CARLOS II DE ESPAÑA

CARLOS II

BIOGRAFHY

Carlos II of Spain, called "the Bewitched" (Madrid, November 6, 1661-ibid, November 1, 1700), was king of Spain between 1665 and 1700. Son and heir of Felipe IV and Mariana of Austria, he remained under the regency of his mother until he reached the age of majority in 1675. Although his nickname came from the attribution of his lamentable physical state to witchcraft and diabolical influences, it is It is probable that the successive consanguineous marriages of the royal family caused his serious health problems, with symptoms such as weak muscles and infertility.

EXTERNAL POLITIC

Carlos II was proclaimed king in 1665, at the age of three. He was a person educated by theologians, but his poor health made one suspect that he would die young, so his education in government tasks was neglected ..At that time the fight against Valenzuela increased until twelve years later, in 1677, Juan José de Austria marched on Madrid and took power relying on the nobility. Valenzuela was exiled and the Queen Mother left the Court, establishing her residence in the Alcázar of Toledo. Juan José de Austria, with popular support, became the new valid. His government was overshadowed by the political struggle against his adversaries and the dramatic situation of the Hispanic monarchy, forced to cede Franche-Comté to France through the Peace of Nijmegen in 1679

 

INTERNAL POLITIC

In that same year, the 18-year-old king married Maria Luisa de Orleans, niece of Louis XIV of France. Although she was never truly in love with her husband, over the years María Luisa came to feel a genuine affection for him. Carlos, for his part, loved his wife dearly. In the absence of a successor, the queen went on pilgrimages and venerated sacred relics. He finally died in 1689, leaving the king in a depressed state probably because of the potions they made him drink.