Vielen Dank, meine lieben Leser und Leserinnen, dass Sie mir durch den Kauf meiner Bücher helfen, meine Geschichtsstudien weiterführen und das Betreiben dieser Webseite finanzieren zu können. Sie können meine Bücher übrigens durch Amazon weltweit, z. B. in Deutschland, Großbritannien, Frankreich, Italien, den USA, Australien und in Japan, erwerben. Das obige Foto von mir stammte aus dem Jahr 1970. Die Disziplin Geschichte war schon immer meine große Leidenschaft.
Thank you so much, my dear readers, for helping me to continue my historical studies and to finance this website by purchasing my books. By the way, you can buy my books worldwide through Amazon, for example in Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, the USA, Australia, and Japan. The photo above was taken in 1970. History has always been my great passion.
Philipp war der zweite Sohn des französischen Thronfolgers Ludwig (1661-1711) und seiner ersten Gattin Maria Anna Christine Victorie von Bayern (1660-1690). Er erblickte das Licht der Welt am 19. Dezember 1683 und starb am 9. Juli 1746. Als der König von Spanien, Karl II. (1661-1700), ohne Erben - weder männliche noch weibliche - zu hinterlassen, am 1. November 1700 starb, war er von jenem, da dessen Wunschkandidat, der Enkel seiner Schwester Margarita Teresa und ihres Gatten, des Kaisers Leopold I., Joseph Ferdinand Leopold von Bayern (1692-1699), überraschend gestorben war, in seinem Letzten Willen zu seinem neuen Nachfolger bestimmt worden, da er ein Enkel von seiner Halbschwester Maria Teresa von Spanien, der Gattin des französischen Königs Ludwig XIV., war.
"Philip V was the first king of the Bourbon dynasty that still rules Spain today. He governed for forty-six years, longer than any other ruler of Spain either before or since, and his reign was one of the most formative epochs of the country's history. After the military and economic problems of the previous Habsburg dynasty, Spain under the Bourbons appeared to promise new life. The early years were traumatic: for the first time since the Arab invasions in the eighth century, the peninsula was occupied by tens of thousands of foreign troops, and in the subsequent peace treaty the monarchy was brutally dismembered. Although the conflict resulted in fundamental political changes without precedent in Spain's history, this did not impede the process of regeneration. Philip V initiated developments - in politics, in imperial policy, in questions of finance, government and the army - that laid the basis of the modern Spanish state. He encourages trends in literature, the creative arts and music that brought Spanish culture into closer contact with Europe.There were also conflictive issues to address, mainly the autonomy of the provinces of Spain and the role of the monarchy itself." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, New Haven and London 2001, p. vi).
Seine Zeitgenossen beschrieben ihn als unterwürfig, ängstlich, introvertiert, ohne Selbstbewusstsein, liebenswürdig, melancholisch, sehr ernst - er lachte sehr selten - und als nicht besonders intelligent, aber auch auf dem Schlachtfeld als sehr mutig und als einen begeisterten Reiter und Jäger. "His hours of leisure were spent in riding and above all in his favourite occupation, hunting. Ursins commented that 'everybody admired the king for his skill and elegance' on horseback." Philipp V. sprach sehr langsam und besaß ein Gefühl für Gerechtigkeit und Wahrheit. Aus der Schlacht von Luzzara im Jahr 1702 berichten uns die Zeitgenossen über ihn als Heerführer Folgendes: "Philip had commanded one of the detachments and when criticised for placing his life in jeopardy during the battle he retorted, 'All are risking their lives for me, reason enough that mine should not be counted of any greater importance than theirs'. The risk was very real (there are reports of casualties right next to him)." Er galt zudem als sehr religiös: "More Spaniards were burnt at the stake in the five years between 1720 and 1725 - a total of over ninety victims - than in any comparable period in the preceding two centuries." Trotzdem war er bei seinen spanischen Untertanen sehr beliebt. So äußerte Philipp V. schließlich auch: "God has placed the crown of Spain on my head; I shall maintain it so long as I have a drop of blood in my veins. I owe it to my conscience, to my honour and to the love I receive from my subjects ... I shall never give Spain up so long as I have life, I would rather perish fighting for every piece of its soil, at the head of my troops." Und seine erste Gattin Maria Luisa von Savoyen fügte hinzu: "If ever we had to abandon Spain, we would emigrate to America and establish the throne in Peru." "... in May 1712 [nachdem sein Vater Ludwig, sein ältester Bruder Ludwig und zwei seiner Neffen gestorben waren] Philip formally renounced his rights to the French throne, a renunciation that was made, said Louis XIV, 'of his own volition and against my advice', for the French had hoped that Philip would give up Spain and accept the Italian territories of the monarchy, with the near certainty of succeeding to the French throne [man hatte in Frankreich wenig Hoffnung, dass sein Neffe Ludwig XV. die Kindheit überleben würde)." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 21/33/72/74/79-80/130). Und obwohl Philipp es bevorzugte, in Französisch zu sprechen, konnte er Spanisch lesen und sprechen. Außer für die Jagd interessierte er sich zudem sehr für die französische und italienische Kunst und Architektur.
