The Decline & Fall of
the Spanish
Monarchy
Habsburg Dynasty
•Decay of the monarchy – inbreeding
•Increase in number and power the of
nobility
•Monarchy and nobility continued to
live a lifestyle they could no longer
afford
•Rulers pursued misguided and
ineffective policies.
•
•Costly wars with England,
Netherlands, and France
•Military suffered numerous defeats,
both army and navy
•Succession by Portugal
•Continual threats from France
•Financial losses assisting Austrian
Habsburgs in 30 Years’ War
•Stagnation of middle class & poverty
of peasants
•Decrease in population due to
illness, disease, and war
•Ineffectiveness of Church, continued
to support monarchy while not dealing
with issues of the lower classes
•Decline in Spanish industry,
commerce, and agriculture
•Expulsion of Jews and converted
Muslims deprived Spain of merchants
and skilled workers.
•Decrease in domestic productiondependent on products from other
countries
•Inflation due to imported silver
•Cost of Spanish goods increased- less
buyers
•Decline in exports from the Americas
Charles I
1516-1556: Spain
Charles V
1519-1556: Holy Roman Empire
•Abdicated throne after the Peace of Augsburg
•Spanish Habsburg lands given to son
Philip II
•Austrian Habsburg lands given to his
brother Ferdinand I
Philip II
1556-1598
•Married 4 times, including his 1st cousin,
Queen Mary of England, and Anne of Austria
(his sister’s daughter, his niece!)
•Had Philip III
Don Carlos,
Prince of Asturias
1545-1568
Philip IIs first son from Maria Manuel of Portugal.
Due to continual inbreeding of the Spanish &
Portuguese royal families, he was born with
physical deformities and was mental unstable.
As he became older he was subject to fits of
homicidal mania.
He was imprisoned by Philip II in 1568.
Philip III
1598-1621
Married Margaret of Austria
Had 3 children:
•Anne of Austria (married Louis XIII of France)
•Philip IV
•Maria Anna of Spain (married Ferdinand III of HRE)
Philip IV
1621-1665
•Married Elisabeth of Bourbon
(She was Henry IV’s daughter, Louis XIII’s sister)
His sister married Louis XIII of France
•His daughter Maria Theresa married Louis XIV of France
(first cousins)
•His second marriage was to Mariana of Austria, (His
youngest sister’s daughter… his niece!)
•They had one child Charles II
Charles II
1665-1700
El Hechizado ("The Hexed")
extensive physical, intellectual, and emotional
problems
Married twice… No children
29
Margaret Theresa of Spain
Older sister of Charles II
Married to
Leopold I
Habsburg
Holy Roman
Emperor
family of Philip IV
Philip V
1700-1724,
1724-1746
House of Bourbon
•Great-grandson of Philip IV of Spain
•Grandson of Louis XIV of France
•Inherited the Spanish Crown, but under the
Treaty of Utrecht, gave up all claims to French
throne. (He would have been King of France after Louis
XIV)
Habsburgs and Bourbons
Louis XV
King of France
1715-1774