Editing Philip II of Spain (section)

==King of Portugal==
{{Main|Iberian Union}}
[[File:Anthony I of Portugal.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Anthony I of Portugal]]]]
In 1578 young King [[Sebastian of Portugal]] died at the [[Battle of Alcácer Quibir]] without descendants, triggering a [[1580 Portuguese succession crisis|succession crisis]]. His granduncle, the elderly [[Henry, King of Portugal|Cardinal Henry]], succeeded him as king, but Henry had no descendants either, having taken holy orders. When Henry died two years after Sebastian's disappearance, three grandchildren of [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel I]] claimed the throne: [[Infanta Catarina, Duchess of Braganza]]; [[António, Prior of Crato]]; and Philip II of Spain. António was acclaimed [[King of Portugal]] in many cities and towns throughout the country, but members of the Council of Governors of Portugal who had supported Philip escaped to the Spanish kingdoms and declared him to be the legal successor of Henry.

In 1580, Philip II marched into Portugal and defeated Prior António's troops in the [[Battle of Alcântara (1580)|Battle of Alcântara]]. The Portuguese suffered 4,000 killed, wounded, or captured, while the Spanish sustained only 500 casualties.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Spencer C. |title=500 Great Military Leaders |volume=1 & 2|date=2014 |page=19}}</ref> The troops commanded by [[Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba]]<ref>[[Geoffrey Parker (historian)|Parker, Geoffrey]], ''The Army of Flanders and the Spanish Road, 1567–1659: The Logistics of Spanish Victory and Defeat in the Low Countries' Wars'', London: Cambridge University Press, 1972 {{ISBN|0-521-08462-8}}, p. 35.</ref> imposed subjection to Philip before entering Lisbon, where he seized an immense treasure.<ref>[[Henry Kamen|Kamen, Henry]], ''The Duke of Alba'', New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004.</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2025}} Philip II of Spain assumed the Portuguese throne and was crowned ''Philip I'' of Portugal on 17 July 1580<ref>Hatton, Barry, ''Queen of the Sea: A History of Lisbon'', London: C. Hurst & Co., 2018, p. 89.</ref> (recognized as king by the [[Portuguese Cortes]] of [[Tomar]]) and a near sixty-year [[personal union]] under the rule of the [[Philippine Dynasty]] began. This gave Philip control of the extensive [[Portuguese Empire]]. When Philip left for Madrid in 1583, he made his nephew [[Albert VII, Archduke of Austria|Albert of Austria]] his viceroy in Lisbon. In Madrid he established a [[Council of Portugal]] to advise him on Portuguese affairs, giving prominent positions to Portuguese nobles in the Spanish courts, and allowing Portugal to maintain autonomous law, currency, and government. This followed on the well-established pattern of [[Polysynodial System|rule by councils]].

[[File:ImperioDeFelipeII.svg|thumb|Spanish Empire of Philip II, III and IV including all charted and claimed territories, maritime claims (''mare clausum'') and other features]]