Philip II of Spain

Philip II
Portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola (1573)
King of Spain (more…)
Reign	16 January 1556 – 13 September 1598
Predecessor	Charles I
Successor	Philip III
King of Portugal (as Philip I)
Reign	12 September 1580 – 13 September 1598
Acclamation	16 April 1581, Tomar
Predecessor	António (disputed) or Henry
Successor	Philip III (as Philip II of Portugal)
King of England and Ireland (jure uxoris)
Reign	25 July 1554 – 17 November 1558
Predecessor	Mary I (as sole monarch)
Successor	Elizabeth I
Co-monarch	Mary I
More...
Born	21 May 1527 Palacio de Pimentel, Valladolid, Castile
Died	13 September 1598(1598-09-13) (aged 71) El Escorial, Castile
Spouse	Maria Manuela of Portugal (m 12 November 1543) Mary I of England (m 25 July 1554) Elisabeth of Valois (m 1559) Anna of Austria (m May 1570)
Issue	Carlos, Prince of Asturias Isabel Clara Eugenia, Lady of the Netherlands Catherine Michelle, Duchess of Savoy Ferdinand, Prince of Asturias Diego, Prince of Asturias Philip III, King of Spain
House	Habsburgs of Spain
Father	Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Isabella of Portugal
Burial	Patheon of Kings, El Escorial, Castile
Signature
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Philip II{{NoteTag|He was titled as Philip II (21 May 1527 – 13 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent (Template:Lang-es), was King of Spain{{NoteTag|Spain was a composite monarchy, and besides being the second Philip to rule Castile, he was the first to rule Aragon and the fourth to rule Navarre. from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He was also jure uxoris King of England and Ireland from his marriage to Queen Mary I in 1554 until her death in 1558. He was also Duke of Milan from 1540. From 1555, he was Lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands.

The son of Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, Philip inherited his father's Spanish Empire in 1556 and succeeded to the Portuguese throne in 1580 following a dynastic crisis. The Spanish conquests of the Inca Empire and of the Philippines, named in his honour by Ruy López de Villalobos, were completed during his reign. Under Philip II, Spain reached the height of its influence and power, sometimes called the Spanish Golden Age, and ruled territories in every continent then known to Europeans. Philip led a highly debt-leveraged regime, seeing state defaults in 1557, 1560, 1569, 1575, and 1596. This policy was partly the cause of the declaration of independence that created the Dutch Republic in 1581. Philip finished building the royal palace El Escorial in 1584.

Heraldry

Heraldry of Philip II of Spain

Common versions 1556–1558 (as Spanish monarch) 1558–1580 1580–1598 Spanish realms versions Kingdom of Navarre Kingdom of Galicia 1558–1580 1580–1598 1580–1598 1558–1580 1580–1598 Burgundian variants Free County of Burgundy 1556–1580 1580–1898 Italian Variants Duchy of Milan Kingdom of Sardinia Naples and Sicily 1554–1558 1558–1580 1580–1598 1580–1598 1554–1598 Ornamented versions Coat of arms at his investiture as Knight of the Order of the Garter (in 1554) Coat of arms (with the Eagle of St John as supporter) 1558–1580 / 1580–1598 Coat of arms as Spanish monarch and king jure uxoris of England (with symbols of the Crown of Castile and León and a cap of maintenance with the crest of England imperially crowned in the top) 1556–1558 Coat of arms with supporters, crest and motto (with symbols of the Crowns of Castile and León and Aragon in the top) 1558–1580 Coat of arms with supporters, crest and motto (with symbols of the Crowns of Aragon and Castile and León and of the Kingdom of Portugal in the top) 1580–1598 Coat of arms with supporters (a lion and a griffin) and crest (with symbols of the Crowns of Aragon and Castile and León and of the Kingdom of Portugal in the top) 1580–1598