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The Count-Duke of Olivares: The Statesman in an Age of Decline
Don Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587-1645), was the principal minister and favourite of Philip IV of Spain, and for two decades he guided the destinies of the country that was still the greatest power in the world. A dominant figure in the Europe of the Thirty Years' War, he struggled to maintain Spanish hegemony at a time when the traditional foundations of Spain's power were being eroded, and Spain itself was increasingly being perceived as a great power in decline. The story of his political career, and of his efforts to check the process of decline by an ambitious programme of domestic reform, becomes an epic of titanic and ultimately unsuccessful struggle, culminating in personal tragedy and national disaster. The Count-Duke met his match in his great French rival, Cardinal Richelieu, and France replaced Spain as the leading European power.
For all the Count-Duke's enormous historical importance, no attempt has previously been made to study in detail his political aspirations and his career as a statesman. The sheer scale of the enterprise, along with major problems of documentation, has deterred historians from embarking on the study of a man whose policies touched the lives of millions in Europe and the Americas over a period of more than twenty years. This work therefore fills a gaping void in modern European and Spanish history.
In this comprehensive political biography Olivares's domestic and foreign policies are skilfully woven together into a sustained narrative on the grand scale. Based overwhelmingly on primary and often unknown sources, this is a study of Spain and Europe in the 1620s and 1630s, but it is also the study of a man. Through it all, the author never loses sight of Olivares himself, a massive figure of fluctuating moods and emotions, once described by Braudel as a cortege of personalities requiring a cortege of explanations. This elegantly written book will be seen as a landmark in the study of a man and an age; indispensable to specialists and students, but of interest also to the general reading public.
For all the Count-Duke's enormous historical importance, no attempt has previously been made to study in detail his political aspirations and his career as a statesman. The sheer scale of the enterprise, along with major problems of documentation, has deterred historians from embarking on the study of a man whose policies touched the lives of millions in Europe and the Americas over a period of more than twenty years. This work therefore fills a gaping void in modern European and Spanish history.
In this comprehensive political biography Olivares's domestic and foreign policies are skilfully woven together into a sustained narrative on the grand scale. Based overwhelmingly on primary and often unknown sources, this is a study of Spain and Europe in the 1620s and 1630s, but it is also the study of a man. Through it all, the author never loses sight of Olivares himself, a massive figure of fluctuating moods and emotions, once described by Braudel as a cortege of personalities requiring a cortege of explanations. This elegantly written book will be seen as a landmark in the study of a man and an age; indispensable to specialists and students, but of interest also to the general reading public.
733 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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About the author
J.H. Elliott
60 books82 followersSir John Huxtable Elliott, FBA, was an English historian, Regius Professor Emeritus at the University of Oxford and Honorary Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge. He published under the name J.H. Elliott.
Elliott was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was an assistant lecturer at Cambridge University from 1957 to 1962 and Lecturer in History from 1962 until 1967, and was subsequently Professor of History at King's College, London between 1968 and 1973. In 1972 he was elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy. Elliott was Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey from 1973 to 1990, and was Regius Professor of Modern History, Oxford between 1990 and 1997.
He held honorary doctorates from the Autonomous University of Madrid (1983), the universities Genoa (1992), Portsmouth (1993), Barcelona (1994), Warwick (1995), Brown University (1996), Valencia (1998), Lleida (1999), Complutense University of Madrid (2003), College of William & Mary (2005), London (2007), Charles III University of Madrid (2008), Seville (2011), Alcalá (2012), and Cambridge (2013). Elliott is a Fellow of the Rothermere American Institute, University of Oxford, of whose Founding Council he was also a member.
Elliott was knighted in the 1994 New Year Honours for services to history and was decorated with Commander of Isabella the Catholic in 1987, the Grand Cross of Alfonso the Wise in 1988, the Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic in 1996, and the Creu de Sant Jordi in 1999. An eminent Hispanist, he was given the Prince of Asturias Prize in 1996 for his contributions to the Social sciences. For his outstanding contributions to the history of Spain and the Spanish Empire in the early modern period, Elliott was awarded the Balzan Prize for History, 1500–1800, in 1999.
