Philip V of Spain Worksheets
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Summary
- Early years and succession
- Marriages and wars
- Later reign
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Philip V of Spain!
Philip V of Spain came from a French royal family, who held strong claims to both the French and the Spanish crowns. In 1700, he was named as successor by his great uncle, Charles II of Spain, who died childless. Thanks to the influence of his grandfather, Louis XIV of France, Philip V was proclaimed king. His rule was marked by two important wars that culminated in the preservation of the balance of power in Europe. He contracted two marriages in his lifetime, and many of his children became prominent figures in Europe. His 45-year reign is the longest in the history of the Monarchy of Spain.
Portrait of Philip V by Jean Ranc, c1723
Early years and succession
- Born on 19 December 1683 at the Palace of Versailles, Philip was the second son of Louis, Grand Dauphin, the heir apparent to the French throne, and his wife Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria. His older brother was Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and his younger brother was Charles, Duke of Berry. As was customary in the French royal family, Philip was created Duke of Anjou at birth, a title he held throughout his minority. The fact that he was a grandson of Louis XIV of France and a great-grandson of Philip IV, king of Spain, had a significant impact on his entire career.
- Philip’s older brother was second in the French line of succession, which meant that he was not expected to ever rule over France.
- He was initially under the supervision of the royal governess Louise de Prie and was later educated, along with his brothers, by François Fénelon, Archbishop of Cambrai, and Paul de Beauvilliers.
- He was only seven years old when his mother died due to serious internal disorders. His father, who was perceived as lazy and uninteresting, did not play a crucial role in French politics.
- In 1700, Philip became a person of political significance following the death of Charles II, the last Habsburg king of Spain.
- Charles II was childless and was aware that his vast empire could only remain undivided by leaving it entirely to a Frenchman or an Austrian. Under pressure from his German wife, he named Archduke Charles of Austria as his sole heir.
- However, he changed his will on his deathbed and named Philip as the successor to his empire, including Spain, Spanish America, the Spanish Netherlands, and parts of Italy.
- If Philip were to refuse the inheritance, the Spanish crown would be offered next to his younger brother, then to the Archduke Charles of Austria.
- For many decades, the Spanish succession had been a source of concern for European leaders, including Louis XIV of France.
- Louis XIV was conflicted to accept Charles II’s will, which had the potential to alienate much of Europe. He could agree to divide the Spanish possessions and prevent a war.
- He was eventually persuaded by Louis, Grand Dauphin, to acknowledge the late Spanish king’s will.
- The royal council accepted the provisions of Charles II’s will. In November 1700, Philip V was proclaimed as king of Spain in the Palace of Versailles. This meant that his heirs’ claim to the French throne would be forfeited. However, Louis XIV confirmed that his grandson retained his French rights despite assuming the Spanish throne.
Portrait of Maria Luisa
Marriages and wars
- The majority of European rulers initially accepted the succession of Philip V. However, Louis XIV’s refusal to exclude Philip V from the French line of succession immediately sparked the War of the Spanish Succession in March 1701. Other European powers grew more concerned that the balance of power would tip towards Spain and France, now united under a single Bourbon monarch. Consequently, Britain, the Dutch Republic and Austria formed the Grand Alliance and declared war against Spain and France.
- In November 1701, Philip V married the 13-year-old Maria Luisa of Savoy, daughter of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy, and Anne Marie d'Orléans.
- Proxy ceremonies were held at Turin, the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, and at Versailles in September.
- This union produced four sons, two of which reached adulthood. As Queen of Spain, Maria Luisa garnered considerable admiration.
Timeline of the War of the Spanish Succession
- The conflict was centred in Spain and west-central Europe, particularly the Low Countries. Some parts of Spain supported Philip V while others backed Archduke Charles. In the early stages of the war, the French held an advantage but were forced to take the defensive after 1706.
- Against the backdrop of this war, Philip V issued the Nueva Planta decrees beginning in 1707. These decrees allowed for the centralisation of Spanish rule under the Castilian political and administrative model, ending the existence of all independently administered kingdoms within Spain. This essentially established the Kingdom of Spain as a French-style absolute monarchy.
- The allies went on to advance in northern France. However, Philip V had firmly established his authority in Spain by 1709.
- In early 1710, Louis XIV agreed to commence peace negotiations.
- In 1711, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I died and was succeeded by Archduke Charles as Charles VI. The new British government believed that it was futile to continue the fighting, since a union of Spain and Austria would be equally unwelcome as one with France. British withdrawal resulted in the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, followed by the treaties of Rastatt and Baden in 1714.
- The Peace of Utrecht was concluded in 1713–15 between the representatives of Louis XIV and Philip V on one hand, and representatives of Anne of Great Britain, Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia, John V of Portugal and the United Provinces of the Netherlands on the other. It had the following key provisions:
- Philip V was to remain king of Spain, in return for permanently renouncing the French throne, both for himself and his descendants.
- Spain ceded Menorca and Gibraltar to Britain, the Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Milan, and Sicily to the Austrian Habsburgs, and Sardinia and parts of Milan to Savoy.
