Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 61

Book News Week 2 2024

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Book News Week 2 – 8 January – 14 January 2024

The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England 

Paperback – 9 January 2024 (UK & US)

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Isabella & King Henry IV (Part one)

The future King Henry IV of Castile was born on 5 January 1425 as the third child but only son of King John II of Castile and his first wife, Maria of Aragon.

At the time of his birth, his eldest sister, Catherine, had already died in infancy. Another elder sister, Eleanor, would die in the year of his birth. A shortlived younger sister named Maria was born in 1428. After his mother’s death in 1445, Henry’s father, King John, remarried to the much younger Isabella of Portugal. She gave him two more children, Isabella, the future Queen Isabella I (born 1451) and Alfonso (born 1453).

On 21 April 1425, Henry was installed as Prince of Asturias, a title previously held by his elder sisters in turn. Unfortunately, very little is known about Henry’s early years. Bishop Lope Barrientos acted as his principal tutor, and he was in the care of his ayo, Pedro Fernández de Córdoba, Lord of Baeno. When the latter died in 1435, he was replaced by Alvaro de Luna, who de facto put Juan de Cerenzuela, Ruy Diaz de Menzoa and Pedro Manuel in charge. Juan Pacheco was also introduced into the prince’s entourage.

Henry was just 11 years old when his father began negotiations for his marriage to Blanche of Navarre (later known as Queen Blanche II of Navarre). The wedding took place four years later, on 15 September 1440. At the time, there was trouble brewing between father and son, and one chronicler wrote, “Juan Pacheco turned him from the opinion and obedience of the lord king his father, and he himself managed the reconciliation. And he did this since he wanted to gain from the King some large gifts and grants, and with this technique, he gained and advanced so much, that in the space of six years, making an about-face each year, he arrived to be marquis… of Villena, and lord of other great towns and places…”1 From around this time, until the death of King John, there were four blocs: the King with Alvaro de Luna, Henry and Juan Pacheco, the greater Castillian nobles and the Infantes of Aragon. Henry’s mother, Maria, also often opposed the King and sometimes sided with Henry; other times, she sided with the Infantes. All had their own purpose, but this is perhaps too much for now. After King John married Isabella of Aragon in 1447, he turned against Alvaro de Luna. Alvaro was eventually overthrown and beheaded in 1453.

That same year, Henry managed to secure a divorce from his wife, Blanche. They had been married for 13 years, but the marriage had reportedly remained unconsummated. Henry implied that Blanche had somehow rendered him impotent, although this was limited to relations involving his wife. Despite his best efforts to blame it on Blanche, this also caused rumours about his own virility, which continued to plague him for many years to come.2 Blanche endured a medical examination to prove her continued virginity. The divorce became final on 13 November 1453 after an appeal to the Pope. Blanche was sent home in disgrace, where she eventually succeeded as Queen in her own right, although she was being held captive by then.

On 20 July 1454, Kinh John II died, and he was succeeded by Henry. His two half-siblings, Isabella and Alfonso, were still very young and could offer no support. He had no children or wife, so it was perhaps no surprise that he had a series of favourites, such as Beltrán de la Cueva. In 1455, Henry remarried Joan of Portugal, although it appeared that it wasn’t consummated immediately. Joan eventually gave birth to a daughter named Joanna in 1462 and a stillborn son not much later.3 Henry certainly never doubted the paternity of his children, but the following rumours gave little Joanna the nickname “la Beltraneja”, implying that her father was in fact her father’s favourite, Beltrán de la Cueva. The accusations of his sexual incompetence were very convenient for his opponents.

When Joan fell pregnant for the first time, Henry’s half-siblings, then ten and seven years old, were ordered to come to court. Isabella later wrote, “Alfonso and I, who were just children at the time, were inhumanely and forcibly torn from our mother’s arms and taken into Queen Joan’s power.”4 She became part of the Queen’s household and saw very little of her brother Henry. When Joanna was born, Isabella acted as godmother to her newborn niece. Just three months later, Isabella and Alfonso were among those who swore an oath to recognise Joanna as Castile’s heiress. Nevertheless, the rumours about her paternity were already making their way to Rome, and a rebellion was forming.

