Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta
Encyclopedia
Prince Alfonso Maria Giuseppe Alberto of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta (28 March 1841 – 26 May 1934) was the third son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria
.
He was pretender to the throne of the Two Sicilies
in succession of his older half-brother, Francis II of the Two Sicilies
. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ferdinand Pius
.
, Alfonso was the fourth-in-line heir to the throne of Two Sicilies since the time of his birth. Ahead of him in line were his older half-brother Francis
and older brothers Prince Louis, Count of Trani
and Prince Alberto, Count of Castrogiovanni.
On 12 July 1844, Alberto died. He was two months short of his fifth birthday and naturally childless. Alfonso became the third-in-line heir.
On 22 May 1859, Ferdinand II died. Francis became King but had no children yet from his wife Maria Sophie of Bavaria. Louis became his Heir Presumptive
and Alfonso the second-in-line heir to their half-brother.
However the Two Sicilies were conquered by the Expedition of the Thousand
under Giuseppe Garibaldi
in 1861. Garibaldi served the Kingdom of Sardinia
which was in the process of Italian unification
. The deposed Royal House survived with Francis still at its head.
On 8 June 1886, Louis died. His only daughter Princess Maria Teresa
was not in line for the throne because females were barred from succession. Alfonso became the heir presumptive to Francis who had survived his own daughter.
On 27 December 1894, Francis II died. Alfonso became the Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He died at Cannes in 1934.
and his wife Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.
Her paternal grandparents were Francis I of the Two Sicilies
and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain
. Her maternal grandparents were Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
and his second wife Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies.
Maria Isabella was a daughter of Charles IV of Spain
and Maria Luisa of Parma
. Maria Antonietta was another daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
and Maria Isabella of Spain
.
They had twelve children.
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
Maria Theresa of Austria (1816-1867)
Maria Theresa of Austria was the second wife of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies.-Family:She was the eldest daughter of Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen and Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg....
.
He was pretender to the throne 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...
in succession of his older half-brother, 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...
. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ferdinand Pius
Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria
Prince Ferdinand Pius , Duke of Calabria , was head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and pretender to the throne of the extinct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1934 to 1960....
.
Heir to the throne
Born in CasertaCaserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
, Alfonso was the fourth-in-line heir to the throne of Two Sicilies since the time of his birth. Ahead of him in line were his older half-brother Francis
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...
and older brothers Prince Louis, Count of Trani
Prince Louis, Count of Trani
Prince Louis Maria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Trani was the eldest son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria....
and Prince Alberto, Count of Castrogiovanni.
On 12 July 1844, Alberto died. He was two months short of his fifth birthday and naturally childless. Alfonso became the third-in-line heir.
On 22 May 1859, Ferdinand II died. Francis became King but had no children yet from his wife Maria Sophie of Bavaria. Louis became his 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...
and Alfonso the second-in-line heir to their half-brother.
However the Two Sicilies were conquered by the Expedition of the Thousand
Expedition of the Thousand
The Expedition of the Thousand was a military campaign led by the revolutionary general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. A force of volunteers defeated the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, leading to its dissolution and annexation by the Kingdom of Sardinia, an important step in the creation of a newly...
under Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
in 1861. Garibaldi served the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
which was in the process of Italian unification
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
. The deposed Royal House survived with Francis still at its head.
On 8 June 1886, Louis died. His only daughter Princess Maria Teresa
Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Princess Maria Teresa Maddalena of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the only child of Prince Louis of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Trani and his wife Duchess Mathilde...
was not in line for the throne because females were barred from succession. Alfonso became the heir presumptive to Francis who had survived his own daughter.
On 27 December 1894, Francis II died. Alfonso became the Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He died at Cannes in 1934.
Marriage and issue
Alfonso was married to his cousin, Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (16 March 1851 – 12 September 1938) on 8 June 1868. She was a daughter of Prince Francis, Count of TrapaniPrince Francis, Count of Trapani
Francis of the Two Sicilies, Count of Trapani was a member of the House of the Two Sicilies.-Family:...
and his wife Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.
Her paternal grandparents were Francis I of the Two Sicilies
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain
Maria Isabella of Spain
María Isabella of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the Queen of the Two Sicilies. She was the second wife of Francis I and the youngest surviving daughter of the Spanish king Charles IV and his consort Maria Luisa of Parma...
. Her maternal grandparents were Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Leopold II of Tuscany was the last reigning grand duke of Tuscany ....
and his second wife Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies.
Maria Isabella was a daughter of Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
and Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma was Queen consort of Spain from 1788 to 1808 as the wife of King Charles IV of Spain. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Philip of Parma and his wife, Louise-Élisabeth of France, the eldest daughter of King Louis XV.She was christened Luisa Maria Teresa Ana, but was known...
. Maria Antonietta was another daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
and Maria Isabella of Spain
Maria Isabella of Spain
María Isabella of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the Queen of the Two Sicilies. She was the second wife of Francis I and the youngest surviving daughter of the Spanish king Charles IV and his consort Maria Luisa of Parma...
.
They had twelve children.
- Prince Ferdinand Pius of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of CalabriaPrince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of CalabriaPrince Ferdinand Pius , Duke of Calabria , was head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and pretender to the throne of the extinct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1934 to 1960....
(25 July 1869 – 17 January 1960)
- ∞ Princess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of BavariaPrincess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of BavariaPrincess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of Bavaria was a daughter of the final King of Bavaria, Ludwig III of Bavaria, and his wife Maria Theresia of Austria-Este...
, daughter of Ludwig III of BavariaLudwig III of BavariaLudwig III , was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918.-Early life:...
. This marriage produced six children.
- Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrince Carlos of Bourbon-Two SiciliesDon Carlos, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain was the son of Prince Alfonso of the Two...
(10 November 1870 – 11 November 1949)
- ∞ Mercedes, Princess of AsturiasMercedes, Princess of AsturiasInfanta 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...
, daughter of Alfonso XII of SpainAlfonso XII of SpainAlfonso 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...
. This marriage produced three issue. - ∞ Princess Louise of OrléansPrincess Louise of OrléansLouise d'Orléans was a Princess of the Two-Sicilies and maternal grandmother of King Juan Carlos I of Spain....
, daughter of Prince Philippe of Orléans, Count of ParisPhilippe, Comte de ParisPhilippe d'Orléans, Count of Paris was the grandson of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. He was a claimant to the French throne from 1848 until his death.-Early life:...
. This marriage produced four children.
- Prince Francesco di Paola of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (14 July 1873 – 26 June 1876)
- Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1874–1947)Princess Maria Immaculata Cristina Pia Isabella of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the fourth child and eldest daughter of Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta and his wife Princess Maria...
(30 October 1874 – 28 November 1947)
- ∞ Prince Johann Georg of SaxonyPrince Johann Georg of SaxonyPrince Johann Georg Pius Karl Leopold Maria Januarius Anacletus of Saxony, Duke of Saxony was the sixth child and second-eldest son of George...
, son of George of SaxonyGeorge of Saxony-Life:George was born in the Saxon capital Dresden. He was the second son of King John of Saxony and his wife Princess Amelia of Bavaria , daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria ....
. This marriage produced no issue.
- Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the titular Grand Duchess of Tuscany from 28 February 1942 to 4 October 1947 as wife of Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, the titular Grand Duke.-Family:Maria Cristina was the daughter of Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two...
(10 April 1877 – 4 October 1947)
- ∞ Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of TuscanyArchduke Peter Ferdinand, Prince of TuscanyArchduke Peter Ferdinand Salvator Karl Ludwig Maria Joseph Leopold Anton Rupert Pius Pancraz of Austria, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, Prince of Tuscany) Archduke Peter Ferdinand Salvator Karl Ludwig Maria Joseph Leopold Anton Rupert Pius Pancraz of Austria, Prince...
, son of Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of TuscanyFerdinand IV, Grand Duke of TuscanyFerdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany was the last Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1859 to 1860. The House of Habsburg-Lorraine continued to hold the title as pretenders until the end of World War I.-Biography:...
. This marriage produced four children.
- Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria di Grazia Pia Chiara Anna of Bourbon-Two Sicilies) was a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Princess Imperial consort of Brazil through her marriage to Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza.-Family:Maria was the daughter of Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta and his...
(12 August 1878 – 20 June 1973)
- ∞ Prince Luís Maria of Orléans-Braganza, son of Prince Gaston of Orléans, Count of EuGaston, comte d'EuGaston d'Orléans , the first son of Louis, the Duke of Nemours and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary. His full name was Louis Philippe Marie Ferdinand Gaston d'Orléans; Portuguese: Luís Filipe Maria Fernando Gastão de Orleães...
. This marriage produced three children.
- Princess Maria Giuseppina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (25 February 1880 – 22 July 1971)
- Prince Gennaro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (24 January 1882 – 11 April 1944)
- ∞ Beatrice Bordessa, Countess of Villa Colli. This marriage produced no issue.
- Prince Ranieri of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of CastroPrince Ranieri, Duke of CastroPrince Ranieri Maria Gaetano, Duke of Castro was a claimant to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Biography:...
(1883–1973)
- ∞ Countess Maria Carolina ZamoyskaCountess Maria Carolina ZamoyskaCountess Maria Carolina Zamoyska was the wife of Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, claimant to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies...
, daughter of Andrzej Przemysław Zamoyski, Count Zamoyski. This marriage produced two children.
- Prince Filippo of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrince Philip of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrince Philip of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and a Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Family:Prince Philip was the tenth child of Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta and...
(10 December 1885 – 9 March 1949)
- ∞ Princess Marie Louise of OrléansPrincess Marie Louise of Orléans (1896–1973)Princess Marie Louise Ferdinande Charlotte Henriette of Orléans) was a Princess of Orléans by birth and a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies through her marriage to Prince Philip of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Family:Marie Louise was the eldest daughter and child of...
, daughter of Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, Duke of Vendôme. This marriage produced one child. - ∞ Odette Labori. This marriage produced no issue.
- Prince Francesco d'Assisi of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (13 January 1888 – 26 March 1914)
- Prince Gabriele of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrince Gabriel of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrince Gabriele Maria Giuseppe Carlo Ignazio Antonio Alfonso Pietro Giovanni Gerardo di Majella et Omni Sancti of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and a Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Family:Gabriel was the twelfth child and youngest son of Prince Alfonso of...
(1 January 1897 – 22 October 1975)
- ∞ Princess Malgorzata Izabella CzartoryskaPrincess Malgorzata Izabella CzartoryskaPrincess Malgorzata Izabella Maria Magdalene Antoinette Hyacinthe Josephe Luise Marie Czartoryska, was a princess of the House of Czartoryski by birth...
, daughter of Prince Adam Ludwik CzartoryskiAdam Ludwik CzartoryskiPrince Adam Ludwik Czartoryski was a Polish nobleman, landowner, and patron of the arts.Adam became the head of the Czartoryski family after the death of his father Władysław. In 1897 he became Ordynat of the Sieniawa Ordynacja property. Capital assets were estimated at 4.5 million Austrian...
. This marriage produced one child. - ∞ Princess Cecylia LubomirskaPrincess Cecylia LubomirskaPrincess Cecylia Lubomirska was a Princess Lubomirska by birth and a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies through her marriage to Prince Gabriel of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.-Family:...
, daughter of Prince Kasimierz Lubomirski. This marriage produced four children.