- Britain acquired major trade concessions in the Spanish Americas.
- Maria Luisa died in 1714 and Philip V soon decided to marry again. His second wife was the 22-year-old Elisabeth of Parma, daughter of Odoardo Farnese, Hereditary Prince of Parma, and Dorothea Sophie of the Palatinate.
- Philip V chose Elisabeth owing to the traditional Spanish interests in Italian provinces and to her familial ties to the Parmesan throne. This union produced seven children, of whom all but one reached adulthood.
- Elisabeth became the king’s confidante, quickly attaining complete influence over Philip V. Additionally, she had control over the affairs of state with the king’s approval, particularly during periods of depressive episodes that left Philip V unable to direct government proceedings.
- Since Philip V preferred to share the queen’s apartments where he met his ministers, Elisabeth gradually became more and more involved in the government meetings.
- Owing to her complete dominance of the monarch, Elisabeth’s popularity began to decline.
- As a result of the Peace of Utrecht, the Spanish Empire was significantly diminished.
- Philip V sought to overturn the terms of the previous treaties and attempted to restore Spanish claims in Italy. Such actions were instigated both by chief minister Cardinal Alberoni and Elisabeth. This triggered the War of the Quadruple Alliance in 1718.
Timeline of the War of the Quadruple Alliance
- A Spanish force seized Sardinia from Habsburg Austria unopposed in 1717. In 1718, about 38,000 Spanish troops arrived in Sicily. Britain responded that the Spanish expedition was a violation of Utrecht and so formed the Quadruple Alliance with France, Austria and the Dutch Republic. In August of that year, the Royal Navy eliminated a Spanish fleet off Sicily.
- In October, an Austrian army attempted to lift the siege in Sicily by Spanish forces but was defeated.
- Alberoni then attempted to counter the British in the Mediterranean by sponsoring a Jacobite landing. He also plotted what became known as the Cellamare conspiracy, in which the current French regent to the five-year-old Louis XV of France would be replaced by Philip V.
- In 1719, Austria launched a fresh offensive in Sicily. The Austrian forces successfully retook the island. Meanwhile, Britain proved its naval superiority in the Mediterranean and sacked the Spanish port of Vigo. In addition, the French captured the Spanish settlement of Pensacola.
- In December 1719, Alberoni was dismissed, as Philip V was dissatisfied with the performance of his forces. The king was compelled to sue for peace, which resulted in the Treaty of The Hague (1720). This treaty reinstituted the position prior to 1717.
- Throughout his reign, Philip V displayed many elements of mental instability, which at times left him paralysed and incapable of doing his duties. This was the reason for his abdication in January 1724 in favour of the 17-year-old Louis, his eldest son by his first wife. Louis I accepted the crown and was proclaimed king of Spain. Elisabeth maintained her hold of power during this period. However, Louis I’s rule was brief, lasting for just over seven months. He died of smallpox and left no heir.
Later reign
- Philip V was soon restored to the Spanish throne after much convincing from Elisabeth, his ministers, the papal nuncio, theologians and the queen’s network of contacts. He would stay in power for more than two decades.
- During his rule, Spain started to recover from the decline it had endured in the reign of the previous dynasty. However, Philip V, with the assistance of his Italian and French ministers, had limited success in improving Spain’s financial status.
- In the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession, he aided his Bourbon relatives to win territorial gains by recapturing Naples and Sicily from Austria and Oran from the Ottomans.
Painting of Philip V and Elisabeth in 1739
- Furthermore, during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, he despatched his forces to defend their American territories from a huge British invasion.
- Much of the last years of his rule saw Philip V suffering from depressive episodes, during which Elisabeth devoted herself to caring for the king’s health, as well as overseeing the whole policy of Spain.
- On 9 July 1746, Philip V was struck by a stroke and died in Madrid. He was buried in his favourite Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso. He was succeeded by Ferdinand VI of Spain, his son from his first marriage.
Image Sources
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Philip_V_of_Spain.jpg/800px-Philip_V_of_Spain.jpg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Queen_Maria_Luisa_of_Spain%2C_Princess_of_Savoy.jpg/800px-Queen_Maria_Luisa_of_Spain%2C_Princess_of_Savoy.jpg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Felipe_V_e_Isabel_de_Farnesio.jpg/1024px-Felipe_V_e_Isabel_de_Farnesio.jpg
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was Philip V of Spain?
Philip V was the first Bourbon king of Spain, reigning from 1700 until his death in 1746. He was the grandson of King Louis XIV of France and the first king from the Bourbon dynasty to rule Spain.
- What was the War of the Spanish Succession?
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was a major European conflict triggered by Philip V's ascension to the Spanish throne. European powers feared a union of the French and Spanish crowns under a single Bourbon monarch, leading to a coalition against him.
- What were the consequences of the War of the Spanish Succession?
The war concluded with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, which recognised Philip V as king but required him to renounce any claim to the French throne. Spain ceded various territories, including Gibraltar, to Britain and recognised the rights of other European powers in its colonial territories.