The symbol of the rebellion would be Isabella’s younger brother, Alfonso. Isabella and Alfonso were still at court with Henry and his family. Isabella had already become Henry’s chess piece, and he needed the support of Portugal. In 1464, Isabella had been brought to the Portuguese border to meet with the King of Portugal, Afonso V, who was also the brother of Queen Joan. He was reportedly so impressed that he wanted to marry her straight away. This did not happen. The rebelling nobles claimed that Isabella and Alfonso were being held captive, and they attempted to kidnap them. A group of grandees wrote, “We are sure that certain people, with wicked intent, have taken control of the illustrious prince Alfonso, and at the same time, of the illustrious princess Isabella. And not only that, we are also sure that these people have agreed to and planned to kill said prince and marry off the princess.”5

They also first wrote openly about the doubts of Joanna’s paternity. They wrote, “Both your royal highness and he [Beltrán] know that she is not your daughter and cannot be your lawful successor.”6 Henry was reluctant to fight, and the bishop of Cuenca told him, “Otherwise you will go down in history as the most useless king there has ever been in Spain.”7 Nevertheless, Henry agreed to declare Alfonso as his heir, and he was handed over while Isabella hoped to return to her mother. Then he went back on his word and demanded Alfonso be returned to him. This didn’t happen, and Isabella was stuck in Queen Joan’s household as the nobles proclaimed the young Alfonso as King in 1465.

Part two coming soon.

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Anastasia of Kyiv – An Influential Hungarian Queen

Yaroslav, the Wise, Grand Prince of Kyiv, had at least three daughters: Elisaveta, Anastasia, and Anna. From early on, he wanted them all to make prestigious marriages. He succeeded in this, and each of these three daughters married kings.

Early Life

Anastasia of Kyiv was born sometime in the 1020s to Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kyiv and Ingegerd Olafsdotter of Sweden. She had at least six brothers and at least two sisters. Like her, both of her sisters would later become queens. Elisaveta married Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, and Anna married Henry I, King of France. We know little about Anastasia’s upbringing, but it is fair to assume she was well-educated. We don’t have anything signed by Anastasia, but there are charters signed by her sister, Anna, who became Queen of France, so it is likely that she received a similar education and was literate. After all, Yaroslav’s court had a reputation for being a centre of learning.

Yaroslav was also known to have sheltered exiled foreign princes. These princes included Harald and Magnus of Norway, Andrew of Hungary, and Edmund and Edward of England. Elisaveta would marry Harald, Anastasia would marry Andrew, and Edward’s wife, Agatha, was possibly another of Yaroslav’s daughters, but that is far from certain.

Marriage

Around 1031, Vazul, the father of Andrew of Hungary, was blinded by his cousin, King Stephen of Hungary, who wanted to remove him from the line of succession. Vazul died soon afterwards, and his sons, including Andrew, fled to Bohemia. They eventually went to Poland and then to Kyiv, where they lived at the court of Grand Prince Yaroslav.

Here, Andrew and Anastasia would have met for the first time. When Stephen died in 1038, he was succeeded by Peter Orseolo, his nephew in the female line. Stephen’s brother-in-law, Samuel Aba, also claimed the Hungarian throne. As a member of the royal Arpad dynasty, Andrew’s claim was supported by Yaroslav.

Yaroslav used both his sons and daughters for dynastic alliances. Due to his support for Andrew, the latter got to marry Anastasia. The date of their marriage is disputed. The earliest date is 1038 or 1039, and the latest date is 1050. If it happened during the earlier date, they would have been married in the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Kyiv, according to the Byzantine rite. Even though this marriage was mainly political, it is also believed to be a love match. Andrew and Anastasia had two sons, Solomon and David. There might have also been one or two daughters. Andrew had a daughter named Adelaide, who married Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia. It is possible that she was born from an earlier marriage of Andrew’s, especially if he married Anastasia around 1050. There also might have been another daughter named Euphemia, who married Otto of Bohemia, Duke of Olomouc, but she could possibly be the daughter of Andrew’s brother, Bela.

