In Spain’s “Golden Century,” the reign of Philip II was marked by his tendency to oversee a great number of decisions. Living almost a monastic life & working more than 10 hours a day at the Escorial, the king meticulously recorded thousands of matters that reached him from across his domains, a governance style often described as a rule of “pen and ink.”  

This is how historian A. Padoa characterized the administration of Philip II of Habsburg (1527-1598), King of Spain & ruler of the lands annexed to his crown, including the Americas, Netherlands, & Italy. As the son of Charles I of Spain, Philip was educated from a young age according to a series of principles his father had laid out for him to become a good sovereign. Among these was the recommendation to travel continuously across the kingdom to better govern it, given its vastness.  

Upon Charles I’s death in 1558 (though he had already abdicated in 1556 & retired from public life, he still maintained a degree of influence over his son), Philip II was finally free to govern as he saw fit. He followed many of his father’s advice, but not all. Most notably, he disregarded the suggestion to travel throughout the realm.  

Philip II despised traveling, he spent only 2 years in the Netherlands, and unlike his father, he did not see himself as a warrior king. Instead, he was an austere, cultured, & reserved man. In 1561, he moved the capital from Toledo to Madrid, as it was geographically at the center of Spain. This allowed him to govern from the Escorial, his palace, which was half royal residence & half monastery, completed in 1584, positioning himself literally at the heart of his empire & ensuring that dispatches arrived from all regions in time.  

Philip II had a special office built within his palace where he reviewed every decree issued in the kingdom. His ministers were required to report directly to him, and in the final decision-making process, only he had the authority to approve or reject matters with his signature. He spent hours hunched over documents. While his meticulous governance reduced corruption, it also significantly slowed bureaucracy. He would come to be known as the Prudent King.