Philip was the first member of the House of Bourbon to rule as King of Spain. It was well known that the union of France and Spain under one monarch would upset the balance of power in Europe, and that other European powers would take steps to prevent it. Philip's accession in Spain provoked the 13-year War of the Spanish Succession, which continued until the Treaty of Utrecht forbade any future possibility of unifying the French and Spanish crowns while confirming his accession to the throne of Spain. It also removed the Spanish Netherlands and Spanish-controlled Italy from the Spanish monarchy. In 1724, Philip abdicated in favor of his eldest son, Louis. The new king died later that year, and Philip took the throne again. Suffering from depression, he fell under the control of his second wife, Elisabeth Farnese. When he died in 1746, he was succeeded by his son Ferdinand VI.