Queen of Hungary

In 1046, the Hungarian nobles became dissatisfied with King Peter and his pro-German policies. They rebelled and invited Andrew to Hungary. Yaroslav supplied Andrew, who was still living at his court, with an army and money. With Yaroslav’s help, Andrew was able to return to Hungary, depose Peter, and become king. That same year, he was crowned King Andrew I of Hungary.

At the beginning of his reign, Andrew had no sons, so he chose his brother, Bela, as his heir. Andrew made Bela a duke and gave him a third of the kingdom. By 1055, Bela was pushed back two places in the line of succession since Anastasia had given birth to two sons, Solomon and David.

Anastasia seems to have settled in as Queen of Hungary relatively quickly, but she still missed her homeland. Andrew purchased a castle and forest for her in present-day Slovakia because it was closer to Rus and reminded her of her homeland. Anastasia was involved in the founding of several monasteries during Andrew’s reign. These monasteries followed the Greek rite rather than the Latin rite, which was used in Hungary at the time. Under Anastasia’s invitation, Rus monks came to Hungary.

Around 1057, Andrew came down with an illness that left him paralyzed. Due to this, it is believed that Anastasia took on a powerful role at court and may have even ruled the kingdom herself. In 1058, five-year-old Solomon was crowned as Junior King, possibly due to Anastasia’s influence. That same year, Solomon was betrothed to Judith of Swabia, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Henry III. These actions were done to make sure Solomon had a smooth accession to the throne. However, Bela, who was previously Andrew’s heir, was angered by these actions. He wanted to be king himself.

In 1059, Bela fled to Poland, where his wife was from. With the help of the Polish Duke, Boleslaw II, Bela’s nephew by marriage, he soon invaded Hungary. Anastasia and her children fled to Margrave Ernst of Austria for protection. A battle was fought between the two brothers, and Bela won. Andrew tried to flee to Austria, but he died on the way, soon before December 1060.

Exile

Bela was crowned as King of Hungary on 6 December 1060. With her husband dead, Anastasia sought help from abroad. She could not return to her native Rus since the reigning prince, her brother Izyaslav, supported Bela. Through his marriage to Gertrude of Poland, Izyaslav was brother-in-law to Bela. Instead, Anastasia and her children went to Bavaria.

Anastasia still hoped that her son, Solomon, would become King of Hungary. However, political problems kept Anastasia and her sons in Germany for the next couple of years. In August 1063, she met with the young German king, Henry IV, in Regensburg. Henry’s sister, Judith, was married to Solomon around this time. There, Anastasia begged Henry for help. He supplied her and Solomon with an army to invade Hungary. However, Bela died soon after a bizarre accident in September when the throne he was sitting on collapsed. Solomon’s forces started to make their move, and Bela’s sons fled.

Solomon’s Reign

Soon after returning to Hungary, Solomon was crowned King. Since he was only ten years old, Anastasia became his regent. Around this time, Anastasia gave a special gift to Otto, Duke of Bavaria, who had led the German troops in Solomon’s campaign for the throne. She presented him with a sword that, according to legend, belonged to Attila the Hun. This gift shows that she was very grateful to Otto for his support.

Some believe that Anastasia married for a second time to the German count, Potho. Potho was one of the leaders of the German army. However, it seems like most believe this marriage never happened. Not much is known about Anastasia’s role as regent. She did not act alone and was assisted by the bishops and noblemen of Hungary. Solomon’s minority probably ended before 1071.

