The Spanish Polemic on Colonisation
Preface: 1492 and its effects on Ireland (2)
Spain in Europe
Spain in the 16th century was by no means as destructive on its own side of the Atlantic, but it disrupted Europe too. In the atmosphere created by Spanish power, the high-flying Popes became accident-prone. Certainly Spain can be blamed for the loss of England. In the 1520s the Pope clashed with the mighty Charles V, the Habsburg Emperor who happened also to be king of Spain, with the result that Rome was spectacularly sacked by a Spanish army. Afterwards, having mended his fences, the Pope was most anxious not to provoke Charles again. So instead he provoked King Henry VIII of England, Defender of the Faith, author of a (ghost-written) book against Luther which was recognized as impeccably Catholic, and who wanted nothing more than to continue being the excellent Catholic he then was. All King Henry asked from the Pope was an annulment of his marriage to the King of Spain’s relative, with a view to ensuring his royal succession. The Pope was unable to oblige him.
“The sheer size and potential wealth of the Habsburg empire after the conquests of Mexico in 1521 and Peru in 1533 suggested to many European observers that it could really only be a matter of time before Spain seized control of quite literally the whole world.” (5) When Philip II succeeded Charles V the monster was somewhat reduced, because the Habsburg Empire was detached again from the monarchy of Spain. However, to compensate for not being Habsburg emperor, Philip managed to make himself king of Portugal in 1580. This meant picking up territories in Africa, India and Brazil, to go with the Philippines which he had seized on his own account. He possessed, if anyone ever did, an empire on which the sun never set.
Philip took a keen interest in England. In 1554 he married Queen Mary, Henry VIII’s Catholic daughter who was restoring the old religion. For four years he became king of England and Ireland by right of his wife. Being content with the role, when Mary died he sought an extension by proposing marriage to her sister Elizabeth. Though this did not work out, for some time afterwards Philip remained friendly towards his sister-in-law (it was said that he feared the prospect of a French-English-Scottish union of crowns if the monarchy went to her Catholic rival Mary Queen of Scots). However, over time the improvising power in England came into conflict with Spanish interests. It was too much involved in supporting Dutch Protestant rebels and pirating Spanish ships bringing plunder from America. And then Philip simply decided to overthrow the English monarch and change the English state religion. After his first attempt failed, with the wreck of the Great Armada, others were planned and periodically expected. For example, there was a major Armada scare and mobilization in England in the summer of 1599. (6)