Editing Philip IV of Spain (section)

==Personal life==
[[File:Bartolomé González y Serrano 003.jpg|thumb|left|A {{circa|1612}} portrait of Philip and his older sister, [[Anne of Austria|Anne]]]]

Philip IV was born in the [[Royal Palace of Valladolid]], and was the eldest son of [[Philip III of Spain|Philip III]] and his wife, [[Margaret of Austria (1584–1611)|Margaret of Austria]]. In 1615, at the age of 10, Philip was married to 13-year-old [[Elisabeth of France (1602–1644)|Elisabeth of France]]. Although the relationship does not appear to have been close, some have suggested that [[Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares]], his key minister, later deliberately tried to keep the two apart to maintain his influence, encouraging Philip to take mistresses instead, by whom he is known to have had at least 30 progeny.<ref name=Stevenson12>{{harvnb|Stevenson|1912|p=12}}</ref>

Philip had ten children with Elisabeth, with only one being a son, [[Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias|Balthasar Charles]], who died at the age of sixteen in 1646. The death of his son deeply shocked the King, who appears to have been a good father by the standards of the day. Elisabeth was able to conspire with other Spanish nobles to remove Olivares from the court in 1643, and for a brief period she held considerable influence over Philip; by the time of her death, however, she was out of favour, following manoeuvering by Olivares' successor and nephew, [[Luis de Haro]].<ref name=Stevenson12/>

Aged 44 in 1649, Philip remarried, following the deaths of both Elisabeth and his only son. His choice of his second wife, 14-year-old [[Mariana of Austria|Maria Anna]], also known as Mariana, Philip's niece and the daughter of [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor]], was guided by politics and Philip's desire to strengthen the relationship with [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburg Austria]].<ref>{{harvnb|Wedgwood|1981|p=495}}</ref> They were married on 7 October 1649. Maria Anna bore him five children, but only two survived to adulthood, a daughter [[Margaret Theresa of Spain|Margarita Teresa]], born in 1651, and the future [[Charles II of Spain]] in 1661 – but the latter was sickly and considered in frequent danger of dying, making the line of inheritance potentially uncertain.<ref name=Kamen217>{{harvnb|Kamen|2005|p=217}}</ref>

Perceptions of Philip's personality have altered considerably over time. Victorian authors were inclined to portray him as a weak individual, delegating excessively to his ministers, and ruling over a debauched [[Baroque]] court.<ref name=Aercke140>{{harvnb|Aercke|1994| p= 140}}</ref> Victorian historians even attributed the early death of Balthasar to [[Sexually transmitted disease|debauchery]], encouraged by the gentlemen entrusted by the King with his education. The doctors who treated the Prince at that time in fact diagnosed [[smallpox]], although modern scholars attribute his death to [[appendicitis]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} Historians' estimation of Philip gradually improved in the 20th century, with comparisons between Philip and his father being increasingly positive – some noting that he possessed much more energy, both mental and physical, than his diffident father.<ref name=Wedgwood144>{{harvnb|Wedgwood|1981|p=144}}</ref>

Philip was idealized by his contemporaries as the model of Baroque kingship. Outwardly he maintained a bearing of rigid solemnity; foreign visitors described him as being so impassive in public he resembled a statue,<ref>{{harvnb|Darby|1994|p= 5}}</ref> and he was said to have been seen to laugh only three times in the course of his entire public life. Philip certainly had a strong sense of his 'royal dignity',<ref name=Elliot47>{{harvnb|Elliot|1991|p=47}}</ref> but was also extensively coached by Olivares in how to resemble the Baroque model of a sovereign,<ref name=Elliot47/> which would form a key political tool for Philip throughout his reign. Philip was a fine horseman, a keen [[Hunting|hunter]] and a devotee of [[Bullfighting|bull-fighting]],<ref name=Wedgwood144/> all central parts of royal public life at court during the period.

Privately, Philip appears to have had a lighter persona. When he was younger, he was said to have a keen sense of humor and a 'great sense of fun'.<ref>{{harvnb|Stradling|1988|p= 84}}</ref> He privately attended 'academies' in Madrid throughout his reign – these were lighthearted literary salons, aiming to analyze contemporary literature and poetry with a humorous touch.<ref>{{harvnb|Robbins|1998| p= 31}}</ref> A keen theatre-goer, he was sometimes criticized by contemporaries for his love of these 'frivolous' entertainments.<ref>{{harvnb|Robbins|1998| p= 28}}</ref> Others have captured his private personality as 'naturally kind, gentle and affable'.<ref name="Stevenson, p. 7">{{harvnb|Stevenson|1912|p=7}}</ref> Those close to him claimed he was academically competent, with a good grasp of [[Latin]] and [[geography]], and could speak French, Portuguese and Italian well.<ref name=Kamen213>{{harvnb|Kamen|2005|pages=213-214}}</ref> Like many of his contemporaries, including Olivares, he had a keen interest in [[astrology]].<ref>{{harvnb|Aercke|1994| p= 139}}</ref> His handwritten translation of [[Francesco Guicciardini]]'s texts on political history still exist.

Although interpretations of Philip's role in government have improved in recent years, [[Diego Velázquez]]'s contemporary description of Philip's key weakness – that 'he mistrusts himself, and defers to others too much' — remains relevant. Although Philip's Catholic beliefs no longer attract criticism from English language writers, Philip is still felt to have been 'unduly pious' in his personal life.<ref name=Kamen213/> Notably, from the 1640s onwards he sought the advice and counsel of a noted cloistered abbess, Sor [[María de Ágreda]], exchanging a number of letters with her.<ref name="Hume, p">{{harvnb|Hume|1907|pages=379-384}}</ref> This did not stop Philip for becoming known for his numerous affairs, particularly with actresses, as encouraged by the Count-Duke Olivares.<ref name=Wedgwood144/> The most famous of these affairs was with the actress [[María Calderón]] (La Calderona),<ref name=Aercke160>{{harvnb|Aercke|1994| p= 160}}</ref> with whom he had a son in 1629, [[John Joseph of Austria|Juan José]], who was brought up as a royal prince.<ref name=Kamen217/> By the end of the reign, and with the health of Carlos, [[Prince of Asturias]] in doubt, there was a real possibility of Juan José's claiming the throne, which added to the instability of the regency years.