Francis, Duke of Cádiz

Francis Ferdinand Maria of Bourbon and the Two Sicilies (Spanish Francisco de Asís Fernando María de Borbón y Borbón - Dos Sicilias ) ( born May 13, 1822 Royal Palace of Aranjuez, † April 17, 1902 in Epinay- sur -Seine respectively) as husband of Isabella II, titular king of Spain.

Origin

He was the son of the Duke of Cadiz, Francisco de Paula de Borbón, and the Luisa Carlota di Bourbon, a daughter of Francesco I of Bourbon, King of Naples and Sicily and Maria Isabel de Bourbon, Infanta of Spain.

Marriage

As a cousin of the sixteen- year-old, but already declared mature Queen Isabella II, he received the title of king on Vermählungstag, 10 October 1846. The wedding had her mother, the widow of Ferdinand VII, Maria Christina (1806-1878) arranged.

In a double wedding married on the same day, the Duke of Montpensier, son of the French king Louis -Philippe, Isabella's younger sister Maria Luisa.

Later life

As Franz was considered sickly, was expected for arranging the marriage of his marriage to Isabella because of its held for obvious infertility children. In this way, the crown would have fallen long-term to Maria Luisa and their descendants with the Duke of Montpensier, and thus to the French royal house. For a direct marriage of Isabella with the French king's son England had protested before. Contrary to the expectations associated with marriage, Isabella and Franz had a total of 12 children, of whom only four survived childhood: Isabella Maria Franziska ( 1851-1931 ), the next to Spanish King Alfonso XII. (1857-1885), María de la Paz (1862-1946) and Eulalia ( 1864-1958 ). During his lifetime, repeated rumors were circulating, Franz was a homosexual and not father of all his children. These have not proven valid until today.

Since 1864 Franz served as Chairman of the Spanish Empire Council. He followed the queen after the so-called revolution September 1868 in exile in France. There they parted by contract forever. Franz took the incognito title of Count of Mortalla.

• Ferdinand (* / † 1850-1850 )
• Maria Isabel de Borbón (1851-1931) ∞ 1868 Cajetan of Naples and Sicily ( 1846-1871 )
• María Cristina ( * / † 1854)
• Alfonso XII. (1857-1885) King of Spain

• María de la Concepción (1859-1861)
• María Berenguela (1861-1879);
• María de la Paz of Spain (1862-1946) ∞ 1883 Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria ( 1859-1949 )
• María Eulalia of Spain (1864-1958) ∞ 1886 Anton de Montpensier ( 1866-1930 )
• Francisco ( * / † 1866).