The Exorcisms of Charles II: When They Tried to Free the King from Curses
The story of Charles II of Spain, the last monarch of the House of Habsburg on the Iberian Peninsula, is marked by great tragedies. His reign, which began in 1665 and ended in 1700, was enveloped in an aura of superstition, spells, and exorcisms that reflected the decline of a dynasty that had been a symbol of greatness in Europe. Rumors that Charles II was possessed by evil forces led the Spanish court to seek the intervention of clerics, attempting to exorcise what many believed were curses that had fallen upon the king.
A King Marked by Decline and Superstition
Born on November 6, 1661, Charles II was the son of Philip IV and Mariana of Austria, a member of the powerful House of Habsburg. From birth, his health was precarious, which sparked rumors that he had been cursed. The inbreeding within the royal family, characterized by marriages among cousins, had led to a series of genetic problems that manifested in the young king: his physical appearance was poor, with an extremely prominent jaw, and his mental development was limited. As he grew, the court began to whisper that his condition was the result of spells cast by enemies of the House of Habsburg.
The environment in which Charles II grew up was steeped in mysticism. Historical documents and chronicles of the time, such as those by the chronicler Juan de Pineda, reveal that superstition reigned in the court. It was believed that there was a curse on the Habsburg family, and that Charles II was the most affected of all. Desperation led the royal family to seek remedies in practices that may seem anachronistic and absurd to us today, but at that time were seen as the last line of defense.