The Catholic Book Club discussion

5. How does de Wohl portray the social and political world in which Don Juan existed? Does he portray monarchy favorably?

The studies plan considers that the John Austria period It is not the middle age every country decides the period in which Middle age finished It. For France the middle age concluded when France won the War of 100 years against England. For England the middle age finished with the end of the War of the two roses for Germany the Middle Age concluded with the Reformation in 1517 with Luther putting his thesis in the door of the Cathedral. For others the middle age concluded with the fallen of Byzantium Empire in 1453. For Spain the middle age concluded in 1492 a crucial year because a part of the Discovery of América This year Granada is reconquered besides Nebrija created the spanish grammar the sad note is the expelling of the jews of Spain. Spain Will be The strenght of Europe until the Battle of Rocroi in 1643 against France. Besides thanks to the trade despite the bankrupts a economical strenght with Venice, Amberes, and Amsterdam thanks to the
trade of wool a part of Gold of América the silver during the 17th. The economy of This period of the ancient regime was the merchantilism. It was the Word of Pay the origin of our credit card. The livestock and the agriculture were very strong besides Castille was more developed than Aragon and Catalonia thanks to the fair. This situation would change un the 18th century.

The chapter of the King is worth of other especial comment. I do not usually agree with the spanist historian Geoffrey Parker but in This case his expression is really Lucky He said that Philip II called the prudent or cautious more well irresolute. He said that he is a man that one day you love and other day you hate. Behind his cold personality hid a man of Big passions. There is a scene of This novel Who defines his personality perfectly when the Queen Elizabeth Valois was ill of her illness he played his health and he entered to care her. Philip the second had four wives equal that his enemy William Orange. Elizabeth Valois was his favorite wife. It was one of the brief moment in which the King was cheerful or Happy. The thing that he most Love in his Life was his two daughters Elizabeth Claire Eugenie the future governess of Flanders married with a
mastermind and stateman the infant Albert and Catherine Michaella married with the Duke of Savoy. For him was more painful the loss Catherine Michaella than the disaster of the Invincible Army. The letters Who writes to his daughters are not the letters of a King they are the letters of a fond Father. Philip II is the opposite of his Father a shy persona overwhelmed by the shadow of his Father. Sometines excesively strick and severe and rigid. His Father said to him that he had not favorite and except Ruy Gomes he had not favorites. Although there was a person Who has an important influence over him Saint Francis Borja Charles and Philip II loved him a lot. Besides Francis Borja got the conversion of his grandmother Joan the Crazy. Her Madness made hate the holy things. The advice of his Father followed ignoring the Human factor. Philip II had to probé that he is the King and nobody could be better than him. If somebody remarks a lot he got weak or destroy for This reason he created two factions Alba and Éboli. The problem of John Austria is he made excesively powerful and for This reason the treasoner Anthony Pérez had a success in provoking the fallen of the stepbrother of the king but the Triumph of Pérez was his broke because Pérez was too powerful, besides the tactic of Pérez was too dirty because he killed the friend of John Austria Escobedo and although the King did not like Escobedo when Mathew Vázquez had evidences of the treason of Pérez and the Princess of Éboli he pursued them as Princess of Éboli had rights to the portuguese throne he went against her. Evelyn b. Waugh saud that he was not a Gengis Kahn abd It is truth. He stoped the exploration of Spain in América and he checked abuse and created the memiries and trial of residences to Judge the viceroys

