CHARLES


Meaning of CHARLES in English

n.

Spanish Carlos

born Nov. 6, 1661, Madrid, Spain

died Nov. 1, 1700, Madrid

King of Spain (1665–1700), the last monarch of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty .

Son of Philip IV and Maria Anna of Austria, he was slow-witted and became known as Charles the Mad. His reign opened with a 10-year regency under the queen mother. The first phase of his personal government was concerned with resistance to the French imperialism of Louis XIV , and the second was dominated by the succession problem, for it was clear that he would father no children. His death led to the War of the Spanish Succession .

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.