Philipp V. liebte seine zwei Gattinnen und sämtliche seiner Kinder über alles. So schrieb er seinem Sohn Karl (III.) (1716-1788) im Oktober 1720 Folgendes: "Be a very good boy and follow the advice that your mother gave you, and be sure that I love you deeply and I embrace you with all my heart." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. vi).
Heute würden wir Philipp V. als "manisch-depressiv" bezeichnen. Er litt also an einer "bipolaren Störung", einem Stimmungswechsel zwischen Euphorie und Melancholie. Die depressiven Phasen nahmen im Laufe seines Lebens immer mehr zu. Sein Lebenslauf glich daher, was seine Gesundheit betraf, sehr dem des englischen Königs Georg III. Am 16. November 1700 wurde Philipp V. zum neuen König von Spanien ausgerufen, und am 4. Dezember 1700 brach er in sein neues Königreich auf. "Two months after arriving in Madrid the new king [Philipp V.] still felt uneasy; he was alone, isolated and homesick. He was unable to pick up the Spanish language, a failure which aggravated his feeling of isolation (throughout his reign he continued to speak only French). He found the Spanish palaces uncomfortable and the Spanish coaches painful to ride in." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 9). In Spanien begann er sich sehr für die Literatur, die Musik und das Theater zu interessieren.
Philipp V. dankte im Januar 1724 aus religiösen Gründen als König von Spanien ab. Sein ältester Sohn Ludwig I. (oder Louis I.) (1707-1724) wurde der nächste König von Spanien. Als dieser jedoch bereits am 31. August 1724 an den Pocken starb, bestieg Philipp V. im September 1724 erneut den spanischen Thron. Er blieb nun König von Spanien bis zu seinem Tod im Jahr 1746.
"It is tolerably certain that Philip's abdication [in 1724] was due exclusively to religious scruples; he was constantly subject to agonies of fear that he had offended his Maker, and he craved for the time and solitude necessary to reconciliation. He felt that he was totally unequal to the duties of sovereignty, and this indeed was no hallucination. When the final farewell to his children and his ministers was over, he cried: 'Thank God I am no longer a king, and that the remainder of my days I shall apply myself to the service of God and to solitude.'" (in: Edward Armstrong: Elisabeth Farnese – "The Termagant of Spain", id., pp. 159-160). Oder hatte er, wie viele seiner Zeitgenossen überzeugt waren, nur geplant, "frei" für den französischen Thron zu sein? "... it was generally believed that Philip was actuated by an arrière pensée of facilitating his accession to the throne of France in the event of the death of Louis XV. If he were no longer King of Spain, the renunciation of the Crown of France no longer bound him. He would leave his dynasty firmly established in Spain [durch seinen ältesten Sohn Ludwig I.] ... It is possible that had Louis XV. died the king would have immediately exchanged reconciliation with Heaven for return to France." (in: Edward Armstrong: Elisabeth Farnese – "The Termagant of Spain", id., p. 160). Philipp V. und seine Gattin Elisabetta Farnese zogen sich nach dessen Abdankung im Januar 1724 in den Könglichen Palast de la Granja de San Ildefonso zurück.
