Part 22 (2/2)

1600.

Tokugawa unites j.a.pan, declares himself Shogun.

1607.

Jamestown, Virginia, settlement founded by English colonists.

16181648 Thirty Years' War takes place.

1620.

Salem, Ma.s.sachusetts, settlement founded by English colonists.

1633.

Galileo is forced to recant his heliocentric theory.

16421648 English Civil War takes place.

1643.

Louis XIV becomes king of France.

1644.

Ming Dynasty overthrown by Manchu invaders; Qing Dynasty established.

1649.

King Charles I executed by English Parliament.

1664.

Britain seizes New Amsterdam from the Dutch, renames it New York.

1676.

Nathaniel Bacon leads a failed rebellion in Virginia.

1687.

Isaac Newton publishes theory of gravity.

1689.

Peter the Great becomes czar of Russia.

17021713 War of the Spanish Succession takes place.

UNA ARMADA VENCIBLE.

One thing about the Spanish Armada: it was big, but probably not as big as most people imagine. The Armada contained 355 s.h.i.+ps: 20 galleons and 44 merchantmen armed with cannons, eight galleys, and a large number of unarmed transports. It carried about 2,500 guns, 30,000 soldiers, and 14,000 support staff, including 19 justices and 50 administrators selected to govern England for King Philip II. One hundred and forty-six young Catholic n.o.blemen from all over Europe also signed up for this fun excursion, with 728 servants to keep them fighting in comfort.In 1588, King Philip II of Spain sent the bada.s.s Armada Invencible Armada Invencible against England. But what was Philip's problem with our girl Queen Elizabeth? He had a couple, actually. For one thing, Elizabeth had turned down his marriage proposals-for good reason. Philip had been married to Elizabeth's sister, and after the death in 1558 of the lovely Queen ”b.l.o.o.d.y” Mary, Elizabeth came under a huge amount of pressure from her (male) advisors to marry someone-anyone, even Philip-thus placing a man on the throne of England. But Elizabeth preferred to rule herself, keeping England outside the Catholic Church and wielding enormous power as t.i.tular head of the Anglican Church. The last straw for Philip was Elizabeth's support of rebellious Protestants in one of Philip's prized possessions-the wealthy Netherlands. against England. But what was Philip's problem with our girl Queen Elizabeth? He had a couple, actually. For one thing, Elizabeth had turned down his marriage proposals-for good reason. Philip had been married to Elizabeth's sister, and after the death in 1558 of the lovely Queen ”b.l.o.o.d.y” Mary, Elizabeth came under a huge amount of pressure from her (male) advisors to marry someone-anyone, even Philip-thus placing a man on the throne of England. But Elizabeth preferred to rule herself, keeping England outside the Catholic Church and wielding enormous power as t.i.tular head of the Anglican Church. The last straw for Philip was Elizabeth's support of rebellious Protestants in one of Philip's prized possessions-the wealthy Netherlands.But Philip's grand plan didn't survive the weather. He foolishly ordered the Armada to sail into a North Sea gale, explaining, ”Since it is all for His cause, G.o.d will send good weather.” Not so much. The Spanish broke formation and the disorganized (and suddenly vencible vencible) Armada was blown by strong winds into the North Sea. The slow, clunky Spanish galleons now had to ride the currents wherever they went. This turned out to be Ireland, where the Spanish soon discovered that the Irish Catholics were not much friendlier than the English Protestants. Hundreds of s.h.i.+pwrecked Spanish sailors were killed by Irish natives, who kept everything that washed ash.o.r.e.

SPINNING THE GLOBE.

England:

When Puritans Attack

Fifty years after defeating the Spanish Armada, England was wracked by internal religious conflict. The problem? The religious reforms of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth didn't go nearly far enough for the various Protestant sects, especially the radical wing of the Protestant movement-the Puritans. The Puritans believed that the Anglican Church was just a slightly revamped version of the old Catholic hierarchy and wanted to truly ”purify” it (hence their name).

Religion wasn't the only cause of conflict: the monarchy's finances were also a problem. When Charles I called Parliament to approve taxes for a war against Scotland in 1640, the delegates wanted to discuss the king's spending habits. Charles wasn't interested in a financial intervention and dismissed Parliament immediately (thus its historical name, the ”Short Parliament”). In 1642, however, having run out of money again, he was forced to reconvene Parliament, and this time it was even less friendly (the ”Long Parliament”).

Charles and the Long Parliament weren't able to hammer out a compromise-so he tried to break the deadlock by arresting five leading members of Parliament. Parliament was understandably not thrilled by these bullying tactics. The result: civil war.

In the English Civil War, Parliament controlled London, the rich south, and the ports-bad news for Charles. In 1644, under Oliver Cromwell, the forces of Parliament triumphed over Charles' Royalists. After Cromwell's ”New Model Army” defeated the Royalists again in 1645, Charles was captured-though he escaped and tried to make a deal with the Scots (yes, the same Scots he had just tried to conquer).

Plotting with ”foreigners” against his own people turned out to be another bad idea. After they recaptured him in 1648, Parliament tried Charles for treason and executed him. Now Oliver Cromwell became the dominant force in English politics-turning himself into an iron-fisted ”Lord Protector” who crushed dissent as ruthlessly as any king.

Cromwell was actually quite different from the radical Puritans who'd helped him gain power. He managed to contain the Puritans and steer England on a moderate religious path. But his role in the trial and execution of King Charles I made him a controversial figure until his death in 1658. Fundamentally conservative, most English were still more comfortable with a king than a ”Lord Protector” whose only claim to power was armed force.

So when Cromwell died, Parliament bowed to popular opinion by placing on the throne the son of Charles I-the aptly named Charles II. Charles II turned out to be a bit of a loser, but that wasn't really the point; what was important was English monarchy was back for good (albeit with much less power).

North America:

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