His studies of the Iberian Peninsula and the Spanish Empire helped the understanding of the problems confronting 16th- and 17th-century Spain, and the attempts of its leaders to avert its decline. He is considered, together with Raymond Carr and Angus Mackay, a major figure in developing Spanish historiography.
Elliott was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was an assistant lecturer at Cambridge University from 1957 to 1962 and Lecturer in History from 1962 until 1967, and was subsequently Professor of History at King's College, London between 1968 and 1973. In 1972 he was elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy. Elliott was Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey from 1973 to 1990, and was Regius Professor of Modern History, Oxford between 1990 and 1997.
He held honorary doctorates from the Autonomous University of Madrid (1983), the universities Genoa (1992), Portsmouth (1993), Barcelona (1994), Warwick (1995), Brown University (1996), Valencia (1998), Lleida (1999), Complutense University of Madrid (2003), College of William & Mary (2005), London (2007), Charles III University of Madrid (2008), Seville (2011), Alcalá (2012), and Cambridge (2013). Elliott is a Fellow of the Rothermere American Institute, University of Oxford, of whose Founding Council he was also a member.
Elliott was knighted in the 1994 New Year Honours for services to history and was decorated with Commander of Isabella the Catholic in 1987, the Grand Cross of Alfonso the Wise in 1988, the Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic in 1996, and the Creu de Sant Jordi in 1999. An eminent Hispanist, he was given the Prince of Asturias Prize in 1996 for his contributions to the Social sciences. For his outstanding contributions to the history of Spain and the Spanish Empire in the early modern period, Elliott was awarded the Balzan Prize for History, 1500–1800, in 1999.
His studies of the Iberian Peninsula and the Spanish Empire helped the understanding of the problems confronting 16th- and 17th-century Spain, and the attempts of its leaders to avert its decline. He is considered, together with Raymond Carr and Angus Mackay, a major figure in developing Spanish historiography.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 27, 2017
In many respects J. H. Elliott's biography of Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares represents the capstone of his long and distinguished career as an historian of early modern Spain. After spending decades painstakingly researching and accumulating the surviving sources, he produced what is the most comprehensive and insightful study of the man who was the chief minister and "favorite" of the Spanish king Philip IV. It is a magnificent work, one that is not only a political biography of Olivares but an account of a mighty empire grappling with decline.
These two subjects are inextricably intertwined in this book because, as Elliott demonstrates, Spain's mounting burdens dominated Olivares's years in power. The problem was what the historian Paul M. Kennedy subsequently termed "imperial overstretch," as by the time Olivares became chief minister, Spain faced the dual tasks of both maintaining its position in the world and reforming the systems of government and finance to make them work more effectively. Yet these goals often were irreconcilable, as to get the finances he needed in the short term to maintain Spanish prestige and power Olivares was forced to abandon the long-term fiscal and governing reforms Spain needed. This left Olivares dealing with crisis after crisis, as Spain's growing problems abroad strained its economic and military resources to their breaking point. In the end for all his strenuous efforts Olivares could not halt what was a terminal decline, and was ultimately forced from office with his grand designs unfulfilled.
Elliott's biography is a fascinating study of an important figure in Spanish history and the problems he faced while in office. Through them he reveals the dynamics of an empire in slow decline and the ultimately futile efforts by its leaders to maintain its power. it is an impressive achievement, and one that will stand deservedly as an indispensable study of Olivares and the history of early modern Spain for decades to come.
