526 to 12 November 1918Habsburg monarchy
- from 11 November 1526 to 16 August 1570Eastern Hungarian Kingdom
- 1527Origins of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
- 21 May 1527Birth of Philip II of Spain
- 21 June 1527Death of Niccolò Machiavelli
- 22 June 1527Founding of Jakarta
- 6 April 1528Death of Albrecht Dürer
- 22 April 1529Treaty of Zaragoza
More in Wars, politics & history
- 13 April 1598Edict of Nantes
- from 1642 to 1651English Civil War
- 24 October 1648Peace of Westphalia
- from 22 February 1700 to 10 September 1721Great Northern War
- from March 1701 to September 1714War of the Spanish Succession
- from 17 May 1756 to 15 February 1763Seven Years' War
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.