Hypothetical Iberian ships

[KWorld]

A quick sketch design, based on the hull of the historical Emperador Carlos V, but laid down later and making use of the more modern 24cm/42 Guillen gun in twin turrets versus the old 28cm Hontoria gun in single turrets.  Also, this is an armored cruiser, rather than fundamentally a protected cruiser, which the historical ship was.

Emperador Carlos V, Iberian Empire Armored Cruiser laid down 1896

Displacement:
   7,741 t light; 8,101 t standard; 9,088 t normal; 9,878 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (390.42 ft / 380.58 ft) x 66.93 ft x (24.61 / 26.22 ft)
   (119.00 m / 116.00 m) x 20.40 m  x (7.50 / 7.99 m)

Armament:
      4 - 9.45" / 240 mm 42.5 cal guns - 445.33lbs / 202.00kg shells, 80 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1896 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
      8 - 5.46" / 139 mm 50.0 cal guns - 86.00lbs / 39.01kg shells, 180 per gun
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts, 1895 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      8 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in all but light seas
      4 - 3.94" / 100 mm 45.0 cal guns - 35.27lbs / 16.00kg shells, 240 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     4 x Single mounts on side ends, evenly spread
      12 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 6.00lbs / 2.72kg shells, 200 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      12 raised mounts
      30 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.99lbs / 0.45kg shells, 200 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     6 x 5-gun mounts on sides, evenly spread
      6 double raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 2,712 lbs / 1,230 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   3.94" / 100 mm   304.46 ft / 92.80 m   11.48 ft / 3.50 m
   Ends:   2.95" / 75 mm     76.08 ft / 23.19 m   8.20 ft / 2.50 m
   Upper:   2.95" / 75 mm   304.46 ft / 92.80 m   7.38 ft / 2.25 m
     Main Belt covers 123 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   8.27" / 210 mm   5.91" / 150 mm      8.27" / 210 mm
   2nd:   2.95" / 75 mm         -         1.97" / 50 mm
   3rd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Armoured deck - multiple decks:
   For and Aft decks: 1.57" / 40 mm
   Forecastle: 0.98" / 25 mm  Quarter deck: 1.57" / 40 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 8.27" / 210 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 17,125 ihp / 12,775 Kw = 20.50 kts
   Range 7,250nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,776 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   465 - 605

Cost:
   £0.865 million / $3.458 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 509 tons, 5.6 %
      - Guns: 509 tons, 5.6 %
   Armour: 1,900 tons, 20.9 %
      - Belts: 921 tons, 10.1 %
      - Armament: 407 tons, 4.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 495 tons, 5.4 %
      - Conning Tower: 78 tons, 0.9 %
   Machinery: 2,854 tons, 31.4 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,472 tons, 27.2 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,347 tons, 14.8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 6 tons, 0.1 %
      - Hull below water: 6 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     6,451 lbs / 2,926 Kg = 15.3 x 9.4 " / 240 mm shells or 1.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.51
   Metacentric height 5.5 ft / 1.7 m
   Roll period: 12.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.24
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.30

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a ram bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.508 / 0.518
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.69 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.51 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 54
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   12.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  14.76 ft / 4.50 m
      - Forward deck:   35.00 %,  14.76 ft / 4.50 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Aft deck:   45.00 %,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   8.00 %,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      13.69 ft / 4.17 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 121.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 94.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 17,088 Square feet or 1,588 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 96 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 109 lbs/sq ft or 534 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.91
      - Longitudinal: 2.19
      - Overall: 1.00
   Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Adequate accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[KWorld]

Here's another version, closer to OTL, of Emperador Carlos V.   This one retains the same armament as the previous design, but switches to a more historical armor layout, which was almost an armored protected cruiser (she had a thin belt, very thick deck slopes, and a relatively thick protective deck).

Emperador Carlos V, Iberian Empire Armored Cruiser laid down 1896

Displacement:
   7,652 t light; 8,004 t standard; 9,088 t normal; 9,956 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (390.42 ft / 380.58 ft) x 66.93 ft x (24.61 / 26.38 ft)
   (119.00 m / 116.00 m) x 20.40 m  x (7.50 / 8.04 m)

Armament:
      4 - 9.45" / 240 mm 42.5 cal guns - 445.33lbs / 202.00kg shells, 80 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1896 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
      8 - 5.46" / 139 mm 35.0 cal guns - 76.17lbs / 34.55kg shells, 180 per gun
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts, 1895 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      8 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in all but light seas
      4 - 3.94" / 100 mm 45.0 cal guns - 35.27lbs / 16.00kg shells, 240 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     4 x Single mounts on side ends, evenly spread
      12 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 6.00lbs / 2.72kg shells, 200 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      12 raised mounts
      30 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.99lbs / 0.45kg shells, 200 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1896 Model
     6 x 5-gun mounts on sides, evenly spread
      6 double raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 2,634 lbs / 1,195 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   1.97" / 50 mm   304.46 ft / 92.80 m   19.69 ft / 6.00 m
   Ends:   1.97" / 50 mm     76.08 ft / 23.19 m   8.20 ft / 2.50 m
   Upper:   6.50" / 165 mm   304.46 ft / 92.80 m   4.59 ft / 1.40 m
     Main Belt covers 123 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   8.27" / 210 mm   5.91" / 150 mm      8.27" / 210 mm
   2nd:   2.95" / 75 mm         -         1.97" / 50 mm
   3rd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Protected deck - single deck:
   For and Aft decks: 1.97" / 50 mm
   Forecastle: 1.97" / 50 mm  Quarter deck: 1.97" / 50 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 11.81" / 300 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 15,529 ihp / 11,585 Kw = 20.00 kts
   Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,952 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   465 - 605

Cost:
   £0.810 million / $3.242 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 465 tons, 5.1 %
      - Guns: 465 tons, 5.1 %
   Armour: 2,064 tons, 22.7 %
      - Belts: 918 tons, 10.1 %
      - Armament: 407 tons, 4.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 628 tons, 6.9 %
      - Conning Tower: 111 tons, 1.2 %
   Machinery: 2,588 tons, 28.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,529 tons, 27.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,436 tons, 15.8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 6 tons, 0.1 %
      - Hull below water: 6 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     7,690 lbs / 3,488 Kg = 18.2 x 9.4 " / 240 mm shells or 1.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.47
   Metacentric height 5.3 ft / 1.6 m
   Roll period: 12.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 72 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.25
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.38

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a ram bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.508 / 0.519
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.69 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.51 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   12.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  14.76 ft / 4.50 m
      - Forward deck:   35.00 %,  14.76 ft / 4.50 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Aft deck:   45.00 %,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   8.00 %,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m,  13.12 ft / 4.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      13.69 ft / 4.17 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 111.2 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 94.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 17,088 Square feet or 1,588 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 110 lbs/sq ft or 539 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.92
      - Longitudinal: 2.23
      - Overall: 1.00
   Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Adequate accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Below-water miscellaneous weight supports 6 broadside 16" torpedo tubes.

[Delta Force]

Rather thin armor protection for armored cruisers.

[KWorld]

The second one really isn't an armored cruiser, it's a first class protected cruiser that has a belt in addition.

The first, well, you pay a price for an 1895 design that's capable of 7250 nm and carries 4 24cm guns, in this case, you end up with thinner armor than you might like.