Description
Kingdom of Spain, Philip V of the French House of Bourbon, King of the Spanish Empire in his first reign 1700-1724 AD, Gold 8 Escudos (26.89g, 37mm), 1704 SP, Seville mint, “S-8-P-8” variety. Obverse: Royal Shield of Arms of the Kingdom of Spain (Common version, 1700-1761 AD) surmounted by Royal Crown and surrounded by Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, legend surrounds, “PHILIPPVS V DEI GRAT”. Reverse: Cross of Jerusalem with fleurs-de-lis in angles, surrounded by double lined quatrefoil, mark of value twice, mintmark and assayer’s initial “S 8 P 8” in each spandrel, all within inner dotted border, date above, legend and outer toothed border surrounds, “HISPANIARVM REX”. KM-260; Calico-2271; Cayon-9896. A charming representative of the milled types of Philip V, offering commendable visual appeal despite the minor soft strike over the central devices which is a common occurrence accompanying the series, very attractive overall and desirable, Extremely Fine for the type.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Philippus quīntus, Deī Grātiā”, with an English translation of “Philip the Fifth, by the Grace of God”. The reverse Latin legend continues from the obverse and reads “Hispāniarum Rēx”, with an English translation of “King of the Spanish People”.
The son of Louis, Grand Dauphin of France and heir presumptive of King Louis XIV, and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, Philip V of Spain was a member of the French Royal family, the House of Bourbon, a branch of the famous Capetian dynasty, the Royal House of France. Far down the line of succession to the French throne behind his father and elder brother Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Philip was not expected to become a monarch other than as his hereditary role as Duke of Anjou – this would change with the events of the succession of the Spanish empire. The Spanish succession had caused concern amongst the great European powers for well over forty years; at the time, Philip’s great-uncle King Charles II of the House of Habsburg ruled a vast empire comprising of Spain, Naples, Sicily, Milan, the Spanish Netherlands, as well as the vast colonial territories of the empire, and was unable to produce an heir. Much like the French throne, Philip’s father and elder brother had greater claim to the Spanish throne – despite this, however, each were unsuitable heirs as they were expected to inherit France. Therefore, after the Royal Council meeting in France, Charles II, now ill and on his deathbed, named the 16-year-old Philip of Anjou as heir in his will and he would ascend as King of Spain on the 1st November 1700. Philip V’s proclamation as king of an undivided Spanish Empire on the 16th November 1700 led to European conflict, the War of the Spanish Succession, with France and Spain on one side and the Grand Alliance on the other.