Charles_II_of_Spain

Charles II (6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700) became the last Habsburg King of Spain at the age of three in 1665. Now best remembered for his physical disabilities, and the War of the Spanish Succession that followed his death, his reign is generally viewed as one of managed decline. However, many of the issues pre-dated him, and the Spanish Empire remained largely intact at his death.
For reasons that are still debated, Charles experienced extended periods of ill health throughout his life, and although twice married, neither union produced children. As a consequence, the question of his inheritance was a prominent consideration in European politics from the moment he became king. Historian John Langdon-Davies wrote that "...from the day of his birth, they were waiting for his death".The choice of his successor lay between Austrian Habsburg Archduke Charles, and 16-year-old Philip of Anjou, grandson of Maria Theresa of Spain and Louis XIV of France. Acquisition of the Spanish Empire by either potentially threatened to alter the European balance of power in favour of France or Austria. Shortly before his death in November 1700, Charles named Philip his heir, and failure to resolve the issues arising through diplomacy led to war in 1701.