Maria Isabella of Spain

Maria Isabella de Bourbon and Bourbon-Parma was born in the Royal Palace in Madrid . She became the eleventh child of King Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819) and Maria Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1751-1819). Her father is the granddaughter of King Charles III and Maria Amalia of Saxony , and her mother is the granddaughter of the Duke of Parma, Philip I and Maria Louise Elizabeth of France , daughter of the French King Louis XV . The infanta grandfathers were siblings - both sons of King Philip V and Isabella Farnese .

Maria Isabella's father was a good ruler and a physically developed person, however, according to many at the court, he did not have special intellectual abilities and was too trusting. ^[1] Although he was considered a powerful European monarch, he never bothered with state affairs, often leaving them to his spouse or Manuel Godoy - his closest ally and friend. ^{[2] The} mother of the infant was the head of the family and had a huge influence on the king. The birth of Maria Isabella coincided with the coming to power of Manuel Godoy. Being not a popular queen, Maria Louise was accused of having an affair with Goda, and as a result, there were rumors that Marie Isabella was not born from the king, but from Manuel Godoy, who in 1792 became the first minister of the kingdom. ^{[2] [3]}

The childhood of Maria Isabella coincided with the French Revolution and the rise to power of Napoleon in France and the unstable political situation in Spain. ^[4] The youngest of all the surviving children of the royal couple, Maria Isabella grew up under their influence, and her education was not too good for the future queen. ^[5] Maria Isabella is depicted with the whole family in a painting by Francisco Goya King of Spain Charles IV and his family .

In December 1800, Lucien Bonaparte arrived in Spain as the new Ambassador of France to Spain. Through him, Queen Maria Louise invited Maria Isabella to marry Napoleon Bonaparte in April 1801. ^[6] Then he was already married two years to Josephine Beauharnais , but was ready to divorce her to marry a princess from the royal family, and for the reason that there were no heirs in the family. ^[7] Napoleon did not have a very high opinion of the Bourbons, saying: “If I were to enter into a second marriage, I would not even look at this house in ruins for my descendants.” ^[7]

The mother of Maria Isabella sought to marry her daughter for the crown prince of one of the Catholic kingdoms. In the spring of 1801, she drew attention to the Duke of Calabria, Francis , Crown Prince of Naples and Sicily. At that time, his first wife, Maria Clementine of Austria , was still alive, but died of consumption in the same year. ^[eight]

The idea of ​​marrying Maria Isabella to a widower was proposed by the French diplomat Alquier , who was ambassador to Madrid and Naples . ^[8] It was a kind of union plan between Spain and the Kingdom of Naples, backed up by a double alliance between Maria Isabella of Spain and the Duke of Calabria and Ferdinand, Prince of Asturias, who married Marie Anthony of Bourbon-Sicily . ^[eight]

Crown Prince Francis was the son of the King of Neapolitan and Sicilian Ferdinand I and Maria Carolina of Austria , the sister of the executed French Queen Marie Antoinette . The fathers of Mary Isabella and Francis were siblings. In Naples, King Ferdinand took the idea of ​​marrying his son to the Spanish Infanta, and thereby improve his relationship with his brother, the King of Spain. ^[8] Queen of Naples, Maria Carolina, who hated Napoleonic France, because of Spain’s sympathies for her, was against this union. ^[8] Infante Maria Isabella was only twelve years old at the time of the engagement, and it was very unusual at that time to marry at such a young age, however, her early marriage was justified by the desire to conclude an alliance between Naples and Spain as soon as possible against the growing power French Empire Napoleon.

Documents on the conclusion of two marriages were signed in April 1802 in Aranjuez . ^[9] On July 6, 1802, Maria Isabella was thirteen years old and on the same day she married her cousin, Duke of Calabria, Francis in Madrid , becoming his second wife. At the wedding of the groom together was the brother of Mary Isabella, Prince of Asturias Ferdinand . On August 13, the royal family arrived in Barcelona , where their Neapolitan spouses were expecting a brother and sister. ^[10] On October 4, all marriage documents were signed and the celebration of the double wedding began, which lasted until October 12, ^[11] after which Maria Isabella left Spain and went with her husband to Naples. ^[12]

After her arrival in Naples, Maria Isabella did not cause much admiration at court. All the daughters of King Charles IV were not tall and did not differ in beauty. ^[13] Unlike the sisters, Maria Isabella had the right features, she looked even younger than her thirteen years. It has been described as "small and round like a ball . " ^[14] Her mother-in-law, Maria Carolina, was close to her first wife, Francis, who was her niece. The Queen’s first impression was not favorable; she wrote the following:

Being the Crown Princess of Naples and Sicily, Maria Isabella did not take any part in political life. Young and inexperienced, lacking energy and appropriate education, she could not be an active participant in public life. When the princess was fifteen, her first daughter Louise Carlota was born on October 24, 1804. She also had the stepdaughter Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Sicily , who later became the Duchess of Berria .

