1557 France - Philip II of Spain - County of Flanders Ecu Silver Coin

Product Description:

Also known as Philip the Prudent, ruled Spain from 1556, Portugal from 1580, and Naples, Sicily, and the Netherlands from 1554 until his death in 1598. He was briefly King of England and Ireland through his marriage to Queen Mary I. Inheriting his father's empire, he completed the Spanish conquests of the Inca Empire and the Philippines, marking the Spanish Golden Age.

However, Philip's debt-laden regime led to defaults in 1557, 1560, 1569, 1575, and 1596, contributing to the Dutch Republic's creation in 1581. Charles V's legacy of a 36 million ducat debt plagued Philip II, who defaulted multiple times, foreshadowing Spain's economic troubles for the next 65 years. Philip's domestic policies further strained the Spanish kingdoms, eventually contributing to its decline, as some historians argue. He also completed the construction of the royal palace El Escorial in 1584.

Obverse: Bust of Phillip II of Spain

Reverse: Quartered crowned shield with the coat of arms of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Sicily, and Granada.