Philip II

Philip of Spain is known in England primarily as the husband of Mary I, the adversary of Elizabeth I. The Spanish Armada hangs about his neck like an albatross. Yet Philip's life encompasses most of the major struggles and issues of the sixteenth century, as he battled to control the vast Empires acquired by his father, alongside his crippling debts. A complex and private man, Philip dealt with personal tragedy whilst fighting fires across Europe and presiding over a golden era of art and literature. As the 500th anniversary of Philip's birth approaches, it's time for a fresh look at the man, the myth and the marriages.