Throughout his reign, Solomon remained at odds with his cousins, Geza, Ladislaus, and Lampert, the sons of Bela. Solomon was also known to be irresponsible and relied heavily on a Hungarian nobleman named Vid. In 1074, Geza, who had his eye on the Hungarian throne, went to war against Solomon. With the help of the Polish, Geza defeated Solomon in battle. Solomon soon fled to Anastasia, who was in the city of Musun, near the Austrian border. Here, a heated argument broke out between Anastasia and Solomon. Anastasia scolded Solomon for ignoring her council and relying too much on the nobleman, Vid. In response, Solomon raised his hand and was about to slap Anastasia, but her daughter-in-law, Judith, seized his hand in order to prevent him from doing so.

Aftermath

After this incident, it is believed that Anastasia settled in the Abbey of Admont in Styria, Austria. Solomon made several unsuccessful attempts to retake the Hungarian throne. He died childless in exile in 1087. It is uncertain what happened to Anastasia after 1074. Most believe she spent her final years in the Abbey of Admont. Some believe that she may have become a nun there. The date of her death is not known. At the latest, Anastasia would have died in 1094 or 1096 when she was first mentioned as deceased. It is also not known where she was buried, but most believe it was at the Abbey of Admont.

Although we don’t know much about her regency, Anastasia seems to be the first Hungarian queen who acted on behalf of her minor son. Anastasia seems to have been one of the more active early Hungarian queens and is deserving of more attention.

Sources

Evgenievna, Morozova Lyudmila; Great and Unknown Women of Ancient Russia

Font, Marta; “The princess of Kievan Rus in Hungarian History” on hromada.hu

Karpov, A. Yu.; “Anastasia Yaroslavna” on portal-slovo.ru

Mielke, Christopher; “Every hyacinth the garden wears: the material culture of medieval queens of Hungary (1000-1395)”

Mielke, Christopher; “No Country for Old Women: Burial Practices and Patterns of Hungarian Queens of the Arpad Dynasty (975-1301)”

Mielke, Christopher; The Archaeology and Material Culture of Queenship in Medieval Hungary, 1000-1395

Voloshchuk, Myroslav; “Ruthenian-Hungarian Matrimonial Connections in the Context of the Rurik Inter-dynasty Policy of the 10th-14th centuries: Selected Statistical Data”

“Anastasia of Kiev” on the website The Court of Russian Princesses of the XI-XVI centuries

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Conquering Granada

At the end of the Reconquista, the Emirate of Granada was the last land left for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon to conquer. The Reconquista is a term used for the military campaigns that the various Christian kingdoms waged against the Muslim kingdoms following the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, which was the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula by the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.

The Muslim Nasrid dynasty had held the Emirate since the 13th century and long withstood the Reconquista. On 1 February 1482, Medina del Campo was reached, which is ultimately considered the start of the Granada War. It would take ten long years to conquer Granada.

The siege of Granada began in the spring of 1491, and Sultan Muhammad XII of Granada, known in Europe as Boabdil, surrendered. On 2 January 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand triumphantly entered the city. Isabella, who had always liked the Arab style of dress but had kept it private until then, deliberately chose to dress in the Moorish style for the occasion. She chose a silk and brocade aljuba with a tight, buttoned-up top, long sleeves and a knee-length skirt. Her husband and children were dressed in a similar style.1

Sultan Muhammad rode out of the magnificent Alhambra palace on a mule, accompanied by fifty retainers. When they met, he played the defeated king and Isabella the magnanimous victor, as previously arranged. Around 400 imprisoned Christians, who had been held inside the Alhambra, appeared in chains, and Isabella ordered that they be taken to the fortress at Santa Fe. As part of the deal, Isabella handed back the Sultan’s young son Ahmed, who had been their captive.2

The scene as portrayed in Isabel (2012) (Screenshot/Fair use)

