When we last left Felipe V, he had just arrived in Madrid, his new capital, on 22 January, 1701, carrying a letter of advice from his grandfather, Louis XIV. At first, his accession went smoothly, with no war imminent.
The portrait of Felipe V at left hangs in a state room at Versailles, where he was proclaimed King of Spain on 16 November, 1700.
All of the Spanish dominions accepted him as their king. The nations of Europe did, too, except for Austria. At the beginning of 1701 it seemed that Felipe V’s accession was a fait accompli. The calm was not to last, however.
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