Charles the 2nd of Spain

Charles the 2nd of Spain

Anomaly? Or product of Royal Intermarraige?

Charles the 2nd was the Habsburg ruler of Spain during the 1700s. Born on November 6th, 1661, Charles became king at the tender young age of 4. Known most notably for his physical disfigurements; it is still widely debated as to the reasons why? Many believe he is the by-product of a continuous effort to maintain an exclusive Royal bloodline. For much of history, royal families often implemented these incestual practices. In Europe, this was widely practiced from the dark ages to the fringes of World War One. Families would often take part in Royal Intermarriage, either by law or national interest. This practice could also serve to initiate or maintain peace within dynasties.

It is widely believed that over sixteen generations of inbreeding took place, possibly solidifying Charles’s grotesque features. Frightfully ugly, it is said that Charles unsettled even his own wife. Throughout his life, he suffered from many health complications, and many didn’t think he would grow to live past his adolescence. Historian John Langdon-Davies summarized his life as, "Of no man is it truer to say that in his beginning was his end; from the day of his birth, they were waiting for his death"

Charles’s family lineage can be traced back through generations of Royal Intermarriage.

Charles the 2nd of Spain was married twice, though, was unable to bear any children. When he died at the of 39, he was unable to produce a successor to him. His 16-year-old half-nephew Philip of Anjou was eventually appointed to take the throne. His mental, as well as physical impairment, made it tremendously difficult for Charles to rule the monarchy on his own; appointed primarily to maintain the throne within the Habsburg bloodline. Charles’s tongue was so large, it impeded his speech when he spoke. His mandible was equally distorted, with his teeth not being able to touch at all. This presented a massive issue, as he was unable to chew his food. It is believed that Charles was poorly educated, with barely any effort being put forth by the Royal family as a response to his physical and mental condition. Presumably illiterate, Charles was not much use to the throne. Although we are not quite sure why Habsburg had such a protrusive jaw, it is widely speculated that his jaw was the result of a recessive gene, this occurs when the phenotype of each individual reproducing is the same.

There is no definitive proof that Charles the 2nd was inbred. Though, with his symptoms mirroring that of incestual inbreeding, we can only assume this was the case. Considering all of the facts you must ask yourself, do you believe he was inbred?