After the coronation of Napoleon I as emperor of the French, he began to expand his influence on the Italian peninsula. Fearing to lose the crown, King Ferdinand joined the Third Coalition against France. Napoleon’s troops defeated the allied forces near Austerlitz in December 1805 and the Neapolitan forces near Campo Tenese . After these victories, the French occupied the entire Neapolitan kingdom, and his crown was transferred, with the permission of Napoleon, to his brother Joseph Bonaparte , and four years later - Joachim Murat .

Maria Isabella, along with the entire royal family, was forced to leave Naples and move to Sicily in February 1806. ^[15] Despite Murat’s numerous attempts to invade and capture Sicily, he failed to do so. The royal family was protected by the British army. Ferdinand and Maria Carolina continued to be considered the monarchs of Sicily, although the real power was in the hands of Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentink , commander of British troops on the island. He developed a special charter that deprived Ferdinand of power. The following years the family spent in Palermo , rarely attending formal events where their presence was required.

In 1812, Francis, the husband of Maria Isabella, was appointed regent. She continued not to take part in the political sphere while in exile in Palermo. Francis was confronted by a local aristocracy that did not want to pay new taxes to finance troops fighting against France. Deprived of influence and power, Queen Maria Carolina was exiled to Austria in 1813. The following year she died there.

In 1815, under Austrian protection, King Ferdinanad returned to Naples . Not recognizing the Sicilian constitution, he united Sicily and Naples into a single kingdom. Since 1816, he took the title of King of both Sicilies . Crown Prince Francis and Princess Maria Isabella received from him the title of Dukes of Calabria as heirs to the new united kingdom ^[16] . Spouses throughout 1815-1820 remained in Sicily, where Francis was governor, rarely visited Naples.

Despite the fact that Maria Isabella left Spain at an early age, she constantly maintained contact with her family in her home country. In the fall of 1818, she visited her parents in Rome, who lived in exile ^[17] . She was with them until the death of her mother in January 1819 ^[18] . Maria Isabella herself chose husbands for her daughters. She married four of her six daughters to representatives of the Spanish royal family. The first of these marriages took place in April 1819, when her eldest daughter Louise Carlota married her uncle (mother's brother) Francisco de Paula de Bourbon .

Since 1804, Maria Isabella was constantly pregnant. For 29 years of marriage, she gave birth to twelve children, six daughters and six sons. None of the children died in childhood, all reached adulthood.

Maria Isabella, still continuing to live in Palermo , began to yearn for life on the continent ^[19] . In July 1820, she and her husband finally returned to Naples . King Ferdinand was now subordinate to Austria, and the Austrian Earl of Nagent was commander in chief of the Neapolitan army. For the next four years, the king ruled as an absolute monarch, without conducting any constitutional reforms or innovations. During this period, Maria Isabella gave birth to two children, Theresa Cristina , the future Empress of Brazil in 1822, and Luga, Count of Aquila in 1824.

King Ferdinand I died on January 4, 1825, passing the throne to his son, King Francis I. Maria Isabella became Queen of Both Sicilies . At the time of accession to the throne, Francis was 47 years old, he was a fairly large man, with good intentions, simple in manners, more interested in agriculture than in politics. ^{[20] The} king was actively engaged in agriculture before entering the throne. ^{[21] The} new king was more educated than his predecessor, but was weak in his will and character. During his short reign (ruled 1825-1830), he practically did not rule the country, transferring all power to the hands of Luigi del Medici , the Prime Minister of the kingdom, ^[21] his valet Michelangelo Viglia and Caterina de Simon , maids of honor of his wife. ^[22]