These two subjects are inextricably intertwined in this book because, as Elliott demonstrates, Spain's mounting burdens dominated Olivares's years in power. The problem was what the historian Paul M. Kennedy subsequently termed "imperial overstretch," as by the time Olivares became chief minister, Spain faced the dual tasks of both maintaining its position in the world and reforming the systems of government and finance to make them work more effectively. Yet these goals often were irreconcilable, as to get the finances he needed in the short term to maintain Spanish prestige and power Olivares was forced to abandon the long-term fiscal and governing reforms Spain needed. This left Olivares dealing with crisis after crisis, as Spain's growing problems abroad strained its economic and military resources to their breaking point. In the end for all his strenuous efforts Olivares could not halt what was a terminal decline, and was ultimately forced from office with his grand designs unfulfilled.
Elliott's biography is a fascinating study of an important figure in Spanish history and the problems he faced while in office. Through them he reveals the dynamics of an empire in slow decline and the ultimately futile efforts by its leaders to maintain its power. it is an impressive achievement, and one that will stand deservedly as an indispensable study of Olivares and the history of early modern Spain for decades to come.
February 10, 2014
Duele pensar lo extendido que está por el cuerpo de los hispanos el feo rasgo de servilismo, que hasta en un personaje todopoderoso en su tiempo como Olivares, el factotum de Felipe IV, se hacía tan evidente. Elliott lo define como “extraña mezcla de autodegradación servil y satisfacción de sí mismo”. Su excelencia el conde-duque llegó a besar el orinal de su majestad en demostración inapelable de sumisión. El libro es un enorme tapiz que describe pormenorizadamente el estado de la monarquía durante el reinado de Felipe IV. Un pueblo castellano que trabajaba por la monarquía, unos hidalgos y nobles que robaban por la monarquía, no se hacía nada si no era por la monarquía... ¿Y los catalanes? Bueno, sustitúyase la palabra monarquía por la frase 'privilegios de la nobleza catalana' y todo sigue siendo lo mismo a efectos del campesino o contribuyente, términos sinónimos. En un caso es una Corte, la de Madrid, en el otro es una oligarquía privilegiada a través de sus constituciones, Barcelona. Olivares, tarde, intentó saltarse a la torera esas constituciones, pero los nobles catalanes -siempre de la mano del clero celoso, ambos tenían muchos privilegios que perder- estaban prestos a enardecer al pueblo hambriento contra los cabezas de turco de turno, es decir, de Madrid. No había ya judíos a quienes culpar en esta ocasión. ¿Y los portugueses? Tres cuartos de lo mismo. ¿Y los vascos? Lo miiiismo. Todo se reduce a los privilegios de los nobles que han dado en llamar fueros, el pueblo no pintaba nada, salvo a la hora de pagar a unos u otros (en esto seguimos igual). Las riquezas que en España se pudieran obtener estaban bien, tanto para los nobles catalanes y aragoneses como para los catellanos; ahora, las cargas nadie las quería. Solo a Castilla le tocaba soportarlas.
Se queda uno boquiabierto viendo, leyendo, la cantidad de millones de ducados que año tras año se gastaba la Corona en guerras y proyectos imperiales, en gastos suntuosos, y no se sabe lo que se ha robado, porque la corrupción era omnipresente pero no hay contabilidad de ella. Y sin embargo, aun así, descontada la corrupción de las masas de funcionarios de la administración, sueldos y prebendas sin fin, descontado todo, es increíble que llegaran tantos dineros a los cofres de la Corona. ¡Y que no se hayan gastado un céntimo en tantos años en mejorar los caminos, los transportes! Por poner un ejemplo. Nada. No se hizo nada más que tirar el dinero, el mucho dinero que apoquinó América, los mercaderes sevillanos, y la masa campesina castellana (y eso incluye a los gallegos). Leer este libro es ser testigo de la decrepitud de este mastodonte español, necesitado del dinero tanto como un drogadicto de la heroína para mantener su inmensa y estéril burocracia nobiliaria.
