Queen Isabel II and King Francisco I de Assis

[Marengo]

Maria Isabel II Luisa, Queen of Spain (Madrid 10 October 1830 - Paris, 9 April 1904); married in Madrid on 10 October 1846 Francisco de Asis, King-Consort of Spain (Aranjuez, 13 May 1822 - Epinay-sur-Seine, 13 April 1902)

Reign: 1833 - 1868 (From 1833-1843 under the regency of her mother, Queen Maria Cristina)

Dynasty: Bourbon

Predecessor: King Fernando VII of Spain

Succeeded by: King Amedeo I of Spain

Children*: Prince Fernando of Spain, Prince of Asturias, Princess Maria Isabel of the Two Sicilies, Princess Maria Cristina, King Alfonso XII, Princess Maria de la Conception, princess Maria del Pilar of Spain, Princess Maria de la Paz of Bavaria, Prince Francisco de Assis of Spain and Princess Eulalia of Spain & Orleans

Parents Isabel: King Fernando VII of Spain and Princess Maria Cristina of the Two Sicilies

Parents Francisco de Assis: Prince Francisco de Paula of Spain, Duke of Cadiz and Princess Luisa of the Two Sicilies

Sister Isabel: Princess Luise Fernanda of Orleans & Spain

Siblings Francisco de Assis: Prince Francisco de Assis of Spain, Duke of Cadiz; Princess Isabel, Countess Gurowski; Prince Enrique of Spain, Duke of Seville; Luisa, Duchess of Sessa; Prince Duarte of Spain; Princess Josefina of Spain, Mrs. Güell; Princess Teresa of Spain; Prince Fernando of Spain; Princess Maria Cristina of Spain & Portugal, Princess Amalia of Bavaria

* There is some serious doubt that King Francicso de Assis is actually the father of Queen Isabel's children.

 

[Marengo]

Isabella II (October 10, 1830 – April 10, 1904), Isabel II in Spanish, was Queen regnant of Spain ("Queen of the Spains" officially from August 13, 1836, Isabella II the "queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon,...") She was Spain's first and so far only queen regnant, although in the counting of spanish kings the previous kings of Leon and Castile were counted as kings of Spain (and henceforth, the numeral second).
Isabella was born in Madrid in 1830 and was the eldest daughter of Ferdinand VII, king of Spain, and of his fourth wife and niece, Maria Christina, a Neapolitan Bourbon and also the niece of Marie Antoinette. Maria became queen-regent on September 29, 1833, when her daughter Isabella, at the age of three years, was proclaimed queen on the death of the king.
Queen Isabella succeeded to the throne because Ferdinand VII induced the Cortes to assist him in setting aside the Salic law, which the Bourbons had introduced in the beginning of the 18th century, and to re-establish the older succession law of Spain. The brother of Ferdinand, Carlos, the first pretender, fought seven years, during the minority of Isabella, to dispute her title. Supporters of Carlos and his descendants were known as Carlists and the dispute over the succession was the subject of a number of Carlist Wars in the 19th century.
Isabella's rights were only maintained through the support of the army. The Cortes and the Liberals and Progressives, who at the same time established constitutional and parliamentary government, dissolved the religious orders, confiscated the property of the orders including the Jesuits, and attempted to restore order in finances. After the Carlist war the queen-regent, Christina, resigned to make way for Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara, the most successful and most popular general of the Isabelline armies, who remained regent for only two years.
He was turned out in 1843 by a military and political pronunciamiento led by Generals O'Donnell and Narvaez, who formed a cabinet, presided over by Joaquin Maria Lopez, and this government induced the Cortes to declare Isabella of age at thirteen. Three years later the Moderado party or Castilian Conservatives made their Queen marry, at sixteen, her cousin, Prince Fernando I Francisco de Asis de Bourbon-Cadige (1822–1902), on the same day (October 10, 1846) her younger sister married the duke of Montpensier.
These marriages suited the views of France and Louis Philippe, who nearly quarrelled in consequence with Britain; but both matches were anything but happy. In fact, persistent rumor had it that few if any of the Spanish Queen regnant's children were conceived by her king-consort, a homosexual. The heir to the throne, who would eventually become Alfonso XII, for instance, was widely believed to be Isabella's child by a captain of the guard, Enrique Puig y Moltó.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

 

[Marengo]

Francis of Spain (Spanish: Francisco de Asís de Borbón; 13 May 1822 - 17 April 1902) was king consort of Queen Isabella II of Spain, Duke of Cadiz in his own right, and titularly king, although Isabella was the ruler, queen regnant.

Francis was born at Aranjuez, Spain, the second son of Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain, Duke of Cadiz, and of his wife, Princess Luisa Carlotta of the Two Sicilies. He was named after Francis of Assisi.
Francis' paternal grandparents were Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma. His maternal grandparents were Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella of Spain. Maria Isabella was a daughter of Charles IV and Maria Luisa.

