page_title: Order of the Golden Fleece
section_title: Grand Masters of the Order
hierarchical_section_title: Order of the Golden Fleece / Spanish order / Grand Masters of the Order
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: François-Hubert Drouais - Louis XV - 1773
context_page_description: The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. Today, two branches of the order exist, namely the Spanish and the Austrian Fleece; the current grand masters are Felipe VI, King of Spain and Karl von Habsburg, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, respectively. The Grand Chaplain of the Austrian branch is Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna.
  The separation of the two existing branches took place as a result of the Spanish War of Succession. The grand master of the order, Charles II of Spain had died childless in 1700, and so the succession to the throne of Spain and the Golden Fleece initiated a global conflict. On one hand, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, claimed the throne as an agnatic member of the House of Habsburg, which had held the throne for almost two centuries. However, the late king had named Philip of Bourbon, his sister's grandchild, as his successor in his will. After the defeat of the Habsburgs in 1714, Philip was recognized as king of Spain and the fate of the order was never clearly decided.
context_section_description: Charles I (1516-1556)
  Philip II (1556-1598)
  Philip III (1598-1621)
  Philip IV (1621-1665)
  Charles II (1665-1700)
  Philip V (1700-1724)
  Louis I (1724-1724)
  Philip V (1724-1746)
  Ferdinand VI (1746-1759)
  Charles III (1759-1788)
  Charles IV (1788-1808)
  Ferdinand VII (1808-1833)
  Isabella II (1833-1870)
  Amadeo I (1870-1873)
  Alfonso XII (1874-1885)
  Alfonso XIII (1886-1941)
  Infante Juan (1941-1969)
  Juan Carlos I (1969-2014)
  Felipe VI (2014-present)
caption: Louis XV of France wearing the Spanish Fleece in 1773
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