Isabel of Spain, Princess of Asturias
Encyclopedia
For other Princesses of Asturias named Isabella, see Isabella, Princess of Asturias (disambiguation)
Isabella, Infanta of Spain
(1851–1931), was twice recognized as the heir presumptive
to the Spanish throne and given the title Princess of Asturias
, reserved for the heir to the crown. The eldest daughter of Queen Isabella II of Spain
, she married Gaetan of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Girgenti
, a son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
, on 13 May 1868. Her husband committed suicide three years later.
Infanta Isabella was a prominent figure during the reign of her brother King Alfonso XII of Spain
and during the minority of her nephew King Alfonso XIII
. She was the most popular member of the Spanish Royal family. After the fall of the monarchy of Alfonso XIII, she refused the offer of the republicans to keep on living in Spain. She died days later in exile in France.
on December 20, 1851, she was the eldest surviving daughter of Queen Isabella II
and her husband and king consort
, Francis of Spain
. Her birth was eagerly awaited since her mother had previously given birth to two children who had died in infancy. In the tumultuous age of Carlist uprisings and sporadic civil war, Isabella was immediately recognized as the heir to her mother's throne and was granted the traditional crown-princely title of Asturias.
Isabella was baptized by the archbishop of Toledo with the names María Isabel Francisca de Asís Cristina Francisca de Paula Fernanda Luisa Josefa Trinidad Joaquina Ana Melchora Gaspara Baltasara María del Olvido Dolores Pilar Concepción Carmen Desamparados Filomena Micaela Rafaela Gabriela Dominga de la Cogolla Tomasa Teresa Rita Lucía Águeda Bárbara Bibiana María de la Cabeza Isidra Rosalía Polonia Lugarda Ramona de Cosme Damiana Antonia de San Antón Juana Bautista Vicenta de Ferrer Genara Francisca de Borja Blasa Jacoba de Roque Caralampia y de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón. After her birth, her mother gave birth to two daughters who lived only briefly and two still born sons. There was a six-year gap between Isabella and her next sibling the future king Alfonso XII, three more sisters later completed the family. Isabella lost her title as Princess of Asturias upon the birth of her brother, Prince Alfonso on November 28, 1857. Infanta Isabella was raised separately from the rest of her siblings.
The marriage of her parents was troublesome. At age sixteen Queen Isabella II had been married against her will to Francis, Duke of Cádiz, who was twice her fist cousin. The Queen never overcame the antipathy towards her effeminate husband. She found an outlet for her passionate nature by taking lovers. Historians and biographers had attributed Infanta Isabella's paternity to Juan de Arana, a young and handsome Spanish aristocratic who was Queen Isabella's favorite at the time. It was with some reluctance that King Francis recognized Isabella as his daughter as he would do subsequently with all the children Queen Isabella II bore during their troubled marriage.
When her younger brother, the future Alfonso XII of Spain
, was born in 1857, young Isabella became second-in-line to the throne and consequently lost the Asturias title to her brother; he became Prince of Asturias
, and she took the royal title and rank of Infanta of Spain.
When Alfonso XII ascended the throne on December 29, 1874, and had not yet had any children, the 23-year old Isabella once again became the heir presumptive and regained the title Princess of Asturias. However, she lost the title in 1880 upon the birth of Alfonso's first child, Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
. Isabella once again took the royal title and rank of Infanta of Spain.
She received a much better education than her mother and was the only one among her siblings to be educated and raised during her mother's troubled reign. Emphasis was put on languages and the young Infanta was very interested in music and horsemanship; hobbies she enjoyed throughout her life.