Francis married Isabella on 10 October 1846. It is documented that young Isabella would rather have wanted to espouse his younger brother, infante Enrique, Duke of Sevilla, and compained bitterly about her wedded husband's effeminate habits after their first night. Twelve children were born of the marriage, of whom only four reached adulthood.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

 

[Jason R Maier esq]

On a related note, I did read the wikipedia articles and it was noted that it was a rumor that Francisco was not the biological father of some of the children he and Isabel II had (particularly Alfonso XII).

Any truth to it?

 

[Marengo]

Well, in almost all books I have read about the matter it is assumed that Fransisco is the father of a very few -if any- of Isabels children. The rumours are very strong as Isabel had lovers (and wasn't overly secretive about it) and Fransisco was considered a homosexual. Still, Fransisco recognised all the children which is all that matters in the legal sense of course.

 

[PssMarie-Elisabeth]

Reina Isabel II

A closeup of Queen Isabel II

 

[Ekaterina Romanova]

Some pictures of Isabella

With her husband, Francisco de Asis AKA Paquita

( Copyright Free)

Of the same photoshoot, Isabella , her husband and kids, Isabella "La chata", Alfonso and little Maria Paz

(Copyright free)

Here s a couple of pictures of the biological father of Infanta Eulalia, Pilar and Paz, Miguel Tenorio de Castilla.He was a handsome and intelligent man

(Public domain pictures)

 

[Kotroman]

Hmmm, I see that Francis is referred to as Francisco I. Does this mean that he was jure uxoris monarch of Spain, just like Ferdinand V and Philip I were jure uxoris monarchs of Castile? I have always though that he was a king consort (that is, a male queen consort who has no monarchical powers and no monarchical ordinal). I've never seen him listed among the monarchs of Spain, perhaps because he was not de facto monarch, but was he monarch de jure?

 

[Marengo]

I am afraid that is a mistake in the title. I have been checking several internet sources now and nowhere the 'I' is used but just 'King Fransisco/Francis'.
The only examples I know of monarchs where both have a number would be Queen Maria I and King Peter III (her uncle) of Portugal and William III and Mary II of England.

 

[Kotroman]

The only examples I know of monarchs where both have a number would be Queen Maria I and King Peter III (her uncle) of Portugal and William III and Mary II of England.

There are many more cases of joint reign of spouses: Maria I and Ferdinand II of Portugal, Joanna and Philip I of Castile, Isabella I and Ferdinand V of Castile, Mary and Maximilian of Burgundy, Joan I and Philip I of Navarre, Joan II and Philip III of Navarre, Joan III and Anthony of Navarre, Blanche I and John II of Navarre, Mary and Sigismund of Hungary, Hedwig and Jagello of Poland, etc, etc.

 

[grandlordbenji16]

i dont understand how double cousins marry to each other but like louis XIV of france and his wife marie theresa of spain they paid the ultimate price since most of their kids were stillborn or died in infacy i understand second cousin and third cousin but DOUBLE cousins that incest francisco and isabel mothers were sisters francisco father and isabel father were brother and they both married their niece which makes two of them born to an uncle and niece marriage things like that didnt happen in england such uncle and niece only the hapsburg and bourbon does such kind of thing distgusting !!!!!!! eww

 

[historianrp]

Isabel II fan?

I'm a fan collector , and I buy here in Brazil a fan from a french historian. This fan show a lady that appear like queen Isabel II.
Could someone help to resolve this question?

this gentleman dont is Francisco de Assis. I think that this man in Carlo Marfori, Marques de Lojas

 

[An Ard Ri]

25 June 1870-Isabella II forced to abdicate.

Isabella II of Spain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[theresa_225]

Isabel about her wedding day:

"What can you say about the groom wearing more lace then the bride?

I think the children who died young (such as Maria de la Concepion) are their biological children.

 

[An Ard Ri]

10 October 1830- Anniversary of the birth of the future Isabella II of Spain

 

[An Ard Ri]

Royal Anniversary - April 9th,1904 : Death of Isabella II of Spain.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Royal Anniversary - April 17th,1902 : Death of Francisco de Asís de Borbón,Duke of Cadiz ( husband of Isabella II).

 

[vkrish]

Yesterday i read the Wiki page on Isabella II. Somehow I felt its a bit biased because there was not even one single positive attrbute to her. Everything right from her physical appearance, th her her husband, to her fidelities. to her reign were all mentioned in bad taste. It seemed to me like she is such sort of a monarch who is best forgotten..
What is her standing among Spanish public today..
How do historians treat her..

