Biography of PHILIP of Spain (King of England) - Archontology
HomeNationsUnited KingdomEnglandMonarchsPHILIP of Spain (King of England)
PHILIP of Spain (King of England)

Philip

b. 21 May 1527, Valladolid, Spain
d. 13 Sep 1598, El Escorial, Spain

Title: Joint style: Philippus et Maria, Dei Gratia Rex et Regina Anglie, Francie, Neapolis, Ierusalem, et Hibernie; Fidei Defensores; Principes Hispanie et Sicilie; Archiduces Austrie; Duces Mediolani, Burgundie, et Brabancie; Comites Haspurgi, Flandrie, et Tirolis (Philip and Mary, by the grace of God King and Queen of England, France, Naples, Jerusalem, and Ireland; Defenders of the Faith; Princes of Spain and Sicily; Archdukes of Austria; Dukes of Milan, Burgundy, and Brabant; Counts of Hapsburg, Flanders, and Tyrol) [further changes applied, see note 1]
Term: 25 Jul 1554 - 17 Nov 1558
Chronology: 25 Jul 1554, married Queen Mary I, Winchester
  25 Jul 1554, new royal titles publicly proclaimed at the wedding banquet, Winchester
  29 Aug 1555, left England
  17 Nov 1558, forfeited the titles of King of England, France, and Ireland upon the death of Mary I
Names/titles: Original name: Felipe; for other titles of Philip after 1558 see note 2)
Biography:

Philip was the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Karl V (Carlos I of Spain) and Isabella of Portugal. He had received the Duchy of Milan from his father in 1546 and the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily in 1554 on the occasion of his marriage (25 Jul 1554) to Queen Mary I of England.

Philip's royal authority as king-consort was limited by the marriage treaty (see note 2) and his subordinate status was defined in a number of parliamentary acts. Called by his father, Philip left England on 29 Aug 1555. Karl V resigned the Netherlands (21 Oct 1555) and the kingdoms of Spain and the Spanish overseas empire (16 Jan 1556) in favor of Philip. After almost two years of childless marriage, Mary died in 1558 and Philip forfeited any rights to the English throne as he was entitled to exercise it only "for so long as the matrimony endureth". [1; 2]


[1] Handbook of British Chronology (1986)
[2] "Mary Tudor: a life", by David Loades (Basil Blackwell, Cambridge, MA, 1989).
  Image: portrait of Philip of Spain by an unknown artist.