But even more important was their conviction that the ruler of the Spanish monarchy should act, first and foremost, as 'the king of Spain' and not as a lieutenant of the Roman pope. In fact, despite his public display of support for his father's programs, Philip III's own feelings were closer to the policies put forth by those who criticized Philip II's 'grand strategy.' Both Philip III and Lerma believed that the Spanish crown's highest priority should be conservation rather than expansion.

Philip III and his principal minister, the duke of Lerma, were well aware of the support among the ruling elites for competing views regarding the proper Spanish role in international politics. Most importantly, he consented to a 12-year truce with the Dutch Republic ( 1609-21), a polity that was formed after provincial elites successfully rebelled against Philip II's authority.Īlthough, as Allen claims, the tactical need to give the Spanish crown a military respite so that it could recover its former strength contributed to this pacifist strategy, the motives were more complex. He upheld the peace with France, a peace that lasted until the 1630s he reached a peace agreement with England immediately following Queen Elizabeth's death in 1603 and he refused to organize new armadas against England or to help the Irish rebels. The author also demonstrates that Philip III advanced actions that in many ways challenged his father's agenda.

In each case, Allen documents important continuities between Philip III's policies and those of his father, Philip II. Although Allen touches upon most aspects of Spain's European agenda he is particularly interested in Philip III's policies towards three of Spain's traditional enemies, namely, England, France, and the Dutch Republic. Paul Allen's book is a meticulous reconstruction of the policies and actions taken by the Spanish monarchy during the reign of Philip III regarding struggles for power in Europe. Philip III and the Pax Hispanica, 1598-1621: The Failure of Grand Strategy. Book Review Philip III and the Pax Hispanica, 1598-1621: Hispanic American Historical Review 81.2 (2001) 361-362 In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Grand strategy of philip ii