"He [Philipp V.] always remained French at heart, and lived like a Frenchman. The possibility of ruling France took root in his mind in 1712, and grew in later years to become an obsession. As soon as he received news of the death of the duke of Brittany [seines ältesten Bruders Ludwig], Philip expressed 'a vehement desire to return to France in order to claim his rights', although there was still a war on." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 158).
Die einzige Sprache, die er sein ganzes Leben lang auch als König von Spanien sprach, war Französisch. "Many French advisors and soldiers stayed on in Spain and continued to serve the king. In this, Philip was the key factor, for he continued always to speak French, conversing and corresponding with his wives and his children exclusively in that tongue. In the domestic sphere, his private household continued to be exclusively French in personnel, and his confessors were, until 1723, French." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 98).
Sein Zeitgenosse Saint-Simon, der ihn kannte, erzählt uns Folgendes über ihn: "'He [Philipp V.] loves great enterprises, troops and war.' ... The king, he conceded, was very just, deeply religious, free of all vices and very generous. However, 'he has little confidence either in himself or in others, and is silent to the point of embarrassment, even though he never says anything out of place. His appearance, and his difficulty in putting two words together, as well as his excessive shyness, often have a negative effect on what he says, except during audiences and solemn ceremonies.' He had only two pleasures, according to Saint-Simon, hunting and the conjugal bed; and if anything cut short his life it would be excessive eating and excessive sex with his wife. He enjoyed celebrations, particularly dancing: 'though bent and bow-legged, he dances like an expert, with majesty.'" (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 135-136).
Philipp V. bei seinem ersten offiziellen Empfang in Madrid: "Philip, at his first public exhibitions, rendered himself extremely popular amongst his subjects. His pleasing countenance, his youth, his affability, and bounty, won for the grandson of Maria Theresa the heart of every Castilian. While he gratified the national feelings by adopting a similar garb to that worn by the late sovereign [Karl II.] ..." Die Katalanen hingegen konnten ihn nicht ausstehen.
"Philip, decorous in his manners, unstained by vice, upright in his intentions, and obedient to tutelage, ... 'he was shy and secluded in his habits, almost mechanical in his regularity of hours - dividing his leisure between the chapel and the chase, and dotingly submissive to his wife.' At an age far earlier than it had seized the Austrian princes, a deep hypochondriac melancholy settled on the mind of the Frenchman [Philipp V.], attended by its invariable concomitants, apathy and indolence." (in: John Dunlop: Memoirs of Spain – During the reign of Philip IV. and Charles II. From 1621 to 1700, Vol 2, id., pp. 329/332).
Philipp V. war zweimal verheiratet. Seine erste Gattin war Maria Luisa von Savoyen (1688-1714), das dritte Kind des Herzogs Viktor Amadeus II. von Savoyen (1666-1732) und dessen erster Gattin Anne Marie d'Orléans (1669-1728). Die Hochzeit fand im Jahr 1701 statt, als Maria Luisa gerade einmal 12 Jahre alt war. Sie brachte vier Kinder auf die Welt, von denen zwei das Erwachsenenalter erreichten: ihre Söhne Ludwig I. (1707-1724) und Ferdinand VI. (1713-1759). Seine zweite Gattin war Elisabetta Farnese (1692-1766), die einzige Tochter von Odoardo Farnese (1666-1693) und Erbin der Farnese. Diese Ehe wurde am 24. Dezember 1714 geschlossen. Elisabetta brachte sieben Kinder auf die Welt, von denen sechs das Erwachsenenalter erreichten, u. a. ihre Söhne Karl III. (1716-1788) und Philipp (1720-1765). Nur ihr zweites Kind, ihr Sohn Francesco, starb kurz nach seiner Geburt im Jahr 1717.
