Philip II (; 21 May 1527 – 13 September 1598) was
King of Spain from 1556 to 1598 and of
Portugal from 1581 to 1598 (as
Philip I,
Filipe I). From 1554 he was King of
Naples and
Sicily as well as
Duke of Milan. During his marriage to
Queen Mary I (1554–58), he was also
King of England and
Ireland. From 1555, he was lord of the
Seventeen Provinces of the
Netherlands. Known in Spain as "Felipe el Prudente" ('"Philip the Prudent'"), his
empire included territories on every continent then known to Europeans, including his namesake
the Philippine Islands. During his reign, Spain reached the height of its influence and power. This is sometimes called the
Golden Age. The expression, "the empire on which the sun never sets," was coined during Philip's time to reflect the extent of his dominion.