Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Encyclopedia
Infanta María de las Mercedes of Spain (María de las Mercedes Isabel Teresa Cristina Alfonsa Jacinta) (Madrid
, 11 September 1880 – Madrid
, 17 October 1904), Princess of the Asturias, for all 24 years of her life the heiress presumptive to the Crown of Spain, was the eldest daughter of King Alfonso XII of Spain
and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria
.
For a period from 25 November 1885 to 17 May 1886, she was the extant Head of the State
of Spain
. Had her younger sibling, unborn at the death of Alfonso XII, been a daughter, María Mercedes would have become Queen Regnant
of Spain
. The sibling proved to be a boy, Alfonso XIII of Spain
, and on his birth in 1886, María Mercedes lost her latent Queenship. She returned to the position of heiress presumptive of Spain, which she held until her own death, and was succeeded in it by her own infant son Alfonso, Alfonso XIII having not yet fathered a child.
Infanta María Mercedes married, in Madrid
on 14 February 1901, her second cousin, Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a nephew of the King of the then-defunct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
, who was elevated to the titles of Infante of Spain and Royal Prince. She died young, when her children were still infants, giving birth to her only daughter.
She had three children:
Her husband remarried and one of his daughters became the mother of the present King Juan Carlos I.
She was the 816th Dame
of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa.
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Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, 11 September 1880 – Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, 17 October 1904), Princess of the Asturias, for all 24 years of her life the heiress presumptive to the Crown of Spain, was the eldest daughter of King Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII was king of Spain, reigning from 1874 to 1885, after a coup d'état restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral First Spanish Republic.-Early life and paternity:Alfonso was the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, and...
and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria
Maria Christina of Austria
Maria Christina of Austria was Queen consort of Spain as the second wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain...
.
For a period from 25 November 1885 to 17 May 1886, she was the extant Head of the State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Had her younger sibling, unborn at the death of Alfonso XII, been a daughter, María Mercedes would have become Queen Regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The sibling proved to be a boy, Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, and on his birth in 1886, María Mercedes lost her latent Queenship. She returned to the position of heiress presumptive of Spain, which she held until her own death, and was succeeded in it by her own infant son Alfonso, Alfonso XIII having not yet fathered a child.
Infanta María Mercedes married, in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
on 14 February 1901, her second cousin, Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a nephew of the King of the then-defunct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
, who was elevated to the titles of Infante of Spain and Royal Prince. She died young, when her children were still infants, giving birth to her only daughter.
She had three children:
- Don Alfonso, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of SpainInfante Alfonso, Duke of CalabriaInfante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria was one of two claimants to the title of the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies from 1960 until his death in 1964...
(1901–1964). - Fernando (1903–1905), died in San SebastiánSan SebastiánDonostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
one year after her death. - Doña Isabella Alfonsa, Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infanta of SpainPrincess Isabel Alfonsa of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Isabel Alfonsa Maria Teresa Antonia Cristina Mercedes Carolina Adelaide Raphaela of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infanta of Spain, was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies by birth...
(1904–1985). Married Count Jan Zamoyski (1900–1961) and had issue.
Her husband remarried and one of his daughters became the mother of the present King Juan Carlos I.
She was the 816th Dame
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa.
Ancestry
External links
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