The document summarizes both the positives and negatives of Philip II's inheritance when he became King of Spain in 1556. On the positive side, the government was functioning well and Philip appointed loyal family members. However, Philip disliked delegating and family appointees were not always best qualified. Separate assemblies in different Spanish states complicated governance. Financially, Spain benefited from New World bullion but had large debts. The Spanish Empire was vast but maintaining and defending it strained resources. Potential religious and economic issues also threatened Spain's stability.

1. 1556

2. Government
 New councils had been set up, such as the
Council of War, making admin more
efficient.
 The government was fully functioning, and
had experience.
 Charles had appointed family members to
positions in government – loyal.

3. Religion
 Spain was completely Catholic, and untainted
by Protestantism.
 Philip inherited the Inquisition, which helped
to maintain Catholic uniformity by finding and
destroying heresy.
 Censorship helped to restrict the Spanish
peoples’ access to dangerous Protestant
ideas.
 Philip made sure he had power over the Pope
in Spain. All papal laws had to have royal
approval before they were passed.
 Religious unity = order.

4. Economy and Finance
 The Spanish economy benefitted from
bullion – precious metals from the New
World.

5. Law and Order
 There had been little opposition to Charles
reign since the Comuneros Revolt (1520)
had been defeated.
 The Spanish people supported Philip as
the rightful heir, and were reconciled to
his rule.

6. Foreign Policy
 AlthoughPhilip inherited the Habsburg-
Valois war, the Spanish eventually won
and made gains at the Treaty of Cateau-
Cambresis in 1559.

7. Empire
Philip inherited what is now seen as one of

the largest and most powerful empires in
history.

8. 1556
Negatives of Philip
II’s Inheritance

9. Government
A conciliar system had worked well for

Charles – an absentee monarch – but did
not work so well for Philip as he did not
like to delegate.
 Family members had been appointed and
although they were loyal, they were not
necessarily the best people for the job.
This damaged the potential effectiveness
of government.
 Secretaries grew in power and status, and
they could become threatening to Philip.

10. Government (2)
Separate assemblies (e.g. Castile Cortes)

guarded rights and privileges that had existed
before the Iberian Peninsula was united. This
could make government difficult.
Philip had different powers in each state.

Consequently, consistency was almost
impossible to achieve. Philip met with
difficulty when it came to issues such as
taxation, for example.
Communication was extremely slow.

No fixed capital.


11. Religion
Isolated cells of heresy existed, especially

in rural areas, threatening Spain’s Catholic
uniformity.
 The growth of Protestantism was always a
threat.
 The Inquisition contributed largely to the
‘Black Legend’ view of Philip as a tyrant.
 Censorship was almost impossible to
enforce.

12. Economy and Finance
36 million ducats in debt, 68% of annual

revenue needed to pay off loans.
As early as 1532, revenue was less than

expenditure.
Charles had sold crown land and offices to

make immediate money, but these were now
exempt from tax, and so damaged Spain in
the long-term.
There was a lack of investment in new

farming and industrial techniques, making it
hard for Spain to raise money in the future.

13. Economy and Finance (2)
Trade was disrupted by war, and the

economy also suffered as war affected
population.
 The treasury was strained by almost 40
years of continuous warfare.
 Each area of Spain needed to be self-
supporting, with a little profit for the
Empire. However, only Castile and the
Netherlands did this in reality.

14. Law and Order
Relied heavily on Grandees and

Corregidores to enforce – they had self-
interests at heart.
 Philip was biased towards Castile, causing
resentment.

15. Foreign Policy
War with France, not going well on

Netherlands border.
 Ottoman Empire always a threat.
 Uneasy ceasefire with the Turks.

16. Empire
The Empire demanded costly and

extensive defence.
 Military forces were strained across the
Empire, leaving some areas vulnerable.
 The Empire threatened France, who were
surrounded by Spanish territory on all
sides. They aimed to destroy the Spanish
Empire.