Name Archduke of Parents Philip III of Spain | Role Philip III of Spain\'s son Siblings Philip IV of Spain | |
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Died July 30, 1632, Madrid, Spain Grandparents Philip II of Spain, Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain Nieces Maria Theresa of Spain, Margaret Theresa of Spain Similar People Philip III of Spain, Philip IV of Spain, Cardinal‑Infante Ferdinand of Austria, Margaret of Austria - Queen of, Charles II - Archduke of Austria | ||
Infante Carlos of Spain, also known as Infante Charles of Spain (15 September 1607 – 30 July 1632) was infante of Spain, the second son of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria.
Life
Charles was the younger brother of Philip IV and as long as the King remained childless was heir to the Spanish throne. Charles was never a friend of Philip's favourite and prime minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, and though he was uninterested in politics, he was used by various nobles in attempts to overthrow Olivares.
During his brother's severest illness, Charles was on the point of ascending the throne but Philip recovered and in 1629 finally fathered a son, Balthasar Charles. This dissipated Charles' political importance completely.
Charles was one of the era's most enigmatic characters due to his strange and possibly unhealthy personality. He died in 1632, aged 25. Francisco de Quevedo dedicated a sonnet entitled The Burial of the Most Serene Infante Don Carlos to this event.