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"Spanish
Cob"
Carlos II ~ Ca.1665-1700
Obverse: Crowned
monogram of Carlos II with date below.
Reverse: Cross of Jerusalem with lions and castles in quadrants.
At the age of four, Carlos II, byname Carlos the Mad, the last child of
Philip IV and Maria Anna of Austria, inherited the Spanish throne.
Carlos's reign opened with ten-year regency under the Queen Mother.
At this time the government was preoccupied with combating the ambitions
of the French King Louis XIV in the Low Countries and with the intrigues
at court involving the queen and her favorites.
During this period and the following years until Carlos died in 1700,
Spain's state of affairs continued to worsen. Despite heavy
taxation and the frequent arrival of plate (treasure) fleets the
treasury was bankrupt manufacturing had all but ceased, trade was in the
hands of foreigners and corruption ruled public offices at home and
abroad.
When it became apparent Carlos would not father any children he made
known in his will that he favored Philip, the grandson of Louis XIV of
France, thereby ending the line of Spanish Hapsburgs.
Upon his death. the war of the Spanish succession led to the
dismembering of Spain's European possessions.
Silver coins were struck in New Spain for Carlos II in
denominations of 8, 4, 2, 1 and 1/2 reales. Gold coins were issued
in units of 8, 4, 2, and 1 escudos. The most important coinage
development during the reign of Carlos was the granting of permission to
coin gold at the Mexico City mint in 1675.. |
