Charles II of Spain

Charles II
King Charles II (by Juan Carreño de Miranda, 1685)
King of Spain (more) King of Spain 1665–1700 King of Naples 1665–1700 King of Sardinia 1665–1700 King of Sicily 1665–1700 Duke of Milan 1665–1700 Duke of Lothier 1665–1700 Duke of Brabant 1665–1700 Duke of Limburg 1665–1700 Duke of Luxemburg 1665–1700 Count Palatine of Burgundy 1665–1678 Margrave of Namur 1665–1700 Count of Flanders 1665–1700 Count of Hainaut 1665–1700
Reign	17 September 1665 – 1 November 1700
Predecessor	Philip IV
Successor	Philip V
Regent	Mariana of Austria (1665–75)
Born	(1661-11-06)6 November 1661 Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain
Died	1 November 1700(1700-11-01) (aged 38) Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain
Burial	El Escorial
Consorts	Marie Louise d'Orléans Maria Anna of Neuburg
House	Habsburg
Father	Philip IV of Spain
Mother	Mariana of Austria
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Charles II of Spain (Spanish: Carlos II; 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700) was the last Habsburg ruler of Spain. His realm included Southern Netherlands and Spain's overseas empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies. Known as "the Bewitched" (Spanish: el Hechizado), he is noted for his extensive physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities and his consequent ineffectual rule.

He died in 1700, childless and heirless, with all potential Habsburg successors having predeceased him. In his will, Charles named as his successor his 16-year-old grand-nephew, Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Charles' half-sister Maria Theresa of Spain, the first wife of Louis XIV (and thus grandson of the reigning French king Louis XIV). Because the other European powers viewed the prospective dynastic relationship between France and Spain as disturbing the balance of power in Europe, the War of the Spanish Succession ensued shortly after his death.

Charles was born in the Spanish capital, Madrid, the son of Philip IV of Spain and his second wife, Mariana of Austria (also known as Maria Anna). As the only surviving male heir of his father's two marriages, Charles was named Prince of Asturias, the title given to the person first in line to the Spanish throne.

The Spanish branch of the Habsburg royal family was noted for extreme consanguinity. Well aware that they owed their power to fortunate marriages, they married between themselves to protect their gains. Philip and Mariana were actually uncle and niece; therefore, Charles was not only their son, but was also Mariana's first-cousin and Philip's great-nephew.