Philip III of Spain
Philip III ruled Spain from 1598 to 1621, delegated the government almost entirely, and presided over the beginning of its decline. Born in Madrid in 1578, he was the only surviving son of Philip II by his fourth wife, and his father is reported to have said that God, who had given him so many kingdoms, had denied him a son fit to govern them. He was pious, mild and uninterested in administration. On his accession he handed power to Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, Duke of Lerma, who governed for twenty years as the first of the great Spanish validos, or royal favourites, and made a spectacular fortune from it — moving the capital to Valladolid in 1601 and back to Madrid in 1606, on both occasions to the profit of his own property speculation. Lerma ended the wars his predecessor had left. Peace was made with England in 1604 and a Twelve Years' Truce agreed with the Dutch in 1609, which relieved the treasury and effectively conceded Dutch independence in practice. In 1609 the crown expelled the Moriscos, the descendants of Muslims forcibly converted a century earlier. Around 300,000 people were deported, mostly to North Africa. It was popular, and it stripped Valencia and Aragon of a large part of their agricultural labour force, with lasting economic damage. American silver receipts fell, the coinage was debased with copper vellón, and inflation followed. Lerma was replaced by his own son in 1618 and escaped prosecution by obtaining a cardinal's hat. Spain re-entered the German war in 1618. Philip died in 1621.
- Lived: 1578 CE – 1621 CE
- Nationality: Spanish
- Roles: king, head_of_state