Wie ein normaler Tag bei Philipp V. und seiner zweiten Gattin Elisabeth Farnese im Jahr 1720 ablief: "He and Elizabeth [die stets zusammen in einem Bett schliefen] were woken every morning by their valet at 8 a.m. and breakfasted together. Still in bed, Philip then began to study his official papers for the day. At 10 a.m. the marquis of Grimaldo was summoned and positioned himself at the foot of the bed, from where he addressed the king and discussed state business while the queen attended to her needlework. On occasion Philip might choose to be dressed rather than stay in bed, and deal with business not in his chambers but in his office. Towards midday, 12 noon, he would be back with his wife, who by now had risen and begun to dress. While she prepared herself, the king issued his daily orders concerning the household, his agenda and matters of state. By this time, the major part of the royal household, including members of the royal family, were in attendance outside their apartments. The king and queen would now spend about half an hour at least with their confessor. They would also deal with any audiences that might have to be given. ... After audiences, both Philip and Elizabeth would attend morning mass. Shortly after, they would have their lunch, the main meal of the day. It was a formal affair attended by several household officials, and might last a considerable time if the king was talkative. ... The king ate a great deal, though the range of dishes offered to him was small and tended to be chosen from a list of about fifteen preferred items. The first course was always a substantial soup. He drank very little wine, and always old burgundy. The queen ate less, although she was a lover of good food, and drank champagne with her meals. Afterwards they would spend about an hour talking, but the main business of the afternoon was an outing or diversion, normally hunting, which they did together. ... 'the queen devotes herself to hunting as much as her husband, whether because she is really enamoured of the sport or because she desires to please the king'. Elizabeth in fact was an accomplished horsewoman, and was especially expert at shooting pigeons while on horseback. Hunting tended to last until nightfall. Then, on his return in the evening, the king would deal with his ministers and with correspondence. On feast-days there was no hunting; instead the king and queen normally went to the church of Atocha and on their way back to the palace would attend celebrations in the Plaza Mayor. At 9.30 they had a short supper, which ended around 10 p.m. They might continue with official business afterwards, retiring to bed shortly after 11 p.m." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 134-135).
König Philipp V. von Spanien (die zweite Person links im großen Sessel) mit seiner zweiten Gattin Elisabetta Farnese (die dritte Person von rechts) und seinen Kindern (von links nach rechts): seinem Sohn Ferdinand [VI.] (1713-1759), seinem Sohn Ludwig [I.] (1707-1724) [diese beiden Söhne stammten aus seiner ersten Ehe mit Maria Luisa von Savoyen], seiner Tochter Maria Anna Viktoria (1718-1781), seiner Schwiegertochter Louise Elisabeth d'Orléans (1709-1742) [auf dem Porträtgemälde zu sehen, die Hochzeit mit Ludwig I. fand in Frankreich im November 1721 per procurationem statt; ihre Ankunft wird erwartet], und sein Sohn Karl [III.] (1716-1788) [Karl [III.] und Maria Anna Viktoria stammten aus seiner zweiten Ehe mit Elisabetta Farnese] (der spanische Thronfolger Ludwig I. heiratet seine Gattin Louise Elisabeth d'Orléans am 20. Januar 1722 in Spanien).
Wo sich der königliche Hof zu welcher Jahreszeit bis zum Jahr 1724 befand: "The court usually spent the months of December and January in the royal palace in Madrid. In February they all moved to the Buen Retiro. Easter was normally spent away from Madrid, at Aranjuez, but Corpus Christi was spent at the royal palace. In July the whole court moved to the Escorial for about six weeks, and then afterwards to the Pardo. From 1720 the Pardo visit was substituted by visits to Valsaín, which Philip used as his base so that he could supervise the building of the new palace in San Ildefonso. Early in December the court would return from Valsaín to Madrid." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 138).
