Philip V of Spain - Claims To The Spanish Throne

Claims To The Spanish Throne

In 1700 the King Charles II of Spain died childless. His will named the 16-year old Philip, grandson of Charles' half-sister Maria Theresa of Spain, the first wife of Louis XIV, as his successor. Upon any possible refusal, the crown of Spain would be offered next to Philip's younger brother, the Duke of Berry, then to the Archduke Charles of Austria, later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. Philip had the better genealogical claim to the Spanish throne, because his Spanish grandmother and great-grandmother were older than the ancestors of the Archduke Charles of Austria. However, the Austrian branch claimed that Philip's grandmother had renounced the Spanish throne for herself and her descendants as part of her marriage contract. This was countered by the French branch's claim that it was on the basis of a dowry that had never been paid.

After a long council meeting in France at which the Dauphin spoke up in favour of his son's rights, it was agreed that Philip would ascend the throne, but would forever renounce his claim to the throne of France for himself and his descendants.

After the Royal Council decided to accept the provisions of the will of Charles II that named Philip king of Spain, the Spanish ambassador was called in and introduced to his new king. The ambassador, along with his son, knelt before Philip and made a long speech in Spanish which Philip did not understand, although Louis XIV (the son and husband of Spanish princesses) did. Philip only later learned to speak Spanish.