Recommended read
A Palace for a King
Henry Kamen
Philip IV, Velázquez, and the Buen Retiro, the culture of Spain's great crisis century.
The World During Their Reign
The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.
Charles I of England
England
1625–1649
Shah Jahan
Mughal Empire
1628–1658
Louis XIII of France
France
1610–1617; 1617–1643
Philip IV of Spain
Spain
1621–1665
Jahangir I
Mughal Empire
1605–1627
Murad IV
Ottoman Empire
1623–1640
James VI and I
England
1603–1625
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Japan (Shogunate)
1623–1651
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
1619–1637
Pope Urban VIII
Papacy
1623–1644
Charles I of England
Scotland
1625–1649
Chongzhen Emperor
China
1627–1644
Empress Meishō
Japan
1629–1643
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Sweden
1611–1632
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Japan
1611–1629
Tianqi Emperor
China
1620–1627
Hong Taiji
China
1636–1643
Christina, Queen of Sweden
Sweden
1632–1654
James VI and I
Scotland
1587–1625
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
1637–1657
Mustafa I
Ottoman Empire
1617–1618; 1622–1623
Osman II
Ottoman Empire
1618–1622
Pope Gregory XV
Papacy
1621–1623
Tokugawa Hidetada
Japan (Shogunate)
1605–1623
Meanwhile in history
One “meanwhile in history” story each week: who ruled where, and what was happening on thrones across the world.
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From the library
Go deeper on Philip IV of Spain
Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.
Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire
Roger Crowley
Crowley on the age of exploration and the Portuguese kings who built the first oceanic empire.
Find on Amazon
A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire
A. R. Disney
A scholarly but accessible two-volume history distilled here as the standard modern reference.
Find on Amazon
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