Hay muchas pequeñas joyas de interés histórico para el lector, llenas de ironía, como la de ver a los gobernantes llamar a los extranjero de Flandes para instalar la industria de cañones de guerra en un remoto pueblo del Cantábrico, a falta de emprendedores en España; la de ver cómo se acudía a los judíos portugueses para sustituir a los asentistas genoveses, a pesar de ser “herejes” y “enemigos de la verdadera religión católica”. Hay muchos acontecimientos reveladores en esta historia, y el autor -sin ser exactamente un gran divulgador- sí los recoge y apunta la ironía de cada caso de forma sencilla, sin adornos pedantes.
Finalmente, hay que lamentar que en 1640 no hubiera España aprovechado la traición catalana, cuando ésta se alió con Francia contra España, para deshacerse en buenahora de Cataluña, tierra de chantajistas y peseteros a quienes España ha tenido que conceder siempre privilegios -como a los vascos- para que no se ofendiera su orgullo (es decir, su bolsillo), a costa de que fueran ellos, y no las demás regiones, los que vieran florecer la industria en su tierra, la burguesía, el progreso en fin. Su riqueza, no lo olvidemos, ha sido nuestra pobreza, pues ha sido a nuestra costa. Los privilegios los han disfrutado ellos, inveterados traidores y chantajistas, vascos y catalanes, no nosotros. Tal como se ha atrevido a decir ya alguno certeramente, el error fue el no haber dejado irse a Cataluña, y habernos -si acaso- quedado con Portugal, pero: “los miembros de la llamada Junta Grande, el organismo que al parecer asumió todas las responsabilidades de los asuntos de Cataluña y Portugal, acordaron … el orden de prioridades, y que Cataluña debía ir por delante de lo de Portugal.” ¡Cómo podría haber cambiado la situación de España desde aquel maldito año. ¡Cuánto mejor no estaríamos hoy los gallegos, canarios, andaluces, castellanos... todos, sin ellos!. Y seguimos sin aprender que las meretrices no necesitan amor, solo quieren dinero. Me temo que no nos dejarán nunca, que son como la juventud de hoy: no se quieren emancipar de los papis que les lavan la ropa y que siempre están ahí, “por si les hace falta dinero”.
El libro es fácil de leer, quizás un tanto prolijo (seamos sinceros: de 700+ páginas, unas 100 o 200 se podían ahorrar), irónicamente el tamaño del libro es muy propio del carácter y personalidad del biografiado. En fin, un libro muy recomendable para enteder cómo éramos, qué clases de hombres teníamos y seguimos teniendo, qué males nos aquejaban, y siguen aquejando, qué pobres éramos y qué ricos nos hacíamos, igual que hoy.
Se queda uno boquiabierto viendo, leyendo, la cantidad de millones de ducados que año tras año se gastaba la Corona en guerras y proyectos imperiales, en gastos suntuosos, y no se sabe lo que se ha robado, porque la corrupción era omnipresente pero no hay contabilidad de ella. Y sin embargo, aun así, descontada la corrupción de las masas de funcionarios de la administración, sueldos y prebendas sin fin, descontado todo, es increíble que llegaran tantos dineros a los cofres de la Corona. ¡Y que no se hayan gastado un céntimo en tantos años en mejorar los caminos, los transportes! Por poner un ejemplo. Nada. No se hizo nada más que tirar el dinero, el mucho dinero que apoquinó América, los mercaderes sevillanos, y la masa campesina castellana (y eso incluye a los gallegos). Leer este libro es ser testigo de la decrepitud de este mastodonte español, necesitado del dinero tanto como un drogadicto de la heroína para mantener su inmensa y estéril burocracia nobiliaria.
Hay muchas pequeñas joyas de interés histórico para el lector, llenas de ironía, como la de ver a los gobernantes llamar a los extranjero de Flandes para instalar la industria de cañones de guerra en un remoto pueblo del Cantábrico, a falta de emprendedores en España; la de ver cómo se acudía a los judíos portugueses para sustituir a los asentistas genoveses, a pesar de ser “herejes” y “enemigos de la verdadera religión católica”. Hay muchos acontecimientos reveladores en esta historia, y el autor -sin ser exactamente un gran divulgador- sí los recoge y apunta la ironía de cada caso de forma sencilla, sin adornos pedantes.