Seit 1717 hatte man in Spanien zu befürchten, dass ihr König Philipp V. dem Wahnsinn verfallen würde. "Philip's health was becoming a source of constant anxiety. He believed himself to be suffering from an internal fire, which the doctors declared to be a pure delusion. By the autumn of 1717 the malady had developed alarming energy. 'For the last eight months,' wrote Alberoni [der wichtigste Ratgeber des Königs, der Kardinal Giulio Alberoni], 'this poor gentleman has been showing symptoms of insanity, his imagination inducing him to believe that he is destined to die immediately, fancying himself attacked by all sorts of diseases in turn.' He fancied that the sun had struck his shoulder and penetrated into his weaker organs. To all the arguments that were adduced against the possibility of such a malady he would reply that he had the misfortune not to be believed, and that death alone would justify his statement. Alberoni thought that he might become totally insane, and the doctors feared for his life. He could not sleep, and became thinner day by day. ... At the close of the year Philip's bodily health improved, though his mind still halted. He fancied himself to be dying from moment to moment, and would often call the confessor at between two and three o'clock at night. ... The king's health was naturally the all-absorbing subject of interest for the queen [Elisabetta Farnese]. There is little doubt that she was now sincerely attached to him. Alberoni described their touching tenderness for each other. They always hunted together, and their sport took the form of wholesale slaughter - six stages falling in two hours. ... He could retain nothing that he ate, and yet he was always eating. His legs were swollen, and he was unable to stand upright. His scruples of conscience were increasing, and the worst of all was that there was no hope that he would allow himself to be cured. Other ambassadors regarded the queen as being the absolute mistress of the king. Alberoni describes her as his perfect slave. She would ask no favour for herself or her friends. She was literally unable to be alone for a single moment in the day. The king followed her wherever she might go. 'She has so vehement a passion for him that it has reduced her to a blind subjection and to complete loss of will ... Would to God that the queen would have had the strength to do what I have for two years been suggesting, with tears in my eyes, and perhaps we should not now be in the condition in which we are. The king requires governing as he was governed by the late queen [die erste Gattin von Philipp V., Maria Luisa von Savoyen].'" (in: Edward Armstrong: Elisabeth Farnese – "The Termagant of Spain", id., pp. 107-109).
Weitere historische Quelle, die Philipp V. und seine Krankheit seit 1717 beschreibt: "His [Philipps V.] condition was aggravated during the summer of 1717 by a recurrence of the depressive illness that he had suffered in earlier years, the problem in all likelihood having remained under control for some time because of Elizabeth's attention to her husband. ... Attacks were episodic rather than continuous. There were days when he was normal, and days when he was unable to do anything at all and simply retired to bed. Some of the symptoms of his illness include, as we know, sleep and eating disturbances, a loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness and helplessness, difficulty in concentrating, suicidal thoughts, and a loss of a sense of pleasure and interest in life. ... He would sometimes relapse into complete silence for a day, refusing even to speak to Elizabeth. In these circumstances, it was difficult to encourage him even to change his clothes. ... The queen attended him faithfully, though she was pregnant in the latter part of 1717 (she gave birth on 31 March 1718 to Maria Ana Victoria). ... [im Jahr 1719] His place in the army was gallantly taken by Elizabeth, who inspected the troops in the king's name, on horseback and wearing a set of pistols." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 121-122/126).
Philipps gesundheitlicher Zustand im Jahr 1726: "... by the end of October Philip was struck down again, this time with serious physical symptoms. He appeared to have lost all use of his body, though his mind remained active and clear. Three assistants were required to help him get out of bed. Normally he would lie there for hours, doing nothing but staring fixedly at the ceiling and moving his lips soundlessly. Elizabeth [Elisabetta Farnese] was at his side by day and night. Then in November news arrived from France that the king, Louis XV, was ill. The information was exactly the therapy that Philip needed. It awoke in him his profound concern for the situation in France and immediately galvanised him into hyperactivity, the other pole of his depression. He decided to reassert his rights to the French throne ... His instruction to Montgon, dated Christmas Day 1726, stated explicitly that if the young king were to die without issue, 'since I am the closest relative, I have the right to succeed to the crown'. His obsession with the French succession remained with him all his life." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 160).