In the role of the queen, Maria Isabella had no influence on politics. She had neither the desire nor the strength to influence the government and the support of her weak-willed spouse. From constant pregnancy, the queen increased even more in weight than she was in her youth. ^[23] Maria Isabella was a frivolous and kindhearted nature. ^[20] She loved theater, balls, and festivities. ^[24] Easy to communicate, the queen was much more popular than her husband. ^[24]

The royal family constantly lived surrounded by soldiers, fearing the outbreak of a new revolution. ^[23] Their safety was guaranteed by the Austrian military, who were stationed in Naples, but the kingdom had to pay huge sums for the assistance provided, which was easy on the shoulders of the local population. The treasury of the kingdom was empty, public debt grew. On the advice of the Medici, the royal couple, together with their one-year-old son Luigi, went to Milan in May 1825 to ask the Austrians for reductions in the occupation forces in the country. ^[25] After the agreement between the Medici and the Austrian count Karl Ludwig Fikelmon, the king and queen returned to Naples on July 18. The Austrian army was reduced to 12,000 in February 1827. ^{[26] [27]}

On August 13, 1827, Maria Isabella gave birth to her twelfth and last child, Francesca, Count of Trapani . The constant companion of the queen was her daughter Maria Christina , who was distinguished for coquetry as a mother. ^[28] In the early 1920s, her parents began to look for her a suitable party. Maria Cristina married her uncle and brother Mary Isabella King Ferdinand VII , becoming his fourth wife. This marriage was promoted by the eldest daughter Louise Carlota . ^[29]

Ferdinand VII invited the king and queen to accompany their daughter to Madrid . Francis was in very poor condition, he suffered from gout. Maria Isabella really wanted to visit her native country after 27 years of living abroad. ^[30] She persuaded her husband to travel to Spain. Their eldest son Ferdinand was left in the kingdom as regent during the absence of his parents. ^[31]

On September 28, 1829, the couple arrived in Spain, before visiting Pope Pius VIII in Rome . In Grenoble, Maria Isabella and her husband visited Maria Carolina, the Duchess of Berria - the daughter of Francis from her first marriage and the stepdaughter of Maria Isabella. They had not seen each other for thirteen years. ^[31] After their daughter married on January 25, 1830, the couple went back to their homeland. On the way, they again stopped in Maria Carolina. There they were staying at Chambord Castle . Then they went to Paris , where they were received by King Charles X. ^[32] Only in June did they go to Genoa , and from there to Naples . July 30, 1830 they were in the capital. After their return, the king’s health deteriorated all the time. He died on November 8, 1830 next to his wife. ^[33]

After the death of her husband, the eldest son became Ferdinand II . The Dowager Queen was suddenly drawn into the liberal conspiracy of Prince Vincenzo Ruffo della Scaletta and the Marquis della Favara Pedro Hugo . Their goal was to declare Maria Isabella the regent, displacing the conservative views of her son for at least a couple of years. The plot was uncovered. ^[34] Ferdinand was only twenty years old when he ascended the throne after the death of his father. Shy from birth, he was still more energetic than his father and grandfather and took his duty seriously. The relationship between mother and son was cool. ^{[35] The} Queen Mother clearly preferred the younger brother Karl Ferdinand, Prince of Capua , who was distinguished by frivolity and openness. ^[36]

In the early years of widowhood, Maria Isabella was still a young woman, a will to live and some beauty, despite her fullness. Surrounded by young aristocrats, she had a weakness for them. ^{[24] [37]} According to rumors, she had several lovers, which irritated and annoyed the king. Maria Isabella was kind to her sister-in-law Maria Cristina of Savoy , whom her son married on November 21, 1832. The new queen was able to establish relations between her son and mother. ^[38]

The Dowager Queen continued to seek husbands for her daughters. In 1832, her daughter Maria Amalia married the infantry Sebastian of Spain, who was a cousin of Maria Isabella. Already after her death in 1850, her daughter Maria Carolina was married to Carlos, Count of Montemolin, a Carlistic contender for the Spanish throne. In 1833, her daughter Maria Antonia married Leopold II, the Grand Duke of Tuscany , who was a widower.

