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The French Wars of Religion Conflict Between Catholics and HuguenotsThe Anti-Protestant Crusade of King Philip II Spain remained a strongly Catholic country and made a major contribution to the Catholic struggle against the Protestant Reformation. Domains of King Philip I1 In the late sixteenth century, Spain was ruled by King Philip II (r. 1556-1598), the son of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (r. 1519-1556), who had also been King Charles I of Spain (r. 1516- 1556). At this time, Spain was the world’s strongest military and naval power. Philip 11’s domains included not only Spain and the Spanish empire but also the Netherlands, the Free County of Burgundy (Franche Comte), the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean. In 1580, Philip I1 gained Portugal, thus securing control of the Portuguese empire. Philip I1 hoped to use Spanish power in support of the Catholic cause against both the Protestants and the Moslem Turks. He became involved in war on several fronts, in the Netherlands, against England, and against the Turks. The Dutch Revolt In the Netherlands, Philip confronted a serious revolt against Spanish rule. Many Netherlanders resented foreign rule, and the northern provinces had adopted Calvinism. In addition, there was a widespread feeling among the Netherlanders that their industry and trade were being taxed too highly by the Spanish. The revolt in the Netherlands thus involved an explosive mixture of nationalism, religion, and money. The Duke of Alva’s Reign of Terror In 1567, Philip sent the Duke of Alva (1508-1582) to the Netherlands with orders to suppress both the revolt against Spanish rule and Calvinism. The duke’s reign of terror lasted for six years, resulting in the execution of several thousand rebels. Despite Spanish repression, the revolt continued. Dutch Independence In 1579, Spanish rule was restored in the ten southern provinces (modem Belgium), which had remained Catholic. The seven northern provinces, which were predominantly Calvinist, formed the Union of Utrecht (1579) and continued the struggle against Spain. The Dutch of the northern provinces found an effective leader in William of Orange (1533-1584), known as William the Silent. In 1584, Spanish agents assassinated William the Silent, but the Dutch struggle for independence continued. Finally, in 1609, Spain agreed to a twelve-year truce. This represented a virtual Spanish acceptance of Dutch independence, which was formally recognized by the Peace of Westphalia of 1648.
The French Wars of Religion Conflict Between Catholics and Huguenots France remained a predominantly Catholic country. Of a total population of about 16 million, some 1.2 million embraced Calvinism. However, a larger proportion of the French nobility became Calvinists, at least temporarily. Conflict between Catholics and Calvinists, known as Huguenots, led to more than three decades of civil war. This conflict involved both religious and political issues, since some elements of the French nobility supported the Huguenot cause as a part of their struggle against the power of the monarchy. Date: 2016-04-22; view: 1260
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