Philipps gesundheitlicher Zustand im Jahr 1727: "The king's illness came and went, each time assuming stranger, and more severe forms. At the end of May 1727 he was taken unwell again, in Aranjuez, and could not engage in the tasks of government. The doctors bled him because he had a slight fever. Elizabeth dutifully played her part as governor (she was formally granted the powers by a decree of 2 June) and also directed foreign policy, but refused to make any major decisions until the king had recovered." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 162).
Philipps gesundheitlicher Zustand im Jahr 1728: "He now suffered attacks that caused him to spend several days at a time in bed, and he also began to invert the order of day and night. Sometimes he would not see his ministers for weeks ... The most serious development came in June: he made it clear that he was going to abdicate again. Elizabeth recognized the auto-destructive forms of the illness and was fully prepared for the crisis, which took extreme forms. She attempted to talk to Philip, but he refused to listen to reason and their discussions ended up as serious, sometimes daily, quarrels. When Philip became very angry he also became violent and beat her. Elizabeth in one audience that she had alone with the French ambassador had to explain to him the very visible scratches and bruises that she had suffered. It was, she told him, 'a cruel situation'. ... His conduct at times was wholly bizarre. He spent several days at a time in bed. He was allowed to perform most of his duties, but with unexpected results. He would sometimes give audiences to ambassadors dressed only in his nightshirt or almost naked, without trousers or shoes. He also began to develop the most extreme symptoms of manic disorder: apart from being unable to sleep, he began to suffer from terrors, delusions and hallucinations. He dwelt again on the plots against him that had been backed by Orléans [Philippe II., Herzog von Orléans]. Because he was afraid of being poisoned through a shirt ... he would only wear shirts that Elizabeth had worn previously, and in one ambassadorial audience presented himself wearing two shirts, Elizabeth's under his own. At certain times, he would behave quite irrationally: at night he would bite himself, or scream, or start singing. Sometimes he would urinate and evacuate in his bed. His psychotic condition led him to withdraw totally from reality. At one time in July he believed that he was a frog, at another time he believed that he was dead. On occasion, he would have attacks of bulimia, and would eat voraciously for an hour or so without stopping. At every stage, when he was stable and when he suffered attacks of his illness, Elizabeth attended personally to his needs and attempted to control the impact of Philip's behaviour. In a private letter of June 1728 the marquis of la Paz expressed his admiration for the way in which she coped. 'Despite all her cares and concerns, the queen remains strong and in perfect health, and she needs all of it to stand up to this constant anxiety.'" (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 162-165).
Philipps gesundheitlicher Zustand in den Jahren 1730 bis 1733: "[Im Jahr 1730] He also rejected any attention to his person with the result that his toenails grew very long, making it difficult for him to walk. He would not allow anyone to arrange his hair, which likewise grew very long and unkempt; his solution to this was to stick a wig on the top of his unruly mop ... If Patiño [José Patiño, Erster Staatssekretär von Spanien für das Kriegswesen und die Finanzen] placed before him a carefully arranged pile of papers that had to be signed in a certain order, he would surreptitiously change the order when Patiño was not looking, placing at the bottom papers that had been at the top. ... [Im Jahr 1731] In January 1731 Philip usually went to bed at 8 a.m., then woke up for his 'morning' mass at 4 p.m., and had lunch after it. At this stage of Philip's terrible illness, the queen, who always shared the king's bedroom, displayed her incredible resilience by attempting to lead a normal life and doing things at fairly reasonable hours; she heard her morning mass, for example, at 6 a.m. ... There was, finally, a severe crisis in July. At this point, he slept only about one hour in every