 

[CyrilVladisla]

An assassination attempt on Queen Isabella II on February 2, 1852.
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/872469778

 

[Blog Real]

Ruin and grime in the house of infanta Eulalia, daughter of Queen Isabel II.
A huge Manchega house and a 16th-century castle are the most battered and forgotten vestiges of the Bourbon family. The whole threatens total ruin despite its illustrious past.

https://www.elconfidencial.com/cult...utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ECDiarioManual

What happened to this tiara from Queen Isabel II?

https://fotos.web.sapo.io/i/oaa117b1e/17702356_jbteb.jpeg

The palace where Isabel II spent his last days.
"Black and White" published two years before his death a photographic report of his residence in Paris.

https://www.abc.es/archivo/abci-mod...ultimos-dias-isabel-202011300045_noticia.html

This was the sad exile of Isabel II: the Spanish Queen who fell into oblivion in Paris.
King and Queen agreed to their legal separation after an intense scuffle, where Francisco wanted to impose his dynastic and family rights on hers.

https://www.abc.es/historia/abci-tr...a-cayo-olvido-paris-202012011953_noticia.html

Isabel II as a child. She is depicted wearing the sash of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Isabel_II,_niña.jpg

Isabel swears the Constitution.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Castelaro-isabel_II_jura_la_constitucion.JPG

Portrait painting of Isabella II
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...Retrato_de_Isabel_II_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

 

[An Ard Ri]

Ruin and grime in the house of infanta Eulalia, daughter of Queen Isabel II.
A huge Manchega house and a 16th-century castle are the most battered and forgotten vestiges of the Bourbon family. The whole threatens total ruin despite its illustrious past.

https://www.elconfidencial.com/cult...utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ECDiarioManual

Its a shocking state and almost a total ruin.

 

[Mbruno]

Isabel II as a child. She is depicted wearing the sash of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Isabel_II,_niña.jpg

Isabel swears the Constitution.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Castelaro-isabel_II_jura_la_constitucion.JPG

Portrait painting of Isabella II
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe..._Retrato_de_Isabel_II_-_Google_Art_Projet.jpg

Wikipedia lists Queen Isabella II as a previous Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Fleece , but did the Queen ever wear the Golden Fleece insignia?

Other than Queen Isabella II herself, no women was admitted into the order until, I think, Queen Beatrix in 1985, followed then by Queen Margrethe II in the same year and then Queen Elizabeth II in 1985. Is the fact that the order was not originally open to women the reason why there is no portrait as far as I know of Queen Isabella II wearing the Golden Fleece insignia? I don't recall seeing any portrait either of the Queen wearing the Order of Charles III, possibly because it wasn't open to women either at the time.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The reign of Queen Isabella II

 

[Toledo]

Its a shocking state and almost a total ruin.

The article says it all:
"...The house and the most battered castle of the Bourbons acts as a metaphor for what was the figure of the Infanta Eulalia for the royal family"

Isabel II's family life was as messy as what this house looks now so it's true reflection of her antics. Not a single child was from her husband and her daughter did find out and took care of her real father later in life. I always suspected when the Spanish Borbons married their Italian Borbone cousins (King Juan Carlos' mom) was to rail back in the lineage from the choices Queen Isabel II made. To her credit, she did pick the most handsome men around, Eulalia was very beautiful in her times.

 

[Prinsara]

Did she even have a choice, considering her father was deeply unpopular, her arranged husband was apparently not interested in women, and she had a duty to produce heirs?

Alfonso XIII certainly didn't look like there was much refreshing of the gene pool.

 

[Biri]

Rumoured biological fathers of Queen Isabel II's children (those who lived to adulthood):

King Alfonso XII - Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans, a captain of the guard.
Infanta Maria Isabel, Countess of Girgenti - José Ruiz de Arana y Saavedra, a Spanish aristocrat, military officer and politician.
Infanta Maria del Pilar, Infanta Maria de la Paz & Infanta Maria Eulalia, Duchess of Galliera - diplomat and politician Miguel Tenorio de Castilla.

 

[Toledo]

Did she even have a choice, considering her father was deeply unpopular, her arranged husband was apparently not interested in women, and she had a duty to produce heirs?

Alfonso XIII certainly didn't look like there was much refreshing of the gene pool.

There were other candidates available, for example her sister Luisa Fernanda married into the Orleans family, that were as Borbons as the Spanish but using for new surname the title's name. Luisa was more apt to rule, and her husband conspired to get Isabel out and his wife crowned as Queen. That would have changed history and the chain of events that led to Franco. But we Spaniards got stuck with Isabel II and all the coplas and parody songs her bedroom life inspired in my great grandfathers' days.

----
As a footnote, a descendant of Luisa and the Duke is embroiled in his cousin King Juan Carlos' current financial shenanigans ----

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Isabella II holding an open copy of the 1812 Cadiz Constitution
http://www.maryevans.com/history/Isabella-II-Queen-of-Spain-10683624

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Why do people still doubt the paternity of her children? I get that there were claims her husband was gay but they still could have had children and after stopping they could do whatever they liked with other people.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

photograph of Queen Isabella II ~ c. 1888
http://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/38/collection/2909064