Finalmente, hay que lamentar que en 1640 no hubiera España aprovechado la traición catalana, cuando ésta se alió con Francia contra España, para deshacerse en buenahora de Cataluña, tierra de chantajistas y peseteros a quienes España ha tenido que conceder siempre privilegios -como a los vascos- para que no se ofendiera su orgullo (es decir, su bolsillo), a costa de que fueran ellos, y no las demás regiones, los que vieran florecer la industria en su tierra, la burguesía, el progreso en fin. Su riqueza, no lo olvidemos, ha sido nuestra pobreza, pues ha sido a nuestra costa. Los privilegios los han disfrutado ellos, inveterados traidores y chantajistas, vascos y catalanes, no nosotros. Tal como se ha atrevido a decir ya alguno certeramente, el error fue el no haber dejado irse a Cataluña, y habernos -si acaso- quedado con Portugal, pero: “los miembros de la llamada Junta Grande, el organismo que al parecer asumió todas las responsabilidades de los asuntos de Cataluña y Portugal, acordaron … el orden de prioridades, y que Cataluña debía ir por delante de lo de Portugal.” ¡Cómo podría haber cambiado la situación de España desde aquel maldito año. ¡Cuánto mejor no estaríamos hoy los gallegos, canarios, andaluces, castellanos... todos, sin ellos!. Y seguimos sin aprender que las meretrices no necesitan amor, solo quieren dinero. Me temo que no nos dejarán nunca, que son como la juventud de hoy: no se quieren emancipar de los papis que les lavan la ropa y que siempre están ahí, “por si les hace falta dinero”.
El libro es fácil de leer, quizás un tanto prolijo (seamos sinceros: de 700+ páginas, unas 100 o 200 se podían ahorrar), irónicamente el tamaño del libro es muy propio del carácter y personalidad del biografiado. En fin, un libro muy recomendable para enteder cómo éramos, qué clases de hombres teníamos y seguimos teniendo, qué males nos aquejaban, y siguen aquejando, qué pobres éramos y qué ricos nos hacíamos, igual que hoy.
June 22, 2012
The subtitle says it all: The Statesman in an Age of Decline. The book does an excellent job of illustrating the foreign and domestic policy challenges faced by Castile/Spain in the mid-1600s. It is interesting to see the roles played by domestic and international politics as well as how vested interests interact to foil even the best efforts of the Count-Duke as he tries first to reform Spain and then to effectively fight an endless series of wars. Most instructive of all was that while there seemed to be a consensus regarding the problems facing Spain at the time, it proved beyond the power of the King and Olivares to solve them. One can find uncomfortable parallels to the modern United States, if one is so inclined.
July 29, 2014
I had a hard time rating this book to be honest. On one hand, I loved the writing, which is the main reason I didn't put the book down. The book was well researched, and for how dry it should have been, I found it rather easy to read. On the other hand, I feel like this book needs a different title. The book is much less about Olivares as a statesman and person, and more about his times. His role in the Spanish govt really isn't evident until about page 250. This really annoyed me and I found it very distracting. Even with this, I wanted to give this book 3 stars and ended up giving it 4 because page 250-the end were very very easy to read and informative about what the book was on.
October 27, 2021
This book is astonishing and perhaps the most well-researched political biography of Gaspar de Guzmán, popularly known as the Count-Duke of Olivares, the principal minister and favourite of King Philip IV of Spain.
