Charles the Bewitched: Spain's Last Habsburg King

By the late 1600s, the Spanish Empire—once the world’s superpower—was in steep decline. At its helm was Charles II, a king so physically and mentally frail that many believed he was bewitched. Born in 1661 to Philip IV and Mariana of Austria, Charles was the product of generations of Habsburg inbreeding: his famous protruding jaw made eating difficult, his learning disabilities were severe, and he suffered from seizures and impotence. His reign saw factional struggles between his mother, his wives, and the nobles jockeying for power. Despite two marriages—first to Marie Louise of Orléans, then to Mariana of Neuburg—he produced no heir. His death in 1700 without a child ignited the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), pitting the French Bourbon claimant Philip of Anjou against the Austrian Habsburg Archduke Charles. The Treaty of Utrecht ended the war but cost Spain its European territories, though its American empire remained largely intact. This episode explores the tragic figure of Charles II, the role of inbreeding in his condition, the superstitions that surrounded him, and how his death reshaped Europe. #CharlesII #ElHechizado #HabsburgSpain #SpanishEmpire #Inbreeding #WarOfSpanishSuccession #MarianaOfAustria #PhilipOfAnjou #ArchdukeCharles #TreatyOfUtrecht #MarieLouiseOfOrleans #MarianaOfNeuburg #SpanishHistory #17thCentury #Monarchy #Decline #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo