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Ferdinand VI of Spain

Also known as Ferdinand the Learned (epithet) · Ferdinand the Just (epithet)

Madrid, 23 Sep 1713 – Villaviciosa de Odón, 10 Aug 1759

13 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born23 Sep 1713, Madridnot verified1 source
  • MarriedBarbara of Portugal, Queen of Spainnot verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Spain, 1746–1759or Head of State of Spain, 1746–1759not verified1 source
  • TitleHead of State of Spain, 1746–1759or Monarch of Spain, 1746–1759not verified1 source
  • Died10 Aug 1759, Villaviciosa de Odónnot verified1 source
  • FatherPhilip V of Spainnot verified1 source
  • MotherMaria Luisa of Savoynot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 23 Sep 1713

    Born in Madrid

  2. 1746–1759

    Monarch of Spain

  3. 1746–1759

    Head of State of Spain

  4. 10 Aug 1759

    Dies in Villaviciosa de Odón, aged 45

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Madrid.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1710s · Ferdinand VI is born in Madrid

In the news1700–1714

War of the Spanish Succession begins

The War of the Spanish Succession broke out in 1700, bringing years of heavy taxation, conscription, and famine that crippled local economies like Ubeda.

Music

Dances at religious festivals

Religious festivals like Corpus Christi featured organized processions with fixed performances, including the dance of the giants and sword dances.

Daily life

Dark homes with paper windows

Ordinary homes were dark because the poor could not afford glass and instead covered their small windows with oiled paper. Light and protection against the cold were luxuries reserved for the wealthy.

War of the Spanish Succession. Europe’s powers fought for thirteen years over who would inherit the Spanish throne; a Bourbon kept it, and Britain gained Gibraltar.In Europe · 1701–1714

War of the Spanish Succession. Europe’s powers fought for thirteen years over who would inherit the Spanish throne; a Bourbon kept it, and Britain gained Gibraltar.

DavidDijkgraaf · CC0

In the news1716

Nueva Planta decrees centralize administration

In 1716, Philip V issued the Nueva Planta decrees, which abolished regional laws and parliaments in Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia to create a centralized, unitary state.

Getting around

Mules were the primary means of transport

Most ordinary travelers and merchants relied on mules, as wheeled carriages were largely absent from long-distance travel until the late 18th century. Carriages were mainly used within cities, and ox-carts were restricted to short distances for heavy goods.

At the table

Wine was safer than water

Ordinary families drank wine daily, often mixed with water, because it was considered safer and more caloric than public water sources.