J.H. Elliott once again demonstrates his resourcefulness and immense brilliance in creating this biography despite scanting and scattered resources. I’m certainly in awe in knowing that the bulwark of J.H. Elliott’s sources were from Olivares’ correspondence letters to his Spanish counterparts and foreign ambassadors as well as the many consultas accumulated during his years in power. It was definitely a colossal task to meticulously reading the many letters and manuscripts but the task was also reflecting the subject whom J.H. Elliott chose to study. After all, the colossal figure of the Count-Duke of Olivares was a man with a complex personality, vast ambition, and immense vigour that even when the Spanish Monarchy was beset by wars of all fronts and in decline, he was still trying to steer the oars to save himself, his king, and his monarchy. To understand the colossal and dominant figure of the Count-Duke of Olivares required a colossal effort from a distinguished scholar like J.H. Elliott.
When Gaspar de Guzmán inherited his nobility title as the Count of Olivares, he also inherited the ambition of his father and grandfather to attain royal recognition for his family primacy among the great houses of Castile. And as such, he spent his immense energy in his early years to carefully manoeuvre and placed himself at the royal court of the young prince Philip IV for a court appointment. It was not a surprise when he finally achieved his goal but a mere court appointment was definitely not enough for Gaspar de Guzmán who, as J.H. Elliott introduces us to his disciplined childhood and family background, would never have settled for a second place in everything and will always strive for greatness and grandiosity.
It isn't as though the Count-Duke of Olivares was always the power-hungry and tyrannical minister since he did try to guide and mould the young king Philip IV into a responsible king in his early years of ministry. Armed with puritanical ideology and fresh reform ideas, Olivares wanted not to follow the path of the previous favourite, the Duke of Lerma, but tried to use everything in his power to steer back the sinking Spanish Empire towards the prosperous era of Philip II ‘the Prudent’. Unfortunately, Olivares’ many ambitious reforms would never come into effects and Philip IV too, would never become as great as his grandfather.
What impressed me in this book is how J.H. Elliott was able to provide us with a very detailed study of the complicated situation and dilemma that the Spanish Monarchy found itself in and how Olivares would react to these challenges but also made it narratively feasible to digest by the reader. Enormous debt from the Genoese bankers, prolonged wars with the United Provinces and the French Empire without peace in sight, short but meaningless war with England as well as embroiled in a disastrous war in the Northern Italy, disunity among the various kingdoms inside the Spanish Monarchy that led to imminent revolts, the declining silver revenues from the Indies and the failure of their Habsburg German allies to help their Spanish Habsburg counterparts despite being helped continuously in financial and military matters by Castile—burdened by all of these mounting problems, an exhausted Castile in the hands of Olivares, at best, could only barely survived.
This biography is really compelling—just like the figure that was studied upon—and, no doubt, one of the best scholarly works written by J.H. Elliott. In addition, finding out that the Count-Duke of Olivares was also an avid bibliophile is amusing. Who would’ve thought that Don Gaspar would go on a massive book-hunts spree while accompanying the king on his state visit to the Crown of Aragon.
J.H. Elliott once again demonstrates his resourcefulness and immense brilliance in creating this biography despite scanting and scattered resources. I’m certainly in awe in knowing that the bulwark of J.H. Elliott’s sources were from Olivares’ correspondence letters to his Spanish counterparts and foreign ambassadors as well as the many consultas accumulated during his years in power. It was definitely a colossal task to meticulously reading the many letters and manuscripts but the task was also reflecting the subject whom J.H. Elliott chose to study. After all, the colossal figure of the Count-Duke of Olivares was a man with a complex personality, vast ambition, and immense vigour that even when the Spanish Monarchy was beset by wars of all fronts and in decline, he was still trying to steer the oars to save himself, his king, and his monarchy. To understand the colossal and dominant figure of the Count-Duke of Olivares required a colossal effort from a distinguished scholar like J.H. Elliott.
He was, as Fernand Braudel once described him, not so much a single personality as a ‘cortège of personalities, and he requires a cortège of explanations.’ ‘I must confess’, continues Braudel, ‘that if I had the desire to study the Count-Duke of Olivares, I should recoil before the immensity of the task.’ ~preface, page xiii.
