Philip IV of Spain
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.

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.
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 relationships
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
- Portugal · ESKing · Effective rule1621–1640
- 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.
Sources for this profile
- Lombardia Beni Culturali · Stato di Milano (1535–1749)
- PARES · Felipe IV
- Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND authority record · Philipp IV., Spanien, König
- Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
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)
- BirthDocumented
8 April 1605
The authority record gives the birth as 1605-04-08. - DeathDocumented
17 September 1665
The authority record gives the death as 1665-09-17.
Family and relationships (4/4 with a precise source)
- FatherDocumented
Philip III of Spain
The authority record identifies Philip III of Spain (GND 118593846) as father. - MotherDocumented
Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain
The authority record identifies Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain (GND 104189584) as mother. - Marriage or partnershipDocumented
Elisabeth of France
The authority record identifies Elisabeth of France (GND 122381335) as spouse. - Marriage or partnershipDocumented
Mariana of Austria
The authority record identifies Mariana of Austria (GND 118781863) as spouse.
Governments (11/23 with a precise source)
- GovernmentPending review
King · Castile · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Aragon · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Portugal · 1621–1640
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Naples · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Trinacria · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
Duke · Milan · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
Count · Flanders · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · León · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentDocumented
King · Sardinia · 1621–1665
- GovernmentPending review
Count · County of Barcelona · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Valencia · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentPending review
King · Majorca · 1621–1665
A precise source has not yet been added. - GovernmentDocumented
Duke · Brabant · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century. - GovernmentDocumented
Duke · Limburg · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Duke · Luxembourg · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Duke · Guelders · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Erfgoedfestival / Mijn Gelderland · Overkwartier · Upper Quarter of Guelders, conquests of 1632 and 1637, and the Utrecht partition of 1713 between four powers; Roermond, Venlo and Geldern do not constitute the entire Duchy of Limburg.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Count · Hainaut · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Count · Namur · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Lord · Lordship of Mechelen · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed · Kanton Mechelen · Jurisdictions of Liège and the Berthout family, the Brabant period and transfer to Flanders after the war and Treaty of Ath in 1357; Burgundian inheritance in 1384, with a distinct lordship until the end of the Ancien Régime.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century. - GovernmentDocumented
Lord · Tournai · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · The Netherlands, 1559–1609 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 117: provinces, towns in Spanish possession and the frontier of 1609/1648; a visual comparison, not a match between the place name and a modern province. - GovernmentDocumented
Count · Artois · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Service public de Wallonie · Le territoire de la Wallonie · Historical atlas: principalities and provinces since the Middle Ages; Liège, Stavelot-Malmedy and Bouillon remained distinct from the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian provinces until the late eighteenth century.William R. Shepherd · Frontiers of France, 1601–1766 · Historical Atlas (1923), p. 126: dated acquisitions and the kingdom’s borders, including Alsace, Lorraine and the southern Low Countries. - GovernmentDocumented
Count · County of Burgundy · 1621–1665
A provincial title in its own right. Sovereignty and the area effectively controlled are distinguished through the map’s dated conquests and partitions.René Vermeir / Archives de l’État · Ordonnances de Philippe IV, tome IV · Ordinance 1656/12, 21 November 1656, pp. 23–24: ducal, comital and seigneurial titles; ordinance 1656/11, p. 23: bailiff of Tournai and the Tournaisis. The title does not prove control of each town.Treccani · Franca Contea · County of Burgundy, the dispute of 1477 and return to the Habsburgs; effective French occupation and incorporation from 1674, followed by legal recognition.William R. Shepherd · Historical Atlas, Italy about 1494 · Complete Italian territories in 1494, Milanese expansion in 1339–1402 and Florentine expansion in 1300–1494. The map is compared with institutional chronologies and SVG boundaries; its colours are not copied as personal titles.
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.
More paths from Philip IV of Spain
Family
Philip III of Spain“the Pious”King of Spain1578 – 1621Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain · ESConsort1584 – 1611Elisabeth of France · ESConsort1602 – 1644Mariana of Austria · ESConsort / Regent1634 – 1696Maria Theresa of Spain · ESConsort1638 – 1683Margaret Theresa of Austria · ESConsort1651 – 1673Same dynasty
Anne of Austria · ESConsort / Regent1601 – 1666
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor · ESEmperor1608 – 1657Maria Anna of Austria · ESConsort1610 – 1665
Ferdinand IV of Bohemia · ESKing1633 – 1654Maria Anna of Spain · ESConsort1606 – 1646Ferdinand Charles of Austria-Tyrol · ESArchduke1628 – 1662In their lifetime
Isabella Clara Eugenia · ESSovereign / Governor1566 – 1633
Albert VII, Archduke of Austria · ESArchduke / Sovereign1559 – 1621
Anne of Austria · ESConsort / Regent1601 – 1666
Henry IV of France“the Great”King of France · King of Navarre as Henry III1553 – 1610
Louis XIII of France“the Just”King of France and Navarre1601 – 1643
Louis XIV of France“the Sun King”King of France and Navarre1638 – 1715