This is the Hapsburg Emperor Charles V of Austria and Charles I of Spain. The Hapsburgs were Suleyman's most persistent and powerful enemies in the West. His armies sacked Rome in 1525 inducing Pope Clement VII to appeal to Suleyman for aid. The communique was sent to La Serenissima, the Venetian Republic where Suleyman's Ambassador, Yusuf Nasi , a Jew represented all the political. diplomatic and financial affairs of the Ottoman Empire.N. B. The illustration is by the author.
With all due respect to the bloody Spaniards, they really asked for it when they dared try to invade and conquer England in 1588. To this day, as a remote son of England around 15 generations later, I still toast the Divine Winds who sent the Spanish Armada down into the oozy slime in 1588. And God bless the memory of Good Queen Bess.
ReplyDeleteAs a descerdant of a Field Marshall for the Hapsburg Emperors Karl and Maximiian I can only say that the Spanish fleet did not intend to invade a country of drunken loutish peasants and heretics on top of everything else. They intended to engage the English fleet. A series of tempests assailed the cumbersome Spanish fleet. Even without the cruel weather the English ships were better designed since they were small and easily maneuverable. The defeat was not a big blow to Spain. Criminy! They ruled over South America, Mexico, Cuba and the Caribbean. It did not change the geopolitical structure in Europe. The Ruler of Spain at the time of the defeat of the Spanish Armada was Philip II. Their most important enemy was Selim, son of Suleyman who still held onto all of Eastern Europe and parts of Russia. It was a strategic move which made sense to Spain at the time. Tactically however it was a disaster. Man proposes and God disposes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Charles V had signed a peace accord with Suleyman . He left the Hapsburgs a tiny piece of Hungary as a face saving gesture. although they had to pay an annual sum of 50,000 gold florins to him and to his heirs.
Elizabeth Rex I was indeed formidable. I very much doubt anyone would have dared to call her Good Queen Bess to her face and live to tell the tale. She was an Absolute Monarch as were all her contemporaries. When one considers her background, a mass murderer, serial killer, bloated drunk and syphilitic man for a father; a promiscuous, sadistic and deceitful woman for a mother; it is a fine example of nurture over nature. This may explain why she never married. Syphilis was known at the time and it was fatal. Elizabeth Rex I had a healthy life style, never got drunk, overate or indulged in orgies. She truly served her country. The disease was then treated with mercury and silver. There is also no absolute proof that she was sexually intimate with any of her so-called lovers.