List of Spanish monarchs
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This is a list of Spanish monarchs—that is, rulers of the country of Spain in the modern sense of the word. The forerunners of the Spanish throne, as well as of the Portuguese throne, were the following:
- Kings of the Visigoths
- Suebi Kings of Gallaecia
- Kings of Asturias
- Kings of Aragon
- Kings of Castile
- Kings of Leon
- Kings of Navarre
- Counts of Barcelona
These lineages were eventually united by the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Although their kingdoms continued to be separate, with their personal union they ruled them together as one dominion. Ferdinand also conquered the southern part of Navarre and annexed it to what was to become Spain. Isabella left her kingdom to her daughter Joanna of Castile. Ferdinand served as her regent during her insanity; though rebuffed by the Castilian nobility and replaced with Joanna's husband Philip the Handsome, he resumed his regency after Philip's death. In 1516 Joanna's son, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, succeeded his grandfather Ferdinand as King of Aragon and was appointed co-King of Castile with his mother. Upon her death, he became sole King of Castile, and the thrones were thereafter united permanently.
[edit] Monarchs of Spain
Following the colonisation of parts of the Iberian peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) by Carthage, control of the peninsula passed to Rome following its defeat of Carthage in the Punic Wars. The peninsula was then completely subjugated by Julius Caesar before his conquest of Gaul. Under Roman rule, the peninsula was divided into two provinces, Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior.
Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Spain came under the rule of the Visigoths, although the Eastern Roman Empire attempted at times to take control. Neither succeeded in successfully ruling there, and when the Arabs invaded the peninsula in 711, they were so successful that within seven years they had conquered it, leaving only a rump Christian presence in the northern Kingdom of Asturias. Attempts would be made by the Franks, particularly under Charlemagne (who extended his kingdom almost to the Ebro, and gained lands that would be attached to the French crown until the time of Saint Louis), to contain or drive out the Arabs; none succeeded, and the drive of the reconquista would ultimately come from the Christians of the peninsula.
The origins of modern Spain can with hindsight be dated to the reign of the "Catholic Kings", Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Their marriage united their two kingdoms of Aragon and Castile (although the union would not be established until the death of Joanna the Mad and the abdication of her son, Charles I, and not formalised until the accession of Philip V in 1707); the resulting union would create the nation that is today 'Spain'.
Officially, the monarchy of "Spain" came into the Bourbon monarch's titulary as late as in 1837, when the regency of Isabella II of Spain adopted it to the place of the old, lengthy titularly (that had started "...of Castile, Leon, Aragon," and so on). Even then, it was in plural : Reina de las Españas - Queen of the Spains. Only in 1874 was the name Spain changed into singular in the Bourbon monarchical titulary. However, colloquial use of the name Spain (Hispania) as the name of the kingdom had already taken place around three centuries earlier. Where brevity was necessary, the state used it: beginning with Philip II Spanish coinage had regularly used the short rex Hispaniarum to exclusion of other, longer titles. Thus, the "birth of Spain" cannot be definitively dated. There are four alternative moments (and three different persons) where the Kingship of Spain is variously considered to have begun:
- in 1479, when Ferdinand II of Aragon, already King Consort of Castile as husband of Isabel I of Castile, inherited the Kingdom of Aragon at his father John II of Aragon's death. However, after this, the kingdoms separated again: Isabella's daughter Joanna of Castile inherited her mother's throne in 1504, whilst Ferdinand continued to rule Aragon: in an attempt to prevent Aragon falling into the hands of the Habsburgs, he even married his own great-niece in an attempt to produce a son.
- in 1516, when the future Emperor Charles V succeeded his grandfather Ferdinand II, and became co-King of Castile with his mother, Joanna, who was unable to rule due to insanity. However, the old Hispania was not united, as Portugal remained independent; furthermore, Castile and Aragon retained separate institutions, and in Castile the formal power still resided with Joanna.
- in 1555 at the death of Joanna of Castile, when Charles (already the sole King of Aragon) became also sole king of Castile, being elevated to full kingship in Castile after some four decades of "co-kingship". However, the old Hispania was not united, as Portugal was independent.