When Gaspar de Guzmán inherited his nobility title as the Count of Olivares, he also inherited the ambition of his father and grandfather to attain royal recognition for his family primacy among the great houses of Castile. And as such, he spent his immense energy in his early years to carefully manoeuvre and placed himself at the royal court of the young prince Philip IV for a court appointment. It was not a surprise when he finally achieved his goal but a mere court appointment was definitely not enough for Gaspar de Guzmán who, as J.H. Elliott introduces us to his disciplined childhood and family background, would never have settled for a second place in everything and will always strive for greatness and grandiosity.
Even before knowing the final outcome, Olivares was so confident that when Uceda accosted him to say that everything was ready for the prince’s accession, he was able to remark: ‘Now everything is mine.’ ‘Everything?’ asked Uceda. ‘Yes, without exception.’ ~Chapter I: The Guzmán Inheritance, page 42.
It isn't as though the Count-Duke of Olivares was always the power-hungry and tyrannical minister since he did try to guide and mould the young king Philip IV into a responsible king in his early years of ministry. Armed with puritanical ideology and fresh reform ideas, Olivares wanted not to follow the path of the previous favourite, the Duke of Lerma, but tried to use everything in his power to steer back the sinking Spanish Empire towards the prosperous era of Philip II ‘the Prudent’. Unfortunately, Olivares’ many ambitious reforms would never come into effects and Philip IV too, would never become as great as his grandfather.
Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez
Portrait of Felipe IV by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez
What impressed me in this book is how J.H. Elliott was able to provide us with a very detailed study of the complicated situation and dilemma that the Spanish Monarchy found itself in and how Olivares would react to these challenges but also made it narratively feasible to digest by the reader. Enormous debt from the Genoese bankers, prolonged wars with the United Provinces and the French Empire without peace in sight, short but meaningless war with England as well as embroiled in a disastrous war in the Northern Italy, disunity among the various kingdoms inside the Spanish Monarchy that led to imminent revolts, the declining silver revenues from the Indies and the failure of their Habsburg German allies to help their Spanish Habsburg counterparts despite being helped continuously in financial and military matters by Castile—burdened by all of these mounting problems, an exhausted Castile in the hands of Olivares, at best, could only barely survived.
This biography is really compelling—just like the figure that was studied upon—and, no doubt, one of the best scholarly works written by J.H. Elliott. In addition, finding out that the Count-Duke of Olivares was also an avid bibliophile is amusing. Who would’ve thought that Don Gaspar would go on a massive book-hunts spree while accompanying the king on his state visit to the Crown of Aragon.
May 29, 2024
J.H. Elliott offers a riveting and meticulously researched study of a pivotal figure in Spanish history. As the principal minister and favorite of King Philip IV, Olivares grappled with the formidable challenges of sustaining an empire in gradual decline. Elliott masterfully illuminates the complex dynamics at play, showcasing Olivares' strenuous yet ultimately futile efforts to preserve Spain's dominance. This work stands as an impressive achievement, providing an indispensable understanding of both Olivares' life and the broader historical context of early modern Spain.
The book excels in exploring the interplay of domestic and international politics, highlighting how vested interests and relentless warfare thwarted even the most well-intentioned reforms. Elliott's nuanced portrayal of Olivares' struggles and the inexorable decline of the Spanish Empire offers valuable insights into the broader causes behind Spain's fall from its zenith as Europe's preeminent power. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Count-Duke of Olivares, the reasons behind the Spanish Empire's decline, and the intricate workings of early modern European politics.
The book excels in exploring the interplay of domestic and international politics, highlighting how vested interests and relentless warfare thwarted even the most well-intentioned reforms. Elliott's nuanced portrayal of Olivares' struggles and the inexorable decline of the Spanish Empire offers valuable insights into the broader causes behind Spain's fall from its zenith as Europe's preeminent power. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Count-Duke of Olivares, the reasons behind the Spanish Empire's decline, and the intricate workings of early modern European politics.
