Carlos | |
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Prince of Asturias | |
![]() Portrait by Alonso Sánchez Coello, 1564 | |
Born | 8 July 1545 Valladolid, Crown of Castile |
Died | 24 July 1568 Madrid, Crown of Castile | (aged 23)
Burial | |
House | Habsburg |
Father | Philip II of Spain |
Mother | Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal |
Carlos, Prince of Asturias, also known as Don Carlos (8 July 1545 – 24 July 1568), was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Philip II of Spain. His mother was Maria Manuela of Portugal, daughter of John III of Portugal. Carlos was known to be mentally unstable and was imprisoned by his father in early 1568, dying after half a year of solitary confinement. His imprisonment and death were utilized in Spain's Black Legend. His life inspired the play Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller and the opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi.