Philip II’s urgency in 1588 came from a new conviction of divine destiny

Evidence

Philip had always been a pious man, but never before had he referred grave difficulties and dangers to the will of God, as if executing that will relieved him of the need for human precautions. He had never been a ruthless egotist or shown a taste for illimitable power; he had never claimed a special destiny, only a special responsibility; but now he walked forward on the path he thought appointed for him as confidently, as unswervingly, as blindly as any saint or world-conqueror in history. — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 461

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 461
• XREF: connects to: A widely believed prophecy set the world’s end for 1588. — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 396; Philip himself first framed the defeat as the winds of God — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 878; Philip rebuked presumption of knowing God’s will as blasphemy — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 884 (+1 more)

Library Connections

• The defeat jolted Philip out of a trance into renewed caution #complicates (0.70) — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 883
• Philip rebuked presumption of knowing God’s will as blasphemy #complicates (0.60) — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 884

Broader Connections

• Philip himself first framed the defeat as the winds of God #expands (0.80) — Garrett Mattingly, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 878