, Isabella II's prime minister, conceived the idea to marry her to Prince Amadeo of Savoy
whose sister, Maria Pia
, had recently married Luis I of Portugal
. Queen Isabella was not thrilled with the proposal, but agreed to an interview between her daughter and the Savoy prince. The project failed. For political reason, Isabella II had to recognize the unification of Italy under the Savoy crown, and in order to compensate her cousins from the Bourbon Two Sicilies dynasty who were upset at this recognition, the Queen arranged her eldest daughter's marriage with one of the half siblings of the recently deposed King Francis II of the Two Sicilies
, Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti
(1846–71), son of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. Prince Gaetan had recently lost his mother and one of his younger brothers and his family was in financial straits. Gaetan was a first cousin of both Isabella's mother and father.
In April 1868, Prince Gaetan arrived in Spain and the wedding was quickly arranged to take place a few weeks later. Neither Infanta Isabella nor Gaetan were thrilled with the project. Gaetan was tall, good-hearted and handsome, but penniless and plagued by ill health. He was known for his lack of intellect. Infanta Isabella was short, blond, with clear blue eyes and with a small up turned nose. She was dutiful, conservative and headstrong.
The marriage took place amidst great pomp on May 13, 1868. Upon this marriage, Isabella II bestowed upon Gaetan the title Infante Cayetano of Spain (Cayetano being the Spanish translation of Gaetan). After the wedding the young couple embarked a long honeymoon that took them first to visit her new family-in-law residing at the Austrian court. On their way back to Spain, while visiting Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie
in Fontainebleau
, they received the news of the revolution
that cost Isabella II her throne. Gaetan rushed to enter Spain and fought defending the monarchy in the battle of Alcolea, which defeat marked the end of the reign of Isabella II, who crossed the border into France
with the royal family. In exile the deposed Queen settled in Paris
where Infanta Isabella was waiting for her mother. Initially Infanta Isabella and Gaetan lived also in Paris in a house that belonged to Gaetan’s uncle the Count of Aquila
. Gaetan was plagued by ill health and depression.
For two years the couple embarked on a series of trips through Europe visiting Austria
, Germany
and England
, looking in vain to improve Gaetan’s health. With the help of his two aides de camp, Gaetan managed to conceal from his wife for as long as he could the true nature of his illness. He was an epileptic. One day he had a seizure in front of his wife, who had no prior warnings about the true nature of Gaetan’s illness. Early in a pregnancy, Infanta Isabella suffered a miscarriage. The loss of their child, the loss of the Spanish crown, and his declining health contributed to Gaetano sinking into a deep depression and he attempted suicide. After that, he was never allowed to be alone and between Isabella and Gaetan’s adjutants Gaetan was constantly supervised. However, on November 26, 1871 while they were staying in a hotel in Lucerne
, Switzerland
Gaetan managed to lock himself in a room and shot himself in the head. He was found still alive, but died shortly thereafter.
A young widow barely twenty years old, Infanta Isabella, who had become greatly attached to her husband, mourned his tragic death. She moved to the Palace of Castille in Paris with her mother the ex-Queen Isabella.
, was installed on the Spanish throne in place of their mother. Shortly thereafter, Infanta Isabella was called by the government to come back to Spain as the first lady at court and as heir presumptive to the throne. She was once again Princess of Asturias as heir to the Spanish crown. During this period, there were different projects presented to her to remarry. Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who was already living in Spain, was the government's first choice, but once his eccentric behavior became known the project was abandoned. Another candidate was Prince Arnulf of Bavaria
, but Isabella did not wish to remarry, and her brother—to whom she was very attached—ultimately respected her wishes.
During the first years of her brother's reign, Isabella worked constantly to promote the cause of the monarchy and was a great asset to her brother. After their mother Queen Isabella returned to live permanently in France, Isabella’s three youngest sisters were placed under her care and she provided a good education for them. The two eldest sisters, Infantas Pilar and Paz
, were pliable and did not give her trouble, but Isabella clashed with the youngest sister, the spirited Infanta Eulalia
.
Isabella also served as a guide to her young cousin, Queen Mercedes
, who had married her brother in 1880 and who had, incidentally, replaced her as the first lady of the kingdom. The marriage of her brother allowed her more time for her hobbies and travelling. Following Queen Mercedes' early death, Isabella chose Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria
as her new sister-in-law and promoted her as a wife to her brother. She was a niece of Isabella's good friend Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria, who had been a second mother to Gaetan and his siblings.