He stoped the exploration of America This thing provoked the rebellion of Lope Aguirre the crazy conqueror. He created the memiries of residence to Judge the viceroys and with This purpose to correct abuses. Toyotomi Hideyoshi purposed blackmailed to Philip II to conquer China. Philip II did not Accept his poisonous offering. Portugal was conquered because he has rights. It was an obsession for the Austrian Habsburg dinasty the union with Portugal. Some historians said that he had to put the capital in Lisbon and not in Madrid. If Philip II had died in 1581 he would have been the best King of Spain. He get ill of a fever and his fourth wife cared until she get ill and died. The Last years were darker the compaign against England and France. He wanted two goals restablish the Catholic faith in the two territories and that his daughter Elizabeth Claire Eugenie had a reign. Despite the Invincible Spain did not lose This war. The treatment of Peace was in favor of Spain besides England suffered a Big defeat with the counterarmy more painful than the Invincible in Which the pirate Drake died. With France is avoided that the calvinism triumphed but the throne was for a hostile to Spain Henry IV. Clément VII supported him. Spain although did not like install Trent Council in his territory inmediatly. He supported the renassaince architecture and the mystic Saints Saint Therese and Saint John and the King did a lot of things of charity. Escorial was more his creation than the creation of Juan of Herrera. Perhaps the most Evil action of the King a part of John Austria he Might behave better with Mary
Tudor some that the people Will not know he avoided that Gardiner executed to the Queen Elizabeth I Philip II wanted to marry with her. The actutude of Elizabeth toward Philip II was very ambiguous of loving-hate. They are very similar. The protestant Cecil and Walshingham went against Philip II but she did not receive good to the treasoner Anthony Pérez and she used to reffer to Philip II as her loved spanish enemy and she wrote a lot with Elizabeth Claire Eugenie. Other ugly action of Philip II was the murder of the brother of Horn. He was a child and he drowned. However he was innocent of the killing of Saint Bartholomew and the poisoning of the Queen Bona. For my is a King with more lights than shadows. It was not easy to reflect the personality of the King and Louis de Wohl got It totally This is the real Philip II.

I just finished Book II.
What stands out for me is that Don Juan's life really is not his own. Everyone has a function to fulfill - which isn't bad per se - but the King point blank refuses to let him marry. The political consequences are too dear for the King to allow this. From our perspective this really cuts into Don Juan's right to self-determination. Maria comes from a prominent family, so we don't have the added tension of reaching beyond one's station. I have a feeling this blow will cast a long shadow over the rest of his life.

The First loves are usually very unfortunate :-(. The problem of Don Juan is that Philipp II could not let that Don Juan remarked more than the King. Alexander Farnese explains really good in the novel. Philipp II could not allow to Juan that he married with the niece of the second man more powerful of the kingdom because This event would provoke a disbalance with This way Philipp II followed the advice of his Father that he did not let that anybody had more power than him. As my friend Professor Alfonseca explained Don Juan after This novel Will have an adventure with a italian noble and he was a candidate to be The husband of Mary Stuart. G.K. Chesterton wrote an essay of alternate history What would It happen if Don Juan had married with Mary Stuart.

John wrote: "5. How does de Wohl portray the social and political world in which Don Juan existed? Does he portray monarchy favorably?"

I think the monarchy is portrayed as something which can bring Spain together which is important in relation to other countries. It is also shown as a model, an earthly power to which one renders obedience just as there is a heavenly power to whom one renders obedience.
However, when considering individual monarchs, one sees their flaws. Phillip is trapped in his role as king-a head upon a body, always thinking, assessing, testing, strategizing. With the death of his wife, to whom he is devoted and tender,, he becomes isolated within his thoughts. Catherine de Medici also is shown as a strategist, there is little offered to humanize her.
I would want to distinguish between the monarchy as institution and the individual monarchs themselves.
The vestiges of feudalism are evident, the allegiance of Don Luis to his king/lord, the individual palaces.

I agree with Jt. One thing is the King with his defaults and other is the monarchy whose perfect model is that Jesús Christ is the King of the universe. The man is only the icon but It is not God. The spanish model It is different of the absolutist model of France. In United States there are good Friends Who defends the monarchy as Elena María Vidal and Charles A. Coulombe. My admired and beloved Juan Manuel de Prada and his Friends Miguel Ayuso, and the Gambras defend the carlism against the illustration.

Recently i have Read a book was written by the historian John Julius Norwich about Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V and Suleyman the men Who forged Europe. I totally disagree with John Julius Norwich accusing to Philip II of not being intelligent and prude. Only for not speaking foreign languages. That he Lost Calais did not convert in a Bad King. He has a Big library in Escorial he sent to his relatives to study to the University of Alcala de Henares a part having a Big knowledge of architecture besides he has romances after the death of his First wife for not speaking of the letters to his daughters and the support to Saint Therese of Jesús and Saint Juan de Dios if Philipp II had died in 1581 he would be The best King of Spain. Besides he doubles the spread of his kingdom. For not speaking of the laws in favor of the precolombine inhabitants
of América and in the improves of the American administration. It is really curious that the author speaks of the almost 300 persons executed during the reign of Mary Tudor and he does not write of the terrible executions of Henry VIII in the north.