Birth of Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies – Queen of Spain
Born in Palermo, Sicily on 27th April 1806, Maria Christina was the daughter of King King Francis I of the Two Sicilies by his second wife, Maria Isabella of Spain.
Like so many noble children, the destiny of Maria Christina was shaped by her family.
When her mother’s brother King Ferdinand VII of Spain, found himself widowed for a third time in 1829, it was swiftly agreed that the young lady would make an excellent bride for her uncle.
King Ferdinand was still without an heir, and Maria Christina was his last hope.
The couple were married on 11th December 1829, in Madrid.
King Ferdinand was 45 years old, his niece and bride, was just 23.
King Ferdinand’s quest for a male heir was to remain unfulfilled.
By the time Ferdinand died in 1833, the couple had two young daughters but no son.
With their three year old daughter Isabella next in line to the throne thanks to a change in the laws of succession, Maria Christina took on the regency.
While still married to King Ferdinand, Maria Christina met a Sergeant of the Royal Guard, Agustín Fernando Muñoz.
Muñoz made quite an impact on the queen, and just three months after the death of her husband, Maria Christina and Muñoz were married in a secret ceremony.
Together they went on to have seven children, all of whom survived childhood.
The couple knew that they must keep their marriage a secret if Maria Christina was to remain as Regent, however, their affair was public knowledge at court, even if their marriage wasn’t.
Maria Christina’s regency was not without conflict.
The late king’s brother Infante Carlos, Count of Molina, argued vociferously that the law naming Isabella as heir was actually illegal – and that he was the rightful King of Spain.
Infante Carlos also claimed that Ferdinand had no wish to make his daughter Isabella queen.
Maria Christina had unlawfully forged legal documents naming Isabella as queen, in a quest to rob Carlos of his rightful claim to the throne.
Maria Christina stood against Carlos, and his demands for an absolute monarchy with himself at the helm.
Despite strong support for Carlos, the Catholic Church, and the army came out in favour of Maria Christina.
She had successfully defended her daughter’s claim to the throne.
Eventually and inevitably, news of the secret marriage of Maria Christine and Muñoz began to leak out.
The scandal engulfed the court, and ministers and military leaders called upon Maria Christina to step aside as Regent.
In 1840 Maria Christine and Muñoz went into exile in France.
Here they remained until Queen Isabella II assumed the throne in 1844.
Queen Isabella swiftly gave her official blessing to her mother’s marriage.
She granted them permission for a public marriage ceremony, as well as awarding Muñoz the title of Duke of Riánsares.
Muñoz was also made a Captain General, the highest rank in the Spanish Army.
When the 1868 revolution swept Queen Isabella from power, she joined her mother and stepfather in France.
After the scandal of their early years, Maria Christina and Muñoz settled into a devoted and happy retirement.
Maria Christina became a widow in 1873, and lived on in quiet retirement for five further years before she too passed away, on 22nd August 1878, aged 72.
Maria Christina was buried in the royal crypt of El Escorial, her turbulent life finally at an end.
🌹 Source – madamegilflurt/maria-christina/
Catherine Curzon ‘Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty’, is available at the links below.
Pen and Sword
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Book Depository.
🌹 Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies – Queen of Spain
Portrait by Vicente López y Portaña c.1830
