Philip II's power exceeded his decision-making

Philip II was a powerful monarch whose personal judgment did not match the resources available to him. Generations of Habsburg accumulation had given him wealth, institutions, experienced commanders, and strategic inheritances that could make royal policy look more capable than the king himself. Santa Cruz was one of the skilled professionals produced or retained by that larger system, but his independence also made him uncomfortable for Philip. After both Bazán's death and the Armada's failure, responsibility could be shifted retrospectively onto a commander no longer able to defend his decisions. State capacity and personal command ability were separate qualities in this case.