Often in the past, the Edmondson Lectures have tended to fall into one of two distinct categories: they either conveyed the results of recent historical research, or they constituted a synthesis of a scholar's lifetime work on a subject of major historical importance. Professor Parker's lectures combine the two approaches in a masterful way as he analyzes the manner in which Philip II of Spain managed his global Empire while being driven - and tragically handicapped - by an overpowering messianic complex. Parker's lectures combine the most profound insights with a lucidity of presentation.