The early death of her brother was a terrible blow to Isabella who had treasured their relationship. She was an influential figure throughout the regency of Maria Christina of Austria
and gave her widowed sister-in-law support; she became a second mother to the children of her late brother.
, was named after her. One of the most significant public activities undertaken by her was her 1910 trip to Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, representing the Spanish Crown on the occasion of the centennial celebration of Argentina's May Revolution
which is considered the starting point of the Argentine War of Independence
. A street in Buenos Aires, the Paseo de la Infanta Isabel, was named after her. There is also a similarly named street in Madrid
.
Isabella died on April 22, 1931, at the age of 79, in exile in France. Curiously she died five days after her nephew King Alfonso XIII of Spain
had lost the Spanish throne and the entire Spanish royal family had gone into exile. Following the republican victory in Spain
, Isabella was informed by the republican authorities that there was no need for her to go into exile—a testament to her popularity—but she voluntarily chose to exile herself with the rest of her family. She left most of her jewels to Alfonso XIII, and her famous Mellerio Shell Tiara
subsequently descended to the current Spanish royal family and is frequently worn by Queen Sofía of Spain
. In 1991, King Juan Carlos of Spain
ordered the transfer of her remains to Spain from France; her remains were then entombed in the chapel of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso near Segovia
, and a salon in the Palace was subsequently renamed in her honor. Picture of Tomb
In Parque del Oeste
, a public park in Madrid
, there stands a monumental sculpture of Infanta Isabella. Picture Moreover, in the palace park grounds of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, there stands another full-size marble sculpture of Isabella with a bouquet of roses. Picture
Isabella, Infanta 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...
(1851–1931), was twice recognized as the heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the Spanish throne and given the title Princess of Asturias
Princess of Asturias
This is a list of women who held the title Princess of Asturias by marriage.The title was created in 1388 for the future Henry III of Castile and Catherine of Lancaster. A part of the pact was to gran the young couple the title of Prince and Princess of Asturias, which was modelled after that of...
, reserved for the heir to the crown. The eldest daughter of Queen Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
, she married Gaetan of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Girgenti
Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti
Prince Gaetano Maria Federico of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Girgenti was the seventh child of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria...
, a son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
, on 13 May 1868. Her husband committed suicide three years later.
Infanta Isabella was a prominent figure during the reign of her brother 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 during the minority of her nephew King Alfonso XIII
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...
. She was the most popular member of the Spanish Royal family. After the fall of the monarchy of Alfonso XIII, she refused the offer of the republicans to keep on living in Spain. She died days later in exile in France.
Childhood
Born at the Royal Palace of MadridRoyal Palace of Madrid
The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid...
on December 20, 1851, she was the eldest surviving daughter of Queen Isabella II
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
and her husband and king consort
King consort
King consort is an alternative title to the more usual "prince consort" - which is a position given in some monarchies to the husband of a reigning queen. It is a symbolic title only, the sole constitutional function of the holder being similar to a prince consort, which is the male equivalent of a...
, Francis of Spain
Francis of Spain
Francis of Spain was King consort of Spain as spouse of Isabella II of Spain. He is commonly styled the Duke of Cádiz, the title he held before his marriage.-Family:...
. Her birth was eagerly awaited since her mother had previously given birth to two children who had died in infancy. In the tumultuous age of Carlist uprisings and sporadic civil war, Isabella was immediately recognized as the heir to her mother's throne and was granted the traditional crown-princely title of Asturias.
