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This is a list of Spanish monarchs that is, rulers of the country of Spain in the modern sense of the word. The forerunners of the monarchs of the Spanish throne were the following:
These lineages were eventually united by the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon (king of the Crown of Aragon) and Isabella I of Castile (queen of the Crown of Castile). Although their kingdoms continued to be separate, with their personal union they ruled them together as one dominion. Ferdinand also conquered the southern part of Navarre and annexed it to what was to become Spain. Isabella left her kingdom to her daughter Joanna of Castile. Ferdinand served as her regent during her insanity; though rebuffed by the Castilian nobility and replaced by Joanna's husband Philip the Handsome, he resumed his regency after Philip's death. In 1516, after Ferdinand II's death, his daughter Joanna inherited the kingdom of Aragon, but was kept prisoner at Tordesillas as insane. As Joanna's son, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, did not want to be merely a regent, he was proclaimed king of Castile and Aragon jointly with his mother in Brussels. Subsequently, Castilian and Aragonese Cortes alleged oath to him as co-king with his mother. Upon her death, he became sole King of Castile and Aragon, and the thrones were thereafter united permanently.
Contents |
Under Joanna and Charles I, the two thrones of Castile and Aragon were finally united under one monarch.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles I | March 14, 1516 | January 16, 1556 | Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Romans, Italy and Spain, |
son and co-monarch of Joanna; grandson of Isabella I and Ferdinand II | |
| 2 | Philip II | January 16, 1556 | September 13, 1598 | King of Spain, Naples and (from 1580) Portugal King of England and Ireland jure uxoris; |
son of Charles I | |
| 3 | Philip III | September 13, 1598 | March 31, 1621 | King of Spain and Portugal | son of Philip II | |
| 4 | Philip IV | March 31, 1621 | September 17, 1665 | King of Spain and (until 1640) Portugal | son of Philip III | |
| 5 | Charles II | September 17, 1665 | November 1, 1700 | King of Spain Ruler of the Spanish Netherlands |
son of Philip IV |
In the year 1700 Charles II died. Charles' will named the 16-year old Philip, the grandson of Charles' sister Maria Theresa of Spain, as his successor.[1] Upon any possible refusal the Crown of Spain would be offered next to Philip's younger brother Charles, duc de Berry, or, next, to Archduke Charles of Austria.[1]
Both claimants, Philip and Charles, had a legal right to the Spanish throne due to the fact that Philip's grandfather, King Louis XIV of France and Charles's father, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, were sons of Charles' aunts, Anne of Austria and Maria Anna of Austria. Philip had the better claim because his grandmother and great-grandmother were older than Leopold's. 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.[2]
After a long council meeting where the Dauphin spoke up in favour of his son's rights, it was agreed that Philip would ascend the throne.[3] Following this war broke out and Archduke Charles was also proclaimed king of Spain, as Charles III in opposition to Philip V.[4] Charles renounced his claims to the Spanish throne in the Treaty of Rastatt of 1714, but was allowed the continued use of the styles of a Spanish monarch for his lifetime.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Philip V | November 16, 1700 | January 14, 1724 (abdicated) | King of Spain | Great-grandson of Philip IV via his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa of Spain | |
| 7 | Louis I | January 14, 1724 | August 31, 1724 | King of Spain | Son of Philip V | |
| 8 | Philip V | September 6, 1724 | July 9, 1746 | King of Spain | Father of Louis | |
| 9 | Ferdinand VI | July 9, 1746 | August 10, 1759 | King of Spain | Son of Philip V | |
| 10 | Charles III | August 10, 1759 | December 14, 1788 | King of Spain, Naples and Sicily Duke of Parma |
Son of Philip V | |
| 11 | Charles IV | December 14, 1788 | March 19, 1808 | King of Spain | Son of Charles III | |
| 12 | Ferdinand VII | March 19, 1808 | May 6, 1808 | King of Spain | Son of Charles IV |
The only monarch from this dynasty was Joseph, imposed by his brother Emperor Napoleon I of France after the kings Charles IV and Ferdinand VII abdicated. The title used by Joseph was King of the Spains and the Indias, by the Grace of God and the Constitution of the State. He was also later given all of the titles of the previous kings. A government in opposition to the French was formed in Cádiz on 25 September 1808, which continued to recognize the imprisoned Ferdinand VII as king. This government was diplomatically recognized as the legitimate Spanish government by Britain and other countries at war with France.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Joseph | June 6, 1808 | December 11, 1813 (deposed) | King of Spain King of Naples and Sicily and the Indies Comte de Survilliers |
none |
Charles IV's eldest son was restored to the throne. Again the title used was king of Castile, Leon, Aragon,… by the Grace of God.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Ferdinand VII | December 11, 1813 | September 29, 1833 | King of Spain | Son of Charles IV | |
| 15 | Isabella II | September 29, 1833 | September 30, 1868 (deposed) | Queen of Spain | Daughter of Ferdinand VII |
After the Spanish Revolution of 1868 deposed Isabella II, there was established a provisional government and a regency headed by Francisco Serrano y Domínguez from October 8, 1868 until January 2, 1871, while a new monarch was sought. Amadeo was elected as king and the new title used was King of Spain, by the Grace of God and will of the nation.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Amadeo I | December 4, 1870 | February 11, 1873 | King of Spain |
Isabella II's eldest son was restored to the throne as she had abdicated in his favour in 1870. Constitutional king of Spain.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Alfonso XII | December 29, 1874 | November 25, 1885 | King of Spain | Son of Isabella II | |
| 18 | Alfonso XIII | May 17, 1886 | April 14, 1931 | King of Spain | Posthumous son of Alfonso XII |
On October 1, 1936 General Francisco Franco was proclaimed Head of State (Caudillo) in the parts of Spain controlled by the Nationalists (nacionales) after the Spanish Civil War broke out. After the end of war on April 1, 1939 General Franco took control of the whole of Spain. In 1947, Franco proclaimed the restoration of the monarchy, but did not allow the pretender, Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona, to take the throne. In 1969, Franco declared that Juan Carlos, the Count of Barcelona's son, would be his successor. After Franco's death in 1975, Juan Carlos succeeded him as the King of Spain.
Alfonso XIII's claim descended (due to his two eldest sons' renunciations) to his third son, Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, who was passed over in favour of his eldest son, whose title is King of Spain. The Count of Barcelona renounced his claims in favour of his son in 1977, two years after Franco's death and Juan Carlos's accession.
| # | Name | Started | Ended | Title | Relationship with predecessor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Juan Carlos I | November 22, 1975 | Incumbent | King of Spain | Grandson of Alfonso XIII, via his son Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona |
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