August 26, 2024
A Masterpiece of both Biography and History
On the back cover of this book are a large number of accolades from a number of book reviewers of prominent newspapers and literary journals (i.e., New York Review of Books, Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian, etc.). One, from John Grigg of The Sunday Telegraph, sums up all of these well. He writes: "With this book, Professor Elliott, perhaps the greatest living authority on Imperial Spain, has produced another masterly and fascinating work". This is a very accurate assessment.
The book is a very in-depth academic tome not only on the life of Olivares, but by extension history of Spain during his time. It covers not only the international and domestic political scenes but also economic affairs, administrative issues and the leading characters of Spain as well as leading political figures of the time (i.e., Richelieu). It is meticulously and well researched. The sources used are nearly all Spanish language documents of the time. Secondary sources are rarely used and these are primarily mentioned only in passing. The book itself is, not surprisingly, is written for the knowledgeable of this time, not the novice.
The book does have few weaknesses however. One is that there are few maps showing how the military situation changed over time in either the Spanish Netherlands or in Central Europe during the 30 years war. There are also few tables showing comparative military strengths between the major powers over time. This is of some importance as the numerous wars of the period form are at the core of this book. In addition, despite the wide sweep of the book, there is little on Spanish culture and arts of the time. Nor is there much of a discussion of many of the administrative institutions of the Spanish state and how they were rotting during this time (i.e., judiciary, civil service, etc.).
Nevertheless, despite these minor weaknesses, the book is still a majestic work that would be of great interest to those knowledgeable on the Spain of this time. Five stars.
On the back cover of this book are a large number of accolades from a number of book reviewers of prominent newspapers and literary journals (i.e., New York Review of Books, Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian, etc.). One, from John Grigg of The Sunday Telegraph, sums up all of these well. He writes: "With this book, Professor Elliott, perhaps the greatest living authority on Imperial Spain, has produced another masterly and fascinating work". This is a very accurate assessment.
The book is a very in-depth academic tome not only on the life of Olivares, but by extension history of Spain during his time. It covers not only the international and domestic political scenes but also economic affairs, administrative issues and the leading characters of Spain as well as leading political figures of the time (i.e., Richelieu). It is meticulously and well researched. The sources used are nearly all Spanish language documents of the time. Secondary sources are rarely used and these are primarily mentioned only in passing. The book itself is, not surprisingly, is written for the knowledgeable of this time, not the novice.
The book does have few weaknesses however. One is that there are few maps showing how the military situation changed over time in either the Spanish Netherlands or in Central Europe during the 30 years war. There are also few tables showing comparative military strengths between the major powers over time. This is of some importance as the numerous wars of the period form are at the core of this book. In addition, despite the wide sweep of the book, there is little on Spanish culture and arts of the time. Nor is there much of a discussion of many of the administrative institutions of the Spanish state and how they were rotting during this time (i.e., judiciary, civil service, etc.).
Nevertheless, despite these minor weaknesses, the book is still a majestic work that would be of great interest to those knowledgeable on the Spain of this time. Five stars.
November 17, 2024
Formidable biografía debida una vez más al talento del hispanista de Reading, que sirve como lectura recomendada en la UNED. El texto se centra en el papel político del conde-duque en unos años (1620-1645) en los que España cede a Francia su rol preponderante en el escenario político de la Europa barroca, siendo annus horribilus el 1640 en que se perdió en cuestión de meses el control de Cataluña, Portugal y Holanda. Imprescindible.
July 3, 2023
Sencillamente brutal. Se lee muy fácil y demuestra un trabajo enorme a la hora de realizar la que es, probablemente, la obra más completa sobre Olivares. Una pena que gran parte del archivo del privado real se perdiera en un incendio, porque el autor le hubiera sacado mucho jugo.
February 26, 2021
Impresionante
July 31, 2023
Muy recomendable.
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