- in 1580, when, after the Portuguese dynastic crisis, at the moment of personal union between Portugal and all other Iberian monarchies, it is said the old Hispania, became a united realm. Charles's son Philip II of Spain who already was King of Castile and Aragon (directly from his father) also became King of Portugal, and no longer there was any other monarchy in the Iberian Peninsula. Later, in 1640, Portugal rebelled and separated from this union under the House of Braganza (recognized by Spain only in 1668), and thenceforth the name of Spain does not refer to the whole of the Iberian peninsula (ancient Hispania), but only to this one of its two constituent countries.
The Spanish monarchs traditionally signed Yo El Rey (I the King), or Yo La Reina (I the Queen).
England cricketer Ashley Giles is nicknamed the King of Spain after a consignment of mugs, intended to read "King of Spin" (in reference to his style of bowling) instead read "King of Spain".
[edit] House of Habsburg / House of Austria
Under Charles I, the two thrones of Castile and Aragon were finally united under one monarch.
[edit] House of Bourbon
After Charles II died without heirs, the crown of Spain passed to his nephew Philip V, a grandson of Louis XIV of France.
[edit] House of Bonaparte
- See also: Bonaparte
The only monarch from this dynasty was Joseph I, imposed by his brother Napoleon I of France after he conquered Spain. The title used by Joseph was King of the Spains and the Indias, by divine grace. He was also later given all of the titles of the deposed King.
| Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Monarch From | Monarch Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Joseph-Bonaparte.jpg | Image:Escudo Jose Bonaparte.png | Joseph I Napoleon | June 6, 1808 | December 11, 1813 |
[edit] House of Bourbon (first restoration)
Again the title used was king of Castile, Leon, Aragon,… by divine grace.
| Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Monarch From | Monarch Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Fernando VII.jpg | Image:Escudo Isabel II.png | Ferdinand VII | December 11, 1813 | September 29, 1833 |
| Image:IsabellaII.PNG | Image:Escudo Isabel II.png | Isabella II | September 29, 1833 | September 30, 1868[1] |
[edit] House of Savoy
- See also: House of Savoy
The only Monarch of this dynasty was Amadeo I, elected by the Cortes after the Spanish revolution deposed Isabella II. The new title used was King of Spain, by divine grace and will of nation.
| Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Monarch From | Monarch Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Amadeo I of Spain.png | Image:Escudo Amadeo I.png | Amadeus I | January 2, 1871 | February 11, 1873 |
[edit] First Spanish Republic
The First Spanish Republic lasted from 1873 to 1874.
[edit] House of Bourbon (second restoration)
Constitutional king of Spain.
| Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Monarch From | Monarch Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Alfonso XII.png | Image:Escudo Isabel II.png | Alfonso XII | December 29, 1874 | November 25, 1885 |
| Image:Alfonso XIII of Spain.jpg | Image:Escudo Isabel II.png | Alfonso XIII | May 17, 1886 | April 14, 1931 |
[edit] Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic lasted from 1931 to 1939.
[edit] Francisco Franco's dictatorship
Francisco Franco ruled parts of Spain from 1 October 1936 and the entire country from 1 April 1939 until his death on 20 November 1975. In 1947, Franco proclaimed the restoration of the monarchy, but did not allow the pretender, Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona, to take the throne. In 1969, Franco declared that Juan Carlos, the Count of Barcelona's son, would be his successor. The Count renounced his claims in favor of his son in 1977, two years after Franco's death and Juan Carlos's accession.
[edit] House of Bourbon (third restoration)
The title is King of Spain.
| Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Monarch From | Monarch Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Juan Carlos I fortable.jpg | Image:Escudo Real.png | Juan Carlos I | November 22, 1975 | Incumbent |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Following Isabel's abdication, there was a more than two year interregnum, during which time the government sought a new monarch from abroad.
[edit] See also
- Royal Consorts of Spain
- Kings of Spain family tree
- Line of Succession to the Spanish Throne
- Spanish monarchy
- War of the Spanish Succession
[edit] External links
- Kings of Spain, 700–ca:Llista de reis d'Espanya
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