King Philip IV of Spain (1605 - 1665) was the son of Philip III and Margaret of Austria. Philip V reluctantly assumed the Spanish throne in 1700 and was the first of the Bourbon dynasty, which continues to reign today. Philip’s 46 year reign, briefly curtailed in 1724 when he abdicated in favor of his short-lived son, Louis I, was one of the most important in the country’s history. Modern accounts of Philip demonstrate that the king initiated significant developments in politics, imperial policy, finance, government, and the army that laid the basis of the modern Spanish state. Philip also encouraged literature, the creative arts, and music in ways that brought Spanish culture closer in touch with Europe, and he dealt authoritatively with issues concerning the autonomy of the provinces of Spain and the role of the monarchy itself.The portrait was painted circa 1750 and shows the young king dressed in Spanish fashion - black and with a white ruff. He wears the badge of the Order ...