Synopses & Reviews
Review
"The 400th anniversary of the death of Spain's Philip II (1527—1598) brought forth two major biographies of this enigmatic and frequently misunderstood figure (Henry Kamen's Philip of Spain was released in 1997). To various historians, he was a religious fanatic who holed up in the imposing Escorial, a buffoon who lost his Armada to the British in 1588, a rabid persecutor of the Protestants, or the able ruler of the greatest empire on earth. Parker focuses on the political strategies which Philip used to build and maintain his empire, drawing on documents dealing with military hardware, diplomatic maneuvers, international politics, the domestic economy, and world geography. The authoritarian Philip had a Grand Strategy for his country, but it was, like him, deeply flawed and doomed to failure." Reviewed by Daniel Weiss, Virginia Quarterly Review (Copyright 2006 Virginia Quarterly Review)
Synopsis
Pointing to modern parallels between the problems of governance of Philip II of Spain (who ruled from 1556 to 1598) and those facing modern leaders, this powerfully argued book provides a fascinating commentary on the decision-making process as practiced by great powers. 45 illustrations.