I.
Politics,
religion, and war
A.
In
the 16th & 17th centuries, religion and politics were
intertwined à
there was one king and one church
B.
A
new kind of war emerged (with big armies, gunpowder, cannons, propaganda).
II.
France’s
troubles
A.
Recovery
after Great Plague & Hundred Years War continued – the peasants benefited
due to labor shortage, trade increased as well. But…
B.
Francis
I
1.
Brought
in a tax for the army but needed more money. So…
2.
…(1)he sold public offices, &
(2)cut a deal with pope, the Concordat
of Bologna (supremacy of pope in exchange for the right of France to
appoint clergy).
1.
This
essentially made Catholicism official in France.
3.
Lutheranism,
and especially Calvinism, spread due to an aloof clergy. These French
Protestants were called Huguenots.
C.
Henry
II had weak sons/leaders…disorder follows.
D.
The
nobility seized the moment to combat one another and Catholic royal lords go up
against Protestant anti-royal lords.
E.
Upper
classes – this was a power struggle; lower class – this was a religious
struggle
F.
Huguenots
and St. Bartholomew Day massacre…initial
goal was marriage and reconciliation of Catholics/Protestants, but the result
was the War of the Three Henrys
G.
Politiques – believed only a
strong monarchy could restore peace.
H.
Henry
IV becomes Catholic, issued the Edict of
Nantes which granted Huguenots freedom to worship, and thus calms
France.
III.
Netherlands
A.
It
consisted of 17 independent provinces. The economy was based on international
trade. The geography was such that they were the Low Countries and blessed with
rivers.
B.
Luther/Calvin
influence spreads into the northern provinces, but not
so much in the southern areas nearer to France.
C.
This
was the scene when Charles V steps down and hands Netherlands to Philip (who is
Spanish).
D.
Philip’s
half sister Margaret vows to stop Protestants in Netherlands. But, she raised
taxes very high which angered folks and mixed dislike of tax with her
repression of Protestantism. In other words, she fired up the radicals.
E.
The
poor start a rampage of “idols” by Protestants. Fancy churches were viewed as
idolatry.
F.
Philip
sent 20,000 troops who rendered justice in the “Council of Blood” where 1,500
were executed.
G.
Ten
years of war ensued. Alexander Farnese (Philip’s
nephew) fought William of Orange
who’d united the provinces. Farnese reclaims the southern half of the country.
H.
Northern
(Protestant) and Southern Netherlands (Catholic) result (see map)
I.
The
North asks Elizabeth for help, she agrees b/c (1) wool trade, (2) murder of
William the Silent (Wm. of Orange) removed the check of Farnese, (3) possible
sweep into Northern Netherlands and even England (?)
IV.
Spanish
Armada
A.
Philip
II’s “mad crib” – The Escorial, part
home, cathedral, mausoleum
B.
“British Problem” – Mary Queen of Scots
(Cath.) secretly planned to assassinate her cousin Elizabeth (Prot.). Philip
offered his backing. Mary was found out & beheaded. The Pope offered to pay
for a Spanish invasion of England to settle the British problem.
C.
Spanish Armada à Spain attacks but
is defeated by England in 1588. This is a major turning point in history.