Charles II of Spain vs Philip of Hesse

Charles II was born with numerous health problems due to Habsburg inbreeding, including a deformed jaw, epilepsy, and intellectual disabilities. He was unable to walk until age eight and was considered unfit to rule, leading to a regency throughout his life.

Charles II inherited the Spanish throne at age four upon the death of his father Philip IV. His reign was marked by severe physical and mental disabilities due to generations of inbreeding, leading to a regency government.

Charles II's government signed the Treaty of Ryswick, ending the Nine Years' War with France. Spain ceded territories in the Caribbean and Europe to France, but the treaty temporarily stabilized relations before the succession crisis.

Charles II died without an heir, leaving his throne to Philip of Anjou (grandson of Louis XIV) in his will. This sparked the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) as European powers contested the Bourbon succession to the Spanish throne.

Philip introduced the Protestant Reformation in the Landgraviate of Hesse, adopting Lutheran doctrines and dissolving monasteries. He established a state church under his control, making Hesse a center of the Reformation and a model for other Protestant territories.

Philip founded the University of Marburg, the first Protestant university in the world. It became a leading center for Lutheran theology and humanist studies, training clergy and scholars for the Reformation movement across Germany.

Philip was a key organizer of the Schmalkaldic League, a defensive alliance of Protestant princes and cities within the Holy Roman Empire. The league aimed to protect Lutheran territories from the Catholic Emperor Charles V, and it became the main military force of the Reformation.

Philip entered into a bigamous marriage with Margarethe von der Saale, with the consent of Martin Luther and other reformers. This scandal weakened his political standing and gave his enemies, including Charles V, leverage against him, leading to his eventual imprisonment.

Philip was captured by Imperial forces at the Battle of M

Philip was released from Imperial captivity after the Treaty of Passau, which granted religious toleration to Lutherans. His release was part of a broader settlement that recognized the Protestant faith in the Empire, paving the way for the Peace of Augsburg.