The 1620s have been good years for…

The 1620s have been good years for Spanish foreign policy—the war with the Dutch had gone well, albeit at great expense, culminating in the retaking of the key city of Breda in 1624.

By the end of the decade, however, Philip's government is faced with the question of whether to prioritize the war in Flanders or Spain's relationship with France during the War of the Mantuan Succession.

Philip's advisors recommend prioritizing the war in Flanders, taking action to safeguard the Spanish Road to the Netherlands but at the cost of antagonizing Louis XIII.

Strategically this will prove disastrous.