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On January 14, 1724, Philip abdicated the throne to his eldest son, Louis, but resumed it later that year when Louis died of smallpox.

Philip helped his Bourbon relatives to make territorial gains in the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession. During his reign Spain began to recover from the stagnation it had suffered during the twilight of the Habsburg dynasty. Ferdinand VI of SpainFerdinand VI ( September 23, 1713 August 10, 1759), king of Spain from 1746 until his death, second son of Philip V, founder of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty (as opposed to the French Bourbons), by his first marriage with Maria Louisa of Savoy, was born at, his son by his first queen Maria Luisa of Savoy , succeeded him.

Philip was afflicted by fits of manic depression and increasingly fell victim to a deep melancholia. His second wife, Elizabeth FarneseElizabeth Farnese ( October 25, 1692 1766), queen of Spain, was the only daughter of Odoardo II, prince of Parma. Her mother educated her in strict seclusion, but seclusion altogether failed to tame her imperious and ambitious temper. At the age of twenty, completely dominated her passive husband. She bore him further sons, including another successor, Charles III of SpainCharles III ( January 20, 1716 December 14, 1788) was king of Spain from 1759 to 1788. The first son of the second marriage of Philip V with Elizabeth Farnese of Parma, he was one of the so-called " enlightened monarchs". It was his good fortune to be sen.