Philip III and the Pax Hispanica

Philip III and the Pax Hispanica 1598-1621: The Failure of Grand Strategy by Paul C Allen, 244 pages

When Philip III succeeded his father, Philip II, as King of Spain in 1598, he also inherited his father's interminable struggle with the Dutch rebels, a war which spawned complementary wars with France and England.  This book is primarily the story of how Philip came to understand that this was a fight he could not win with force alone, and how peace was finally established, albeit a peace that was seen by the Spaniards as merely a new phase in an ongoing conflict.

Allen focuses entirely on the Dutch conflict and its entanglements, mentioning Spanish struggles in Italy, the Mediterranean, and the New World only insofar as they impact the war in the Low Countries.  Still, this is a sufficiently interesting narrative.  Like many other nations throughout history, the Spanish were in a position where they could no longer win the war, but they could not afford to lose it, either.  Beyond the obvious historical interest, there is a clear parallel to more recent events, including triangular diplomacy, an irresolvable insurgency, and a "domino theory" of imperial collapse.

This is not a general history of the Dutch revolt, nor is it intended to be.  Questions about the origin and circumstances of the war are outside the scope of this book.  It is the story of how the fighting, though not the struggle, came to an end.  It is well-written and sure to interest anyone curious about international diplomacy then and now.