Philip V of Spain

Philip V of Spain was born in Versailles, France on December 19, 1683. He reigned Spain for 45 years between 1701-1746, longer than any other Spanish king had ruled before or after him. His reign of the country brought both prosperity but also long years of warfare.

Before assuming the throne, Philip V lived in France and was known as the Duc’ d Anjou (duke of Anjou), the grandson of Louis XIV who ruled France. When Charles II, the king of the powerful Spain died without heirs, he offered Louis XIV’s grandson the throne which Louis XIV gladly accepted for Philip.

Philip V, being educated as a Roman Catholic, believed that God had assigned him to become the king of Spain. Due to this belief, he considered his thoughts to be the ideal, nationwide ideas that the people of Spain should listen to and follow. Philip V was also compliant with the church. When Luis I, Philip’s son and the new king, died soon after taking over Spain, Philip V returned to the throne after carefully consulting the theologians and the Pope.

Being the grandson of Louis XIV as well as part of the House Bourbon, a French-originated Royal House, Philip V was also an extremely close ally to France. He was educated in France and preferred French culture rather than Spanish Culture.

However, Louis XIV’s accepting Philip V as the king of Spain broke the partition France signed with other European powers, thus leading Spain and France into warfare against Austria, Savoy, and the Habsburg empire. The war was called the War of the Spanish Succession with the main purpose of stopping the unification of the Spanish throne to the French throne. The War of Succession went from 1701 to 1714. Spain was not too greatly affected until 1704 when foreign protestants invaded the Spanish peninsula. In 1713,  the treaty of Utrecht brought an end to the war. Philip V was guaranteed Spain and the Indies in return for a renunciation of all his rights to the French throne. Spanish territories were given out to Austria, Savoy, and the Habsburg empire.

Philip V also was responsible for the War of the Quadruple Alliance. This war occurred between 1718 and 1720 and was caused due to Philip V and chief minister Alberoni attempt to reconquer Spanish territories in Italy. Alberoni’s attempt to reconquer the former Spanish territories in Italy and his unfriendly policies towards France led to the formation of the Quadruple Alliance (Great Britain, France, Holy Roman Emperor, and Netherlands). France, being the superpower of Europe by the late 17th century, wanted a more France-supportive Spain and the only person preventing this was Alberoni. Eventually, Philip V was forced to dismiss Alberoni in return for the end of this war.  

Spain under Philip V’s reign also underwent a few other wars. One of this wars was the War of Jenkin’s Ear. During 1739-1740, Britain and Spain fought the very first European war on conflict about oversea possessions and trades. Economically unprepared, Spain’s revenue that year was equivalent to their debt, which reduced the volume of commerce and provoked a recession in the country. The war got even worse when Emperor Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire died with no male heir, therefore causing another battle for the throne called the War of the Austrian Succession. It lasted from 1740-1748 and in the end resulted in the France-Spanish ally’s defeat. The approximately 25 years of wars in total during Philip V’s reign greatly brought down the country’s economy due to the high expenditure of wars.

Philip V and his advisor Alberoni established the basis of the Bourbon government in Spain, which consisted of different departments. The secretary of each departments, in fact the ministers, directly made decisions or consulted to the king and perhaps to another minister without referring to the council. This way when making decision, no one else would be present to interfere with the king’s will.

Despite the negative effects brought by the continuous years of wars, Philip V was also extremely helpful for Spain. Throughout the wars, Philip was able to realize Spain’s much need in military improvement. He built up the country’s navy and brought much reform into the armed forces. Along with that, Philip V also brought reforms necessary for the economy and country, such as constructing new roads, fixing canals, and bringing foreign craftsmen and technicians to Spain. 

Philip V throughout his reign was demonstrated as a stubborn king. In the year of 1717, Philip V proposed to set out for re-occupying the island of Sardinia, a land occupied since the War of Succession. Even though the king’s favorite advisor Alberoni went against this thought, the king and queen instructed the occupation of Sardinia despite the cardinal’s objection. This anecdote demonstrates the king’s stubbornness by ignoring Alberoni’s advice. After deciding on something, Philip V believed he was the one right.

Philip V of Spain died on July 9, 1746 in Madrid. Despite the wars and conflicts he made, his reign of Spain had a huge impact on Spain and changed the country’s destiny ever since. He was an ambitious ruler – perhaps an absolutist, but an absolutist with his own way of governing.  

Bibliography

Kamen, Henry. Philip v of Spain: The King Who Reigned Twice. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001.

Kamen, Henry Arthur Francis. “Philip V, King of Spain.” Credo. Last modified 2001. Accessed February 18, 2017. <http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/philip_v_king_of_spain/0.>

Loo, Van. The Family of Philip V. Illustration. Museo Del Prado. 1743. Accessed February 19, 2017. <https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-philip-v/ff667d13-323f-48cc-8923-4a6245e02f1f.>

MARTÍNEZ-SHAW, CARLOS. “Philip V (Spain) (1683–1746; Ruled 1700–1724, 1724–1746).” Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World, edited by Jonathan Dewald, vol. 4, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2004, pp. 458-460. World History in Context,  Accessed 18 Feb. 2017.

“Philip, V.” World History in Context. Last modified December 12, 1998. Accessed February 18, 2017. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/whic/BiographiesDetailsPage/BiographiesDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Biographies&currPage=&scanId=&query=&source=&prodId=WHIC&search_within_results=&p=WHIC%3AUHIC&mode=view&catId=&u=lake19096&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CK1631005191&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=.>

“War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748).” Credo. <http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abcintrel/war_of_the_austrian_succession_1740_1748/0.>

“Philip V (Spain) (1683–1746; Ruled 1700–1724, 1724–1746).” <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/whic/BiographiesDetailsPage/BiographiesDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Biographies&currPage=&scanId=&query=&source=&prodId=WHIC&search_within_results=&p=WHIC%3AUHIC&mode=view&catId=&u=lake19096&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3404900860&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=.>