Philip V 1683-1746
Duke of Anjou and first Bourbon King of Spain

The grandson of Louis XIV of France, he was born at Versailles, and in 1700 succeeded to the Spanish throne under the will of Charles II. The prospect of a French prince ruling Spain precipitated the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13), during which French influence was dominant at court. Spain lost Gibraltar and Minorca to the British, the Spanish Netherlands and Naples to Austria, and Sicily to the House of Savoy. Within Spain, the Catalans had been in open revolt since 1705 and Barcelona was not recaptured until 1714. Although vigorous in his youth, Philip became depressed, weary and eccentric, under the domination of his second wife, Isabella Farnese of Parma, and her Italian favourite, Guilio Alberoni, who aimed at gaining territory in Italy for her sons. In 1724 he abdicated in favour of his son, Louis I, but resumed the throne when Louis died the same year. In 1732 Oran was reconquered from the Moors and war with Austria (1733-36) regained Naples and Sicily. At Philip's death, Spain was involved in the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48).