Scope and Contents

Handwritten letter on velum addressed to Philip II of Spain. The item explains that king Sebastian of Portugal left no heirs and therefore Philip II, Sebastian's uncle, would be the appropriate choice as a successor to the throne of Portugal. Philip II includes an addendum on the item explaining that the pope is actually serving his own needs by desiring to put a Catholic king on the throne of Portugal.

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Handwritten letter on velum written in Latin from the court of justice in Spain. The item is addressed to Philip II and requests his signature of approval for the execution of two men condemned for conspiring against the king and the Church. The names of the men are Francisco de Cordoba and Leonardo Sorbieca.

Scope and Contents

Handwritten and signed letters. The items relate to the diplomatic activies of Spain. Most of the material is in some kind of diplomatic code to assure that the letters would not be understood if they fell into the wrong hands. In the appendix (pp. 231-239) of his "Diplomacy and Dogmatism: Bernardino de Mendoza and the French Cahtolic League" De Lamar Jensen presents an explanation of how the code may be read.

Scope and Contents

Handwritten letter on parchment addressed to Philip II of Spain from the captain of the royal army. The item is a report on the war in the Netherlands. The author suggests that the Netherlands should not be kept so isolated since they could be an easy target for Spain's enemies. It is also suggested that the Church should be informed that some of its priests are assisting the rebellion.

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Handwritten letter addressed to the people of the kingdom of Spain in support of Henry IV of France. The item explains a law requiring more taxes from the people for supplies.

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Handwritten letter addressed to the captain of the Royal Army of Spain. The item contains orders for the defense of the borders from a possible invasion by the French.

Scope and Contents

Handwritten letter on velum written in Latin and addressed to the captain of the royal army. The item gives orders to tighten the security of Philip's palace at El Escorial.

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Handwritten letter on velum written in Latin and addressed to members of Philip's family. The item is an announcement that Philip and his third wife, Elisabeth, have had their first child. The child is a girl named Isabel Clara Eugenia. The couple announce their plans to have a large family in order to bless Spain with their descendents who will continue to lead the country in righteousness under the power of God.

Scope and Contents 36 letters and documents, all in Spanish. They are mainly in clerical italic scripts, and all have the King's signature (29 are autographed and 7 have the stamped royal signature) with countersignatures by the royal secretaries. All items were sent to Alonso de Vargas (d. 1595), one of the most trusted and able of Philip's commanders. These documents relate to the offensive against the Netherlands revolt during 1574-76, Philip's meticulous preparations to assume the crown of...

Scope and Contents Contains 176 handwritten letters (379 leaves and in Spanish) relating to Spain's struggle with her English, French, and Dutch enemies on the seas of western Europe. They especially deal with how to conduct the naval war against Spain's enemies after the defeat of the Armada. The items cover the period of Philip's reign from 1591 to the King's death in September of 1598. Most of the material is addressed to Diego de Orellana de Chaves, the royal governor of Spain's northern coast....