Philip IV, King of Spain

PHILIP IV, King of Spain. - B. in Madrid on 8 April 1605, d. on 17 September 1665. He married Isabella of Bourbon and then Mariana of Austria. He ascended the throne in 1621. He was intelligent and cultured (he translated Guicciardini's History of Italy into Spanish), but of a weak and indolent character; for more than twenty years the government was in the hands of the Duke of Olivares (v.).

Furthermore, F. had the misfortune of having to struggle on the international stage against adversaries such as Richelieu and Mazarin. In 1635 France declared war on Spain; after some initial successes, the Spaniards were routed at Rocroi and at Lens. The Treaty of Westphalia recognized the independence of the Netherlands. During the conflict Catalonia had rebelled, and in 1640 Portugal had declared itself independent, proclaiming the Duke of Braganza (John IV) king. The dismissal of Olivares did not suffice to revive Spanish fortunes, and Spain finally had to bow and accept the Treaty of the Pyrenees, which sanctioned its decline. With his will F. left the throne to his son Charles II, and established that, in default of heirs

Ipl. Anderson.
PHILIP IV, king of SPAIN - F. IV, Painting by Velazquez (1644), Madrid, Prado Gallery.

his sister Margaret, married to Emperor Leopold, should succeed him, to the exclusion of his other sister Maria Theresa, wife of Louis XIV, and her descendants.