Seventeenth Century
1601 Increase of “the millions.” An expedition sent to assist Tyrone in Ireland fails.
1602 Persia joins Spain in a war against Turkey. Plundering of the coast and islands in the Mediterranean.
1604 Peace with England. The “archdukes” (Isabella and her husband Albert) capture Ostend after a three years’ siege.
1605 First part of Don Quixote published.
1607 Spanish fleet destroyed in a fight with the Dutch off Gibraltar. Eight months’ truce with the United Provinces. Spain and the “archdukes” resign their claims to the provinces.
1609 Twelve years’ truce with the United Provinces. The Moriscos expelled from Spain with the loss of all property save what they could carry with them. With them Spain loses her most industrious inhabitants. Henry IV of France organises a league against Spain in conjunction with the Italian states, England, the German Protestants, and the United Provinces.
1610 Murder of Henry IV.
1612 Philip’s daughter Anne married to Louis XIII and his son Philip to Elizabeth de Bourbon. The princesses renounce their respective claims to the kingdoms of Spain and France.