John of Austria the Younger

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John of Austria the Younger
Regent of Spain
In office
1677 – 17 September 1679
MonarchCharles II
Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands
In office
1656–1659
Preceded byLeopold Wilhelm of Austria
Succeeded byThe Marquis of Caracena
Personal details
Born(1629-04-07)7 April 1629
Madrid
Died17 September 1679(1679-09-17) (aged 50)
Madrid
ParentsPhilip IV of Spain
María Calderón

John Joseph of Austria or John of Austria (the Younger) (Spanish: Don Juan José de Austria) (7 April 1629 – 17 September 1679) was a Spanish general and political figure. He was the only illegitimate son of Philip IV of Spain to be acknowledged by the King and trained for military command and political administration. Don John advanced the causes of the Spanish Crown militarily and diplomatically at Naples, Sicily, Catalonia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Dunkirk and other fronts. He was the governor of the Southern Netherlands from 1656 to 1659. He remained a popular hero even as the fortunes of Imperial Spain began to decline. His feuds with his father's widow, Queen Mariana, led to a 1677 palace coup through which he exiled Mariana and took control of the monarchy of his half-brother Charles II of Spain. However, he proved far from the savior Spain had hoped he would be. He remained in power until his death in 1679.