twenty-four. ... He walked about the Alcázar with his mouth open and his tongue hanging out. His legs were grossly swollen." [Im Jahr 1732] "From the end of the summer of 1732, he entered into another period of profound depression. From the end of August he said that he preferred to remain in bed, even though he was not apparently unwell. He would lie there for several days, saying nothing, with his finger in his mouth. The situation continued for weeks. He refused to change his bed-sheets or his clothes, and would not allow himself to be shaved or have his hair combed or his nails cut. After a month of this, by the end of which the king both looked and smelled awful, Elizabeth became desperate and decided to take over. She nominated a ruling council consisting of seven persons including the Prince of Asturias [Philipps Sohn Ferdinand VI.] and Patiño. The king's hand was held for him to sign the decree setting it up. It was a wise move, for matters only got worse. ... In the first fortnight of October, Philip refused to talk to anyone, except to say a few words to his wife and to Ferdinand. There was, according to him, logic in his madness. His silence, he said, was because he was really dead and therefore could not speak ..." In the middle of November, Philip insisted on conceding an audience to the count of Rottembourg. The startled count was presented with the spectacle of a king with his clothing completely disordered, with a long and filthy beard, and wearing no trousers or shoes, his legs and feet naked. The situation at court continued in this manner. Suddenly, on the day after Christmas, he king appeared like new, clean, shaven, well-dressed. He rose from bed at a normal time, 9 a.m., and dined not in bed but at table. But it was no recovery. Soon he was back in his bed, where he would lie immobile for hours, clutching his head with his hands and staring up at the ceiling, his mouth open. ... [Im Jahr 1733] As it happened, it was a new international crisis, over the succession to a throne, that brought Philip back to the real world of everyday events. In February 1733 the king of Poland, Augustus II, died. Poland had one of the few monarchies in Europe that was not hereditary but elected by its parliament ... As soon as Philip received the news in Seville, his condition changed ... 'He leaped from the bed' ... In the first week of March, a messenger was sent in secret from Seville to Warsaw to negotiate the possibility of the throne for the Infante Philip (then aged twelve) or even for Charles. His mind now firmly concentrated on a concrete issue, Philip had no time for his depression, and he began acting again with his old enthusiasm." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., pp. 178-190).
Philipps gesundheitlicher Zustand im Jahr 1738: "In August that year Keene [Benjamin Keene, britischer Diplomat] reported that when the king 'retires to dinner, he sets up frightful howlings'. One such howling, at the end of July, 'lasted from 12 midnight till past 2 in the morning'." (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 214).
Von seiner schweren Depression konnte ihn der italienische Kastrat Farinelli befreien, der daher an seinem Hof lebte und ihm in dieser Zeit psychischer Krise stets vorsingen musste.
Wie Philipp V. gegen Ende seines Lebens von seinen Zeitgenossen beschrieben wurde: "The king, heavy and dull, sensuous and devout, still adored his wife. He cared for nothing, and would make what use of his senses the queen pleased. His one amusement was to pore over military maps, to follow the movements of his armies, to take imaginary marches, and fight impossible battles. By his side always stood the queen, knowing nothing of diplomacy or war, but giving the decisive word in each. Yet she had still the habit of affecting reference to the king, of submitting her judgment absolutely to his will. On being contracted by the French minister, she would cry: 'I am only a fool, of course; I understand nothing, and it is not my business, there is the king; speak to him.' Then, turning to the king, she said: 'But I speak then, sire, for you put me out of patience. It is always I who have to talk for you; everything falls on me, though I do nothing but repeat what you have determined.'" (in: Edward Armstrong: Elisabeth Farnese – "The Termagant of Spain", id., p. 374).
