Supporting the Armadas : Sweden as Spain’s Naval Subcontractor (1571-1598)

Abstract

The Reformation has often been seen as a force which diminished the North-South connections. Even though it certainly was a new obstacle, relations not only continued but reached unprecedented levels. When Johan III became the new King of Sweden in 1568, as part of his foreign policy, he approached the Catholic powers of Southern Europe and among other things, he proposed formalizing an alliance with Philip H. This episode has been little studied and consequently, it has never been given the importance it really deserves, especially if we consider the great impact it had at political, military and commercial levels. This article uses little known sources mainly preserved in Simancas and contributes to the improvement our knowledge about the relations existing between the Baltic and the Mediterranean in times of the counter-reformation. As we demonstrate, the huge Spanish naval projects and necessities reached to the outskirts of the continent, stretching as far as Sweden and even to the remote tar-burning villages of Finland.