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Claims to the Spanish throne

In 1700, King Charles II of Spain, the last Habsburg to rule Spain, died childless. His will named as successor Philip, grandson of Charles' half-sister Maria Theresa, the first wife of Louis XIV. Upon any possible refusal, the crown of Spain would be offered next to Philip's younger brother, the Duke of Berry, then to the Archduke Charles of Austria, later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. Philip had the better genealogical claim to the Spanish throne, because his Spanish grandmother and great-grandmother were older than the ancestors of the Archduke Charles of Austria. However, the Austrians maintained that Philip's grandmother had renounced the Spanish throne for herself and her descendants as part of her marriage contract. That renunciation was contingent on her dowry being paid. The French claim to Spain was due to the dowry having never been paid. In addition to this, while Philip did have a remote claim to the throne of France, Archduke Charles had an even more proximate claim to be Holy Roman Emperor, and his ascension to the throne would have also destabilized the European balance of power.

After a long Royal Council meeting in France at which the Dauphin spoke up in favor of his son's rights, it was agreed that Philip would ascend the throne, and in doing so, forfeit his and his heirs' claim to the throne of France. The Royal Council decided to accept the provisions of the will of Charles II naming Philip King of Spain.