In 1835, she began an affair with Baron Peter von Schmuckher , a married Austrian officer. Their relationship developed rapidly and discussed at court. In 1837, his wife passed away. Maria Isabella began to think about marriage with him. However, Peter began to ask for the title and appeal of “Royal Highness” as the spouse of the Dowager Queen. Maria Isabella after such words rejected her lover and asked her son to send him abroad, which was done in January 1838. ^[24]

In January 1836, Maria Isabella became the godmother to her grandson Francis, Duke of Calabria . In March of the same year, the Queen’s second son, Prince Capua, entered into an organic marriage with Penelope Smith . The king did not forgive his brother for this and he was forbidden to enter the country. The queen begged her son for mercy, but nothing came of it. Prince Capua and his wife lived a life in England, occasionally visited France and Milan . ^[39] Mary Isabella no longer saw her son.

The Queen really wanted to enter into a second marriage. To do this, her king son provided her with a list of aristocrats whom she could marry. ^[40] She hesitated for a long time, but in the end she chose Francesco, Count del Balzo (1805–1882) from an ancient but impoverished noble family. ^[40] On January 15, 1839, their private wedding took place. The bride was 50 years old, the groom - 34. There were no children from the marriage. Her husband left public service and they both settled in the Capodimonte Palace in Naples. ^[41]

The big blow for her was the murder of her son Antono, Count of Lecce in January 1843. ^[41] Her fifth son, Prince Luigi, Count Aquila, made a career in the navy and was married to the Brazilian princess Janoiria , daughter of Pedro I. In 1843, he went with his sister Teresa Cristina , who married the Brazilian emperor Pedro II .In 1845, King Louis Philippe of France put forward a proposal to marry the Spanish Queen Isabella II to Francesco, Count of Trapari , the youngest child of Maria Isabella. However, the marriage did not take place. ^[42]

В 1847 году вспыхнул политический кризис. Мария Изабелла, её сын Леопольд, граф Сиракузский и Леопольд, принц Салерно выступали за проведение либеральных реформ в государстве, но они так и не были осуществлены. Благодаря своему приветливому характеру и щедрости по отношению к бедным, Мария Изабелла до конца своих дней оставалась очень популярной среди простого народа. Она умерла 13 сентября 1848 года в возрасте 59 лет. Погребена в базилике Санта-Кьяра , Неаполь . ^[43]

В браке с Франциском I королём Обеих Сицилий родилось двенадцать детей, шесть дочерей и шесть сыновей:

• Луиза ( 1804 — 1844 ) — в 1819 вышла замуж за Франсиско де Паула Испанского , имела одиннадцать детей;
• Мария Кристина ( 1806 — 1878 ) — в 1829 вышла замуж за короля Испании Фердинанда VII , в браке было две дочери, овдовев вышла замуж второй раз в 1833 году за Августина Фернандо, герцога Реансарес, имела семеро детей;
• Фердинанд II ( 1810 — 1859 ) — король Обеих Сицилий , был женат на Марии Кристине Савойской , имел от брака сына, после её смерти женился на Марии Терезе Австрийской , имел от неё двенадцать детей;
• Карл Фердинанд ( 1811 — 1862 ) — принц Капуи , в 1836 году женился морганатическим браком на Грете Пенелопе Смит, имел двух детей;
• Леопольд ( 1813 — 1860 ) — граф Сиракузский , в 1837 году женился на Марии Виттории Савойской-Кариньян , имел дочь умершую в детстве;
• Мария Антуанетта ( 1814 — 1898 ) — в 1833 году вышла замуж за великого герцога Леопольда II Тосканского , имела десять детей;
• Антонио ( 1816 — 1843 ) — граф Лечче , умер бездетным;
• Мария Амалия ( 1818 — 1857 ) — в 1832 году вышла замуж за Себастьяна Испанского, детей не имела;
• Мария Каролина ( 1820 — 1861 ) — в 1850 году вышла замуж за Карла Испанского, детей не имела;
• Тереза Кристина ( 1822 — 1889 ) — в 1843 году вышла замуж за императора Бразилии Педру II , имела двух сыновей и двух дочерей;
• Луиджи ( 1824 — 1897 ) — граф Акуила , в 1844 году женился на бразильской принцессе Жануарии , имел четырёх детей;
• Франческо ( 1827 — 1892 ) — граф Трапани , в 1850 женился на Марии Изабелле Австрийской, имел шестеро детей.

  — Орден Королевы Марии Луизы (Испания);

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• Дети Франциска I и Марии Изабеллы
• Профиль на Geneall.net (англ.)
• Профиль на Thepeerage.com (англ.)