Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Balthasar Charles |
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| Prince of Asturias Prince of Portugal |
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Portrait by Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo, c. 1642
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| Born | 17 October 1629 Royal Alcázar, Madrid, Spain |
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| Died | 9 October 1646 (aged 16) Zaragoza, Spain |
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| House | Habsburgs of Spain | ||||
| Father | Philip IV of Spain | ||||
| Mother | Elisabeth of France | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Balthasar Charles (born October 17, 1629 – died October 9, 1646) was a Spanish prince. He was the only son of King Philip IV of Spain and his first wife, Elisabeth of France. This meant he was the next in line to become king of Spain and all its lands, until he passed away. He held many important titles, like Prince of Asturias and Prince of Portugal.
Contents
Life of a Young Prince
Early Life and Education
Balthasar Charles was born in Madrid, Spain. He was baptized on November 4, 1629, in a special ceremony. His godparents were his aunt, Infanta Maria Anna, and his uncle, Infante Charles.
The Countess of Olivares, a close friend of the Queen, helped raise the young prince. She was his governess, which means she was in charge of his care and education. This showed how much influence the Count-Duke of Olivares, a powerful advisor to the King, had over the royal family.
Becoming the Official Heir
On March 7, 1632, when Balthasar Charles was just two years old, he was officially sworn in as the "Heir to His Majesty" and "Prince of these kingdoms." This important ceremony took place in Madrid. It meant he was formally recognized as the future king of Castile and Leon, and all the other lands connected to the Spanish Crown.
Plans for Marriage
As Balthasar Charles grew older, his father, King Philip IV, started looking for a bride for him. This was a common practice for royal families to form alliances with other countries.
The chosen bride was Archduchess Mariana of Austria. She was his cousin, as her mother was King Philip IV's sister. They became officially engaged in 1646. Another possible bride was Mary, Princess Royal, who was the daughter of the English King Charles I. However, she was not chosen because of differences in religion.
Visiting Different Kingdoms
After a big rebellion in Catalonia in 1640, King Philip IV wanted to get more support from other parts of Spain, like Aragon. He needed money and soldiers for new wars. To help with this, he brought Balthasar Charles to be sworn in as the crown prince of the Kingdom of Aragon.
This ceremony happened on August 20, 1645, when the prince was sixteen. It took place in the Cathedral of the Savior in Zaragoza. There, he received more titles, including Prince of Gerona and Duke of Montblanc. A few months later, on November 13, 1645, Balthasar Charles was also sworn in as the heir to the Kingdom of Valencia.
In April 1646, the King and Prince traveled to Pamplona. There, Balthasar Charles was sworn in as the heir to the throne of Navarre on May 3, 1646. This was another important step to unite the different parts of the Spanish monarchy.
Illness and Death
After the ceremony in Navarre, the royal family went back to Zaragoza. On October 5, 1646, the prince became very ill. The next day, he had to stay in bed while his father went to a memorial service for his mother, Queen Elisabeth, who had passed away two years earlier.
The illness was smallpox, a very serious disease at the time. It spread quickly. On October 9, 1646, Prince Balthasar Charles passed away at 9 in the evening. He was just 16 years old. His body was later moved to the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where many Spanish royals are buried.
His death was a huge loss for King Philip IV. After Balthasar Charles died, his former fiancée, Mariana of Austria, later married King Philip IV instead.
Depictions in Art
Prince Balthasar Charles is remembered today partly because of the many famous portraits painted of him. The most well-known artist who painted him was Velázquez. Some of these famous paintings include:
- Prince Balthasar Charles on horseback
- Prince Balthasar Charles hunter
- Prince Balthasar Charles with a dwarf
Another artist, Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo, also painted the prince. Balthasar Charles was a great supporter of these artists.
Many writers also dedicated their works to the young prince. For example, Diego de Saavedra Fajardo dedicated his famous book, Idea of a Christian Political Prince Represented in a Hundred Enterprises (1640), to the Prince. Baltasar Gracián also dedicated his work The Discreet (1646) to him. Even the famous poet Quevedo dedicated a poem to the prince after his death.
Images for kids
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Balthasar Charles with a court dwarf, by Velázquez, 1631
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Balthasar Charles, 1633, with a sword, Marshall's baton and armour gorget.
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Balthasar Charles, in his hunting attire, by Velázquez, 1635
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Balthasar Charles, in his riding attire, by Velázquez, c. 1635
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Balthasar Charles, in his hunting attire, by Martínez del Mazo, 1635
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Prince Baltasar Carlos in the Riding School with the Count-Duke of Olivares outside Buen Retiro Palace, by Velázquez 1636
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Balthasar Charles, by Velázquez 1640
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Portrait by Martínez del Mazo, c. 1642
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Prince Balthasar Charles
See also
In Spanish: Baltasar Carlos de Austria para niños
