John of Austria the Younger

Who was John of Austria the Younger?

John of Austria was a Spanish general and political figure. He was the only natural 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, and remained a popular hero even as the fortunes of Imperial Spain began to decline. In 1677 in a palace coup he took control of the monarchy of his half-brother Charles II of Spain, but he proved far from the savior Spain had hoped he would be. He remained in ineffectual power over the darkening empire until his death in 1679.

His mother was María Calderón, a popular actress, who retreated to a convent after his birth. He was raised in León by a woman of modest circumstances who likely did not know his parentage, though he received "a careful education" at Ocaña. In 1642, the King recognized him officially as his son, and John began his life's career as a military representative of his father's interests.