Person:Philip V of Spain (1)

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Philip V (; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724, and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign of 45 years is the second longest (behind Charles I) in the history of the Spanish monarchy. Philip instigated many important reforms in Spain, most especially the centralization of power of the monarchy and the suppression of regional privileges, via the Nueva Planta decrees, and restructuring of the administration of the Spanish Empire on the Iberian peninsula and its overseas regions.

Philip was born into the French royal family as Philippe, Duke of Anjou. He was the second son of Louis, Grand Dauphin, who was the son and heir-apparent of King Louis XIV. The Grand Dauphin had the strongest genealogical claim to the Spanish throne held by his maternal uncle, King Charles II. However, since neither the Grand Dauphin nor his eldest son, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, could be displaced from the succession to the French throne, King Charles named the Duke of Anjou as his heir-presumptive in his will. He ascended the Spanish throne in 1700 as King Philip V.

Philip was the first member of the House of Bourbon to rule as King of Spain. It was well known that the union of France and Spain under one monarch would upset the balance of power in Europe, and that other European powers would take steps to prevent it. Philip's accession in Spain provoked the 13-year War of the Spanish Succession, which continued until the Treaty of Utrecht forbade any future possibility of unifying the French and Spanish crowns while confirming his accession to the throne of Spain. It also removed the Spanish Netherlands and Spanish-controlled Italy from the Spanish monarchy. In 1724, Philip abdicated in favor of his eldest son, Louis. The new king died later that year, and Philip took the throne again. As a result of his depression, his wife Elisabeth Farnese held control over the Spanish government. When Philip died in 1746, he was succeeded by his son Ferdinand VI.

Phillip's reign has been generally criticized by historians, though some praise is occasionally offered for his reforms. Historian Stanley G. Payne wrote that "Felipe V was a neurotic, vacillating ruler, concerned with outward decorum and brave only in battle. He had little sense of Spanish interests and needs."

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Philip V of Spain, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
2. ↑ Anselme (de Sainte-Marie). Histoire généalogique de la maison royale de France, des pairs et grands officiers de la Couronne. (Paris: la Compagnie des Libraires, 1726-1733)
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