Philipp V. in den Jahr 1727 und 1728: "In the spring of 1727 Philip became so ill that the Queen [Elisabetta Farnese] was forced openly to assume the government. She issued all orders, and Königsegg and the secretaries worked with her alone. In the following January [1728] he [Philipp V.] seemed near his end. His melancholy was succeeded by violent fits of passion; he struck his doctor, and even, it was said, his confessor. He could not sleep, and was extremely thin; he suffered from want of appetite and would only eat sweetmeats. He was taken to the Pardo [königliches Schloss] in order that he might be out of sight. In February it was reported that he could not possibly live; the Pardo did not suit him, but he was too ill to be moved. ... She [Elisabetta Farnese] attempted to propitiate her step-son [Ferdinand VI.] by associating him with her in the government. In April, however, Philip recovered his general health, and was able to receive the French ambassador. He looked well and fat, and had consented to cut his hair and nails, but there seemed no doubt that his brain was affected. ... In June he contrived, without the queen's knowledge, to write a note to the president of the Council of Castile empowering him to give immediate effect to his previous deed of renunciation, and to proclaim Ferdinand king. Notwithstanding the general desire for Philip's abdication, the council postponed the execution of the order until the following day. After dinner, while hunting, Philip divulged his action to Elisabeth, in the belief that all steps had now been taken. The queen, with wonderful presence of mind, concealed her grief and anger, and insisted only on the return of his note, in order that she might alter the provision made for herself and her children. On its recovery she tore it in pieces, and then passing from gentle and insinuating persuasion to violent reproach, she protested that she would never consent to his abdication, and that his action on his previous resignation proved that without such consent it was not legal. Philip bowed beneath his wife's reproaches, but it was believed that during his life he would nurse this idea of retirement, and it was thought prudent to deprive him of pen and paper. ... Philip, humiliated by his disgrace, took to his bed and refused to stir, though he was in good health and ate well, sometimes too well. It was almost a political event when he consented to rise for half-an-hour in order that his room might be matted and hung afresh. ... [Letztendlich wurde er gegen Ende des Jahres 1728 wieder gesund.] ... Philip was shaved for the first time for eight months, and went to church and to the hunt." (in: Edward Armstrong: Elisabeth Farnese – "The Termagant of Spain", id., pp. 259-261).
Sein Lieblingsaufenthaltsort war seit 1734 das Königliche Schloss La Granja de San Ildefonso.
von links nach rechts: Philipps Tochter Maria Anna Viktoria (1718-1781), die Königin von Portugal; seine Schwiegertochter Maria Barbara von Portugal (1711-1758), die Gattin seines Sohnes Ferdinand VI.; sein Sohn Ferdinand VI. (1713-1759); der König Philipp V.; sein jüngster Sohn Luis Antonio (1727-1785); die Königin Elisabetta Farnese; sein Sohn Philipp (1720-1765); seine Schwiegertochter Louise Elisabeth von Frankreich (1727-1759), die Gattin seines Sohnes Philipp; seine Tochter Maria Teresa (1726-1746); sein jüngstes Kind, seine Tochter Maria Antonia (1729-1785); seine Schwiegertochter Maria Amalia von Sachsen (1724-1760), Gattin seines Sohnes Karl III.; sein Sohn Karl III. (1716-1788). Sein ältester Sohn Ludwig I. weilte im Jahr 1743/44 nicht mehr unter den Lebenden. Er war am 31. August 1724 an den Pocken gestorben. Bei den kleinen Kindern im Vordergrund handelt es sich um seine Enkelinnen Maria Isabel Ana von Neapel-Sizilien (1743-1749) (links) (Tochter seines Sohnes Karl III.) und Isabella von Parma (1741-1763) (rechts) (Tochter seines Sohnes Philipp).
König Philipp V. von Spanien (verfügbar bis 16. Dezember 2098)
Philipp V. starb am 9. Juli 1746 kurz nach 13:30 Uhr (in: Henry Kamen: Philip V of Spain – The King who reigned twice, id., p. 216) an einem Schlaganfall in den Armen seiner geliebten Gattin Elisabetta Farnese. Am 17. Juli 1746 wurde er auf seinen eigenen Wunsch hin in der Kirche von San Ildefonso beerdigt. Er war der erste spanische König seit dem 16. Jahrhundert, der nicht im Escorial beerdigt wurde.
Frauen in der Renaissance – 30 Einzelschicksale
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