Isabella was baptized by the archbishop of Toledo with the names María Isabel Francisca de Asís Cristina Francisca de Paula Fernanda Luisa Josefa Trinidad Joaquina Ana Melchora Gaspara Baltasara María del Olvido Dolores Pilar Concepción Carmen Desamparados Filomena Micaela Rafaela Gabriela Dominga de la Cogolla Tomasa Teresa Rita Lucía Águeda Bárbara Bibiana María de la Cabeza Isidra Rosalía Polonia Lugarda Ramona de Cosme Damiana Antonia de San Antón Juana Bautista Vicenta de Ferrer Genara Francisca de Borja Blasa Jacoba de Roque Caralampia y de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón. After her birth, her mother gave birth to two daughters who lived only briefly and two still born sons. There was a six-year gap between Isabella and her next sibling the future king Alfonso XII, three more sisters later completed the family. Isabella lost her title as Princess of Asturias upon the birth of her brother, Prince Alfonso on November 28, 1857. Infanta Isabella was raised separately from the rest of her siblings.
The marriage of her parents was troublesome. At age sixteen Queen Isabella II had been married against her will to Francis, Duke of Cádiz, who was twice her fist cousin. The Queen never overcame the antipathy towards her effeminate husband. She found an outlet for her passionate nature by taking lovers. Historians and biographers had attributed Infanta Isabella's paternity to Juan de Arana, a young and handsome Spanish aristocratic who was Queen Isabella's favorite at the time. It was with some reluctance that King Francis recognized Isabella as his daughter as he would do subsequently with all the children Queen Isabella II bore during their troubled marriage.
When her younger brother, the future 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...
, was born in 1857, young Isabella became second-in-line to the throne and consequently lost the Asturias title to her brother; he became Prince of Asturias
Prince of Asturias
Prince of Asturias is the historical title given to the heir to the Spanish throne. It was also the title under the earlier Kingdom of Castile. The current Prince of Asturias is Felipe, son of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofía...
, and she took the royal title and rank of Infanta of Spain.
When Alfonso XII ascended the throne on December 29, 1874, and had not yet had any children, the 23-year old Isabella once again became the heir presumptive and regained the title Princess of Asturias. However, she lost the title in 1880 upon the birth of Alfonso's first child, Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Infanta María de las Mercedes of Spain , 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...
. Isabella once again took the royal title and rank of Infanta of Spain.
Early life
Infanta Isabella was popularly known by the affectionate nickname "La Chata" - a reference to her snub or "button" nose. The relationship between King Francis and his reputed children was cold and formal. Isabella II was preoccupied with her turbulent reign and her private life alternated between periods of great affection towards her children and the distant approach to childhood that was the custom of the time.She received a much better education than her mother and was the only one among her siblings to be educated and raised during her mother's troubled reign. Emphasis was put on languages and the young Infanta was very interested in music and horsemanship; hobbies she enjoyed throughout her life.
Marriage
As heir presumptive to the crown, and with only a brother of delicate health that separated her from the throne, there was great interest in arranging an early marriage for Infanta Isabella that would provide descendants. Antonio Cánovas del CastilloAntonio Cánovas del Castillo
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo was a Spanish politician and historian known principally for his role in supporting the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy to the Spanish throne and for his death at the hands of an anarchist assassin, Michele Angiolillo.-Early career:Born in Málaga as the son of...
, Isabella II's prime minister, conceived the idea to marry her to Prince Amadeo of Savoy
Amadeo I of Spain
Amadeo I was the only King of Spain from the House of Savoy...
whose sister, Maria Pia
Maria Pia of Savoy
Maria Pia of Savoy was a Portuguese Queen consort, spouse of King Luís I of Portugal. On the day of her baptism, Pope Pius IX, her godfather, gave her a Golden Rose. Maria Pia was married to Luís on the 6 October 1862 in Lisbon...
, had recently married Luis I of Portugal
Luís I of Portugal
|-...
