The fight against the Monarchia Universalis of Philip II: The modification of the Holy See’s policy in Flanders and France regarding the Spanish monarchy at the end of the 16th century

Abstract

The process of Confessionalization that was followed by Philip II was limited to the control of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction in his kingdoms and the justification of his politics for religious motives. All this forced the papacy to follow the political and religious interests of the Spanish Monarchy during the second half of the 16^th century, albeit against its will. The situation changed with the election of Clement VIII as pope, through his support of the discalced reform and his control over bishops and dioceses. From a political point of view, the Pope took advantage of the chaotic situation in France to gain independence from the Spanish Monarchy. Philip II´s demands that his Holiness allow France to reach a religious schism were not backed by the Pope. In granting absolution to Henry of Bourbon, Clement VIII took the definitive step towards freeing Rome from the pressures of Spain, thus keeping it from achieving the Monarchia Universalis. In this article, I am arguing that the Holy See notably increased its diplomatic presence in the Netherlands during those years, creating the Nunciature of Flanders in 1594 in order to influence the decision-making of the Spanish ministers in the north of Europe. I intend to prove this hypothesis through the study of the correspondence generated by the different diplomats sent by the pope and by Philip II´s ministers in northern Europe, mainly kept in the Archivio Segreto Vaticano, as well as in the Spanish archives of Simancas, Zabálburu and the Instituto Valencia de Don Juan.