Boydell Press Philip IV and the World of Spain’s Rey Planeta: 400 (Monografías A)

Looks at perceptions and representations of Philip IV, Spain's 'Planet King', and his government during the seventeenth-century General Crisis in Europe, wars, revolutions and a sovereign debt crisis. Scholars associate Philip's reign with decline, decadence, stagnation and adversity; yet the cultural and artistic achievements led it to be dubbed 'the' Golden Age. Examines Philip's kingship and how he and his courtiers used art/ceremony to project an image of strength.