. Queen Isabella was not thrilled with the proposal, but agreed to an interview between her daughter and the Savoy prince. The project failed. For political reason, Isabella II had to recognize the unification of Italy under the Savoy crown, and in order to compensate her cousins from the Bourbon Two Sicilies dynasty who were upset at this recognition, the Queen arranged her eldest daughter's marriage with one of the half siblings of the recently deposed King Francis II of the Two Sicilies
Francis II of the Two Sicilies
Francis II , was King of the Two Sicilies from 1859 to 1861. He was the last King of the Two Sicilies, as successive invasions by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia ultimately brought an end to his rule, and marked the first major event of Italian unification...
, Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti
Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti
Prince Gaetano Maria Federico of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Girgenti was the seventh child of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria...
(1846–71), son of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. Prince Gaetan had recently lost his mother and one of his younger brothers and his family was in financial straits. Gaetan was a first cousin of both Isabella's mother and father.
In April 1868, Prince Gaetan arrived in Spain and the wedding was quickly arranged to take place a few weeks later. Neither Infanta Isabella nor Gaetan were thrilled with the project. Gaetan was tall, good-hearted and handsome, but penniless and plagued by ill health. He was known for his lack of intellect. Infanta Isabella was short, blond, with clear blue eyes and with a small up turned nose. She was dutiful, conservative and headstrong.
The marriage took place amidst great pomp on May 13, 1868. Upon this marriage, Isabella II bestowed upon Gaetan the title Infante Cayetano of Spain (Cayetano being the Spanish translation of Gaetan). After the wedding the young couple embarked a long honeymoon that took them first to visit her new family-in-law residing at the Austrian court. On their way back to Spain, while visiting Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie
Eugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
in Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, they received the news of the revolution
Glorious Revolution (Spain)
The Glorious Revolution took place in Spain in 1868, resulting in the deposition of Queen Isabella II.An 1866 rebellion led by General Juan Prim and a revolt of the sergeants at San Gil barracks, in Madrid, sent a signal to Spanish liberals and republicans that there was serious unrest with the...
that cost Isabella II her throne. Gaetan rushed to enter Spain and fought defending the monarchy in the battle of Alcolea, which defeat marked the end of the reign of Isabella II, who crossed the border into France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the royal family. In exile the deposed Queen settled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where Infanta Isabella was waiting for her mother. Initially Infanta Isabella and Gaetan lived also in Paris in a house that belonged to Gaetan’s uncle the Count of Aquila
Prince Louis, Count of Aquila
Prince Luigi Carlo Maria Giuseppe of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Aquila was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Family:...
. Gaetan was plagued by ill health and depression.
For two years the couple embarked on a series of trips through Europe visiting Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, looking in vain to improve Gaetan’s health. With the help of his two aides de camp, Gaetan managed to conceal from his wife for as long as he could the true nature of his illness. He was an epileptic. One day he had a seizure in front of his wife, who had no prior warnings about the true nature of Gaetan’s illness. Early in a pregnancy, Infanta Isabella suffered a miscarriage. The loss of their child, the loss of the Spanish crown, and his declining health contributed to Gaetano sinking into a deep depression and he attempted suicide. After that, he was never allowed to be alone and between Isabella and Gaetan’s adjutants Gaetan was constantly supervised. However, on November 26, 1871 while they were staying in a hotel in Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Gaetan managed to lock himself in a room and shot himself in the head. He was found still alive, but died shortly thereafter.
A young widow barely twenty years old, Infanta Isabella, who had become greatly attached to her husband, mourned his tragic death. She moved to the Palace of Castille in Paris with her mother the ex-Queen Isabella.
Later life
On December 29, 1874, Infanta Isabella's brother, Alfonso XIIAlfonso 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...
, was installed on the Spanish throne in place of their mother. Shortly thereafter, Infanta Isabella was called by the government to come back to Spain as the first lady at court and as heir presumptive to the throne. She was once again Princess of Asturias as heir to the Spanish crown. During this period, there were different projects presented to her to remarry. Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who was already living in Spain, was the government's first choice, but once his eccentric behavior became known the project was abandoned. Another candidate was Prince Arnulf of Bavaria
Prince Arnulf of Bavaria
Prince Arnulf of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a General of Infantry.-Early life:Arnulf was born in Munich, Bavaria...
