Philip V of Spain

Philip V was proclaimed king of Spain after the death of Charles II, inheriting the throne through his grandmother Maria Theresa of Spain. His accession as a Bourbon prince triggered the War of Spanish Succession against the Habsburg coalition.

Philip V issued the Nueva Planta Decrees, abolishing the traditional laws and institutions of the Crown of Aragon (Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, and Mallorca). These decrees centralized power in Castile and imposed absolutist rule, ending regional autonomy.

Philip V established the Real Academia Espa

Philip V's forces, supported by France, defeated the Habsburg coalition in the War of Spanish Succession. The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) and Treaty of Rastatt (1714) confirmed his throne but forced Spain to cede European territories to Austria and Britain.

Philip V abdicated the throne in favor of his son Louis I, but resumed the crown after Louis's death seven months later. His abdication was influenced by mental health issues and the influence of his wife, Elisabeth Farnese.