Imprudent King A New Life of Philip II

Philip II is not only the most famous king in Spanish history, but one of the most famous monarchs in English history: the man who married Mary Tudor and later launched the Spanish Armada against her sister Elizabeth I. This compelling biography of the most powerful European monarch of his day begins with his conception (1526) and ends with his ascent to Paradise (1603), two occurrences surprisingly well documented by contemporaries. Eminent historian Geoffrey Parker draws on four decades of research on Philip as well as a recent, extraordinary archival discoveryand#151;a trove of 3,000 documents in the vaults of the Hispanic Society of America in New York City, unread since crossing Philipand#8217;s own desk more than four centuries ago. Many of them change significantly what we know about the king.

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The book examines Philipand#8217;s long apprenticeship; his three principal interests (work, play, and religion); and the major political, military, and personal challenges he faced during his long reign. Parker offers fresh insights into the causes of Philipand#8217;s leadership failures: was his empire simply too big to manage, or would a monarch with different talents and temperament have fared better?

and#8220;Parkerand#8217;s highly detailed but also immensely readable book has come far closer to that than any previous account of the most enigmatic of Spanish kings.and#8221;and#8212;Anthony Pagden, New York Times Book Review on The Grand Strategy of Philip II

and#39;There is no Anglophone historian who knows more about Philip II than Geoffrey Parker. In this soaring biography, which draws on a cache of recently discovered documents as well as the enormous back catalogue of archival deposits, he paints a compelling, even-handed portrait of the most powerful man in 16th-century Europe. Parker informs us that Philipandrsquo;s handwriting is hard to read. It is no easier to decipher his legacy. It seems that he didnandrsquo;t kill his son Don Carlos (whatever the Verdi opera tries to tell you) but he was not averse to removing other obstacles. He continues to fascinate andndash;- if you are in the market for a nuanced study bolstered by a lifetime of study, Parker is your man and this is, for me, the historical biography of the year.and#39;andmdash;Jonathan Wright, The Herald (Scotland)

andquot;[T]he worldandrsquo;s outstanding historian of Philip II, his court, his problems and tragedies. . . Imprudent King is readable and broad-minded, as well as being scholarly. . . Parker has given us a really magnificent biography, whose documentation is impeccable while never heavy.andquot;andmdash;Hugh Thomas, The Spectator

and#39;He is at pains to know Philip through the testimony of his friends, foes, courtiers and his own words and this authoritative, intelligently revisionist biography must stand now as the primary reference.and#39;andmdash;Iain Finlayson, The Times

andlsquo;andhellip;Parker has managed to navigate the archival whirlpools with remarkable flair. His admiration for his subject is evident on almost every page, yet the book is no whitewash. We are constantly made aware of the possibility that Philip might be deceiving usandhellip;andrsquo;andmdash;Fernando Cervantes, TLS.

andquot;This is no mere updating of Parkerand#39;s previous work on Philip, though. It is the consummate biography of the king, the mature reflection of a master historian at the height of his craft writing about the subject he knows best.andquot;andmdash;MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History

A vast archive of documents, unread since the sixteenth century, revises the portrait of Spainand#8217;s best-known king

A vast archive of documents, unread since the sixteenth century, revises the portrait of Spain's best-known king
Philip II is not only the most famous king in Spanish history, but one of the most famous monarchs in English history: the man who married Mary Tudor and later launched the Spanish Armada against her sister Elizabeth I. This compelling biography of the most powerful European monarch of his day begins with his conception (1526) and ends with his ascent to Paradise (1603), two occurrences surprisingly well documented by contemporaries. Eminent historian Geoffrey Parker draws on four decades of research on Philip as well as a recent, extraordinary archival discovery--a trove of 3,000 documents in the vaults of the Hispanic Society of America in New York City, unread since crossing Philip's own desk more than four centuries ago. Many of them change significantly what we know about the king.
The book examines Philip's long apprenticeship; his three principal interests (work, play, and religion); and the major political, military, and personal challenges he faced during his long reign. Parker offers fresh insights into the causes of Philip's leadership failures: was his empire simply too big to manage, or would a monarch with different talents and temperament have fared better?

A vast archive of documents, unread since the sixteenth century, revises the portrait of Philip II, Spain's best-known king

"A superbly informed narrative of Philip II's long career as Europe's most powerful king."--Henry Kamen, Little Reviews

"This authoritative, intelligently revisionist biography must stand now as the primary reference."--Iain Finlayson, The Times

Philip II (1527-1598) is not only the most famous king in Spanish history, but one of the most famous monarchs in English history: the man who married Mary Tudor and later launched the Spanish Armada against her sister Elizabeth I. This compelling biography of the most powerful European monarch of his day begins with his conception (1526) and ends with his ascent to Paradise (1603), two occurrences surprisingly well documented by contemporaries. Eminent historian Geoffrey Parker draws on four decades of research on Philip as well as a recent, extraordinary archival discovery--a trove of 3,000 documents in the vaults of the Hispanic Society of America in New York City, unread since crossing Philip's own desk more than four centuries ago. Many of them change significantly what we know about the king.

The book examines Philip's long apprenticeship; his three principal interests (work, play, and religion); and the major political, military, and personal challenges he faced during his long reign. Parker offers fresh insights into the causes of Philip's leadership failures: was his empire simply too big to manage, or would a monarch with different talents and temperament have fared better?

Geoffrey Parker is Distinguished University Professor, Andreas Dorpalen Professor of European History, and associate of the Mershon Center, Ohio State University.