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Francis, Duke of Cádiz

Francis, Duke of Cádiz

Francisco de Asís María Fernando de Borbón, sometimes anglicised Francis of Assisi (13 May 1822 – 17 April 1902), was the husband of Queen Isabella II of Spain and king consort from 1846 to 1868. He is commonly styled Duke of Cádiz, the title he held before his marriage.

Francisco de Asís
Duke of Cádiz
King consort of Spain
Tenure10 October 1846 – 30 September 1868
Born(1822-05-13)13 May 1822
Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Aranjuez, Kingdom of Spain
Died17 April 1902(1902-04-17)(aged 79)
Épinay-sur-Seine, Paris, French Third Republic
Burial
El Escorial
SpouseIsabella II of Spain
Issue
  • Infanta María Isabel
  • Alfonso XII of Spain
  • Infanta María del Pilar
  • Infanta María de la Paz
  • Infanta María Eulalia
Full name
Francisco de Asís María Fernando de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias
HouseBourbon
FatherInfante Francisco de Paula of Spain
MotherPrincess Luisa Carlotta of Naples and Sicily
ReligionRoman Catholicism
Full name
Francisco de Asís María Fernando de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias

Family

Francis was born at Aranjuez, Spain, the second son (first to survive infancy) of Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain, and of his wife (and niece), Princess Luisa Carlotta of Naples and Sicily. He was named after Saint Francis of Assisi.

Marriage and children

Francis married Isabella, his double first cousin, on 10 October 1846. There is evidence that Isabella would rather have married his younger brother, Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville, and complained bitterly about her husband's effeminate habits after their first night together.

Twelve children were born during the marriage, of whom five reached adulthood:

  • Isabella, Princess of Asturias (1851–1931): married her mother's and father's first cousin Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti.

  • Alfonso XII of Spain (1857–1885).

  • Infanta María del Pilar (1861–1879).

  • Infanta María de la Paz (1862–1946): married her paternal first cousin Prince Louis Ferdinand of Bavaria.

  • Infanta Eulalia (1864–1958): married her maternal first cousin Don Antonio de Orléans y Borbón, Infante of Spain, Duke of Galliera.

There has been considerable speculation that some or all of Isabella's children were not fathered by Francis; this has been bolstered by rumours that Francis was either homosexual or physically unable to complete the sex act.

Later life

Starting in 1864, Francis acted as president of the Spanish Privy Council (Consejo del Reino). In 1868 he went into exile with his wife in France and adopted the incognito title of Count of Moratalla. In 1870 Francis and Isabella were amicably separated and, with time, became good friends, which they had certainly not been while she was Queen regnant. The 1874 restoration placed his son Alfonso XII on the throne.

In 1881 Francis took up residence at the château of Épinay-sur-Seine (currently the city hall). He died there in 1902. His wife Isabella and two of his daughters, Isabella and Eulalia, were present at his deathbed.[1]

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

  • 13 May 1822 – 10 October 1846: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cádiz

  • 10 October 1846 – 25 June 1870: His Majesty The King of Spain

  • 25 June 1870 – 17 April 1902: His Majesty King Francis of Spain

Honours

  • Spain: Knight of the Golden Fleece, 14 May 1822[2][3][4] Grand Cross, Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, 14 May 1822[5] Grand Cross, Order of Isabella the Catholic, 27 January 1824[6][7]

  • Two Sicilies: Knight of St. Januarius[8] Grand Cross, Illustrious Royal Order of St. Ferdinand and Merit[9]

  • Kingdom of Sardinia: Knight of the Annunciation, 6 August 1849[10] Grand Cross, Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, 1849

  • Duchy of Parma: Senator Grand Cross with Collar, Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, 1853[11]

  • Kingdom of Bavaria: Knight of St. Hubert, 1852[12]

  • Kingdom of Prussia: Knight with Collar of the Black Eagle[13]

  • Kingdom of Saxony: Knight of the Rue Crown, 1853[14]

  • Monaco: Grand Cross, Order of Saint-Charles, 7 September 1865[15]

  • Sweden-Norway: Knight with Collar of the Seraphim, 3 May 1853[16]

  • Baden: Knight, House Order of Fidelity, 1866[17]

  • Württemberg: Grand Cross, Order of the Württemberg Crown, 1866[18]

  • Grand Duchy of Hesse: Grand Cross, Ludwig Order, 4 September 1860[19]

  • Kingdom of Hanover: Knight of St. George, 1865[20]

Ancestry

References

[1]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.org"Don Francisco d'Assisi", The Times (18 April 1902): 9.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[2]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comKalendario manual y guía de forasteros en Madrid (in Spanish). Imprenta Real. 1834. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[3]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comNacional (Madrid), Imprenta (1866). Guía de forasteros en Madrid [para el año de 1866] (in Spanish). En la Imprenta Nacional. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.antiquesatoz.comBoettger, T. F. "Chevaliers de la Toisón d'Or - Knights of the Golden Fleece". La Confrérie Amicale. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[5]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comKalendario manual y guía de forasteros en Madrid (in Spanish). Imprenta Real. 1826. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[6]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comNacional (Madrid), Imprenta (1866). "Guía de forasteros en Madrid [para el año de 1866]" (in Spanish). En la Imprenta Nacional. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[7]
Citation Linkbooks.google.com"Kalendario manual y guía de forasteros en Madrid" (in Spanish). Imprenta Real. 1826. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[8]
Citation Linkwww.icar.beniculturali.it"Biblioteca ICAR - Almanacco Reale del Regno delle Due Sicilie per l'anno 1855". www.icar.beniculturali.it. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[9]
Citation Linkbooks.google.com(Stato), Napoli (1841). Almanacco reale del Regno delle Due Sicilie: per l'anno .... 1841 (in Italian). Stamp. Reale. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[10]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comCibrario, Luigi (1869). Notizia storica del nobilissimo ordine supremo della santissima Annunziata. Sunto degli statuti, catalogo dei cavalieri (in Italian). Eredi Botta. p. 112. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[11]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comAlmanacco di corte (in Italian). 1858. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[12]
Citation Linkbooks.google.comHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreichs Bayern (in German). Königl. Oberpostamt. 1867. p. 10. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[13]
Citation Linkarchive.orgHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Preußen (1886–87), "Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 39
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[14]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgStaatshandbuch für den Freistaat Sachsen (1867) (in German), "Königliche Ritter-Orden", p. 4
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[15]
Citation Linkjournaldemonaco.gouv.mcJournal de Monaco
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[16]
Citation Linkruneberg.org"Sveriges statskalender (1864), p. 422" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-01-06 – via runeberg.org.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[17]
Citation Linkdigital.blb-karlsruhe.deHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Baden (1902), "Großherzogliche Orden" p. 65
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[18]
Citation Linkarchive.orgHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 27
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[19]
Citation Linkarchive.orgHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Hessen (1879), "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 11
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM
[20]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgHof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Hannover (1865), "Königliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 38
Sep 25, 2019, 11:08 PM