The Tree of Europe · Person

Philip IV of Spain

«the Planet King»

King of Spain during a period of great cultural brilliance and serious political crises. His reign, associated with the Count-Duke of Olivares, was marked by European wars and the revolts in Catalonia and Portugal.

1605 – 1665King of SpainHabsburg · ES
Portrait of Philip IV of Spain
Historical portraitPhilip IVDiego Velázquez · c. 1656National Gallery, LondonPublic domain · PD-Art / PDM 1.0 · Source
Biography

Life of Philip IV of Spain

The Planet King and Olivares

The son of Philip III and Margaret of Austria-Styria, he was born in Valladolid in 1605 and reigned from 1621. His chief minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, attempted to strengthen the monarchy through the Union of Arms, which distributed military burdens among the kingdoms.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

The crisis of 1640

The Thirty Years’ War and the break with France in 1635 exhausted the treasury. Catalonia and Portugal revolted in 1640; Portugal recovered its independence under the House of Braganza. Olivares fell in 1643. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 recognised the independence of the United Provinces, and the Peace of the Pyrenees in 1659 ceded Roussillon to France.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Patronage

He was a major collector and patron of Velázquez, his court painter for almost forty years, and of the theatre of his time. He died in Madrid in 1665 and was succeeded by his son Charles II.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.

Historical profile

Key details

Birth: 8 April 1605 Documented

Death: 17 September 1665 Documented

Role: King of Spain

Other recorded names: Philip the Planet King · Philip III of Portugal

Dynasty: Habsburg · ES

Territories: Castile (ES) · Aragon (ES) · Portugal (ES) · Navarre (ES) · Naples (ES) · Trinacria (ES) · Milan (ES) · Flanders (ES) · Spain (ES) · León (ES) · Sardinia (ES) · County of Barcelona (ES) · Valencia (ES) · Majorca (ES) · Brabant (ES) · Limburg (ES) · Luxembourg (ES) · Guelders (ES) · Hainaut (ES) · Namur (ES) · Lordship of Mechelen (ES) · Tournai (ES) · Artois (ES) · County of Burgundy (ES)

Recorded governments and reigns
King · Castile · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · Aragon · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · Portugal · Reign Pending review1621–1640Effective rule
King · Navarre · Reign Pending review1621–1665Branch ruleFrom 1512 the two lines did not effectively govern the whole of the former kingdom.
King · Naples · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · Trinacria · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
Duke · Milan · Duchy Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
Count · Flanders · County Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · León · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · Sardinia · Reign Documented1621–1665Effective rule
Count · County of Barcelona · County Pending review1621–1665Effective ruleDuring the Catalan revolt the Principality recognised Louis XIII as count in 1641 and then Louis XIV. Philip IV recovered Lleida in 1644 and Barcelona in 1652. The disputed interval does not reconstruct every town or garrison.
King · Valencia · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
King · Majorca · Reign Pending review1621–1665Effective rule
Duke · Brabant · Duchy Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Duke · Limburg · Duchy Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Duke · Luxembourg · Duchy Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Duke · Guelders · Duchy Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Count · Hainaut · County Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Count · Namur · County Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Lord · Lordship of Mechelen · Lordship Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Lord · Tournai · Lordship Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Count · Artois · County Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Count · County of Burgundy · County Documented1621–1665Effective ruleA provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
Family network

Recorded relationships

Crowns and unions

Their titles over time

Follow the changing territories and offices of Philip IV of Spain. Each title retains its own status.

Governments in 1621

  • Spain11 titles and offices
    View titles and jurisdictions
    • Castile · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Aragon · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Navarre · ESKing · Branch rule · Upper Navarre after the conquest1621–1665 · From 1512 the two lines did not effectively govern the whole of the former kingdom.
    • Naples · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Trinacria · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Milan · ESDuke · Effective rule1621–1665
    • León · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Sardinia · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • County of Barcelona · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665 · During the Catalan revolt the Principality recognised Louis XIII as count in 1641 and then Louis XIV. Philip IV recovered Lleida in 1644 and Barcelona in 1652. The disputed interval does not reconstruct every town or garrison.
    • Valencia · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Majorca · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1665

    The monarchy’s crowns and dominions. Portugal retained a separate administration during the dynastic union of 1580–1640. Source for this grouping

  • PortugalKing
    View titles and jurisdictions
  • Habsburg Netherlands11 titles and offices
    View titles and jurisdictions
    • Flanders · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665
    • Brabant · ESDuke · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Limburg · ESDuke · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Luxembourg · ESDuke · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Guelders · ESDuke · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Hainaut · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Namur · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Lordship of Mechelen · ESLord · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Tournai · ESLord · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • Artois · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.
    • County of Burgundy · ESCount · Effective rule1621–1665 · A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.

    Joint succession of the provinces under the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549. Each title retains its identity, and only the area under control in the selected year is shown. Rebel provinces are not included merely because the sovereign claimed them. Source for this grouping

Annual dates: overlap within one year does not prove that two offices were held on the same day. Regencies and co-rulerships retain their labels.

Documentation

Sources for this profile

Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.

Evidence for this profile

29 recorded claims · 12 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.

Dates (2/2 with a precise source)
Family and relationships (4/4 with a precise source)
Governments (11/23 with a precise source)
Biographical and contextual references (5)
Editorial history
  • 2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
  • 2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.

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