, but Isabella did not wish to remarry, and her brother—to whom she was very attached—ultimately respected her wishes.
During the first years of her brother's reign, Isabella worked constantly to promote the cause of the monarchy and was a great asset to her brother. After their mother Queen Isabella returned to live permanently in France, Isabella’s three youngest sisters were placed under her care and she provided a good education for them. The two eldest sisters, Infantas Pilar and Paz
Infanta María de la Paz of Spain
María de la Paz of Spain was an infanta of Spain. A daughter of Queen Isabella II of Spain, she married her first cousin Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria. She lived for the rest of her life in Germany, dedicating her time to her family, charity work and writing poetry...
, were pliable and did not give her trouble, but Isabella clashed with the youngest sister, the spirited Infanta Eulalia
Infanta Eulalia of Spain
Infanta Eulalia of Spain was a Spanish infanta known for her controversial books.-Early life:Eulalia was born in the Royal Palace of Madrid, the youngest child of Queen Isabella II of Spain and of her husband, Francis of Spain...
.
Isabella also served as a guide to her young cousin, Queen Mercedes
Mercedes of Orléans
Maria de la Mercedes of Orléans was Queen Consort of Spain, the first wife of Alfonso XII. She was born in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and of Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain....
, who had married her brother in 1880 and who had, incidentally, replaced her as the first lady of the kingdom. The marriage of her brother allowed her more time for her hobbies and travelling. Following Queen Mercedes' early death, Isabella chose Archduchess 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...
as her new sister-in-law and promoted her as a wife to her brother. She was a niece of Isabella's good friend Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria, who had been a second mother to Gaetan and his siblings.
The early death of her brother was a terrible blow to Isabella who had treasured their relationship. She was an influential figure throughout the regency of 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...
and gave her widowed sister-in-law support; she became a second mother to the children of her late brother.
Last years
Isabella was reportedly very popular and respected in Spain. In 1885, a cruiser of the Spanish Navy, the Infanta IsabelSpanish cruiser Infanta Isabel
Infanta Isabel was a Velasco-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy.-Technical Characteristics:Infanta Isabel was built at the naval shipyard at Cadiz. Her keel was laid in 1883, she was launched on 26 June 1885, and she was completed in 1888 or 1889. She had one rather tall funnel...
, was named after her. One of the most significant public activities undertaken by her was her 1910 trip to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, representing the Spanish Crown on the occasion of the centennial celebration of Argentina's May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
which is considered the starting point of the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
. A street in Buenos Aires, the Paseo de la Infanta Isabel, was named after her. There is also a similarly named street 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...
.
Isabella died on April 22, 1931, at the age of 79, in exile in France. Curiously she died five days after her nephew King 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...
had lost the Spanish throne and the entire Spanish royal family had gone into exile. Following the republican victory in Spain
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
, Isabella was informed by the republican authorities that there was no need for her to go into exile—a testament to her popularity—but she voluntarily chose to exile herself with the rest of her family. She left most of her jewels to Alfonso XIII, and her famous Mellerio Shell Tiara
Tiara
A tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...
subsequently descended to the current Spanish royal family and is frequently worn by Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
. In 1991, King Juan Carlos of Spain
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
ordered the transfer of her remains to Spain from France; her remains were then entombed in the chapel of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso near Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
, and a salon in the Palace was subsequently renamed in her honor. Picture of Tomb
In Parque del Oeste
Parque del Oeste
The Parque del Oeste is a park of the city of Madrid situated between the Autovía A-6, the Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid and the district of Moncloa. Before the 20th century, the land that the park currently occupies was the main landfill of the city...
, a public park 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...
, there stands a monumental sculpture of Infanta Isabella. Picture Moreover, in the palace park grounds of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, there stands another full-size marble sculpture of Isabella with a bouquet of roses. Picture