As a cross was raised on one of the towers of the Alhambra, the members of Isabella’s chapel began to sing the Te Deum Laudamus. “The Joy was such that everyone wept”, wrote one chronicler.3 The keys to the city were now formally handed over and passed through to the hands of Isabella’s only son, Juan. The Sultan and his family then began their travels to the lands in the Alpujarra, which had been given to him. According to one tale, as he looked over at the land he was leaving, his mother admonished him with the words, “You do well to weep as a woman over what you could not defend as a man.”4

The scene as portrayed in Isabel (2012) (Screenshot/Fair use)

The terms of the following treaty were generous and agreed that “No Moor or Mooress will be forced to convert.” However, some saw this as a way of keeping the Moors quiet while other measures were taken to persuade them to leave. The letter-writer Cifuentes wrote, “The agreement is very beneficial to the Moors, but when things have reached such an honourable and beneficial end, it is right to finish them off by what-ever means. Now that the monarchs have Granada, which is what they wanted, they can apply cunning to the remaining task and, the Moors being as they are, make them leave the city without breaking the agreements.”5

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Ferdinand returns home to newly proclaimed Queen Isabella

On 2 January 1475, Isabella’s husband Ferdinand returned home after eight months on a military campaign. Much had changed since they had last seen each other – most notably, Isabella had succeeded her half-brother, King Henry IV, as Queen upon his death on 11 December 1474.

She had ordered that the cities “raise flags for me, recognising me as your Queen and natural mistress and also to the high and mighty prince, King Ferdinand… as my legitimate husband.” The message clearly stated that she was the Queen and he was her consort, and Ferdinand was not amused.1 Nevertheless, her husband wasn’t her only problem. Her niece, Joanna, also claimed the crown and a civil war was bound to happen. Joanna was just 12 years old and in the hands of Diego López Pacheco. In May 1475, Joanna would marry her uncle, King Afonso V of Portugal, who pushed her claim.

Isabella had taken refuge at the Alcázar of Segovia upon learning of her half-brother’s death. He had proclaimed her as his heiress before overthrowing the agreement, and she received the support of Andres de Cabrera and Segovia’s council. On 13 December 1474, Isabella was proclaimed Queen of Castile and León. Ferdinand only learned that Henry was dead on 14 December when a message told him, “Today I kiss the hand one hundred and one times, because it is now that of my king and master.”2 Ferdinand was annoyed that the news had not come from a letter from Isabella herself. This letter did not come until three days later.

Isabella did not have just Joanna to fear as her rival. Ferdinand himself could make a claim should he be so inclined, as he too was a descendant of King John I of Castile. He and his wife were second cousins, as they both descended from King John I. Ferdinand spoke of Isabella receiving “bad advice from her counsellors who, from the very first days of their marriage, had been plotting so that the Queen should enjoy first place in the government of the kingdom.”3 He believed that “Upon his death don Enrique (Henry)… was succeeded in the kingdoms of Castile and Leon by the prince of Aragon, don Ferdinand, according to his hereditary rights as husband of the queen, doña Isabella.”4 When Ferdinand and his entourage learned that the royal sword had been held in front of Isabella as she processed to Segovia, they were even more upset. This sword symbolised Castile’s ancient sovereignty and the right to mete out violent justice and had never been carried in front of a woman before.5 The issue of them co-ruling was not a new one, but during the early years of their marriage, it had gotten snowed under by other matters. Now, it reared its ugly head at the moment of truth.

Ferdinand began travelling slowly towards his wife at Segovia. As he finally reached her, she threw him a grand reception. He arrived wearing a long black cloak, which was ceremoniously removed to reveal a gold embroidered outfit lined with the fur of pine martens. After several ceremonies, he met Isabella in the outer courtyard of the Alcazar. After being proclaimed king, the couple slipped away, and courtiers on both sides were left to work it all out. Two arbiters were appointed, and a new document was drawn up and signed within two weeks. It wasn’t too different from the one they had signed upon their wedding, but more concessions were made to Ferdinand.

For example, Ferdinand’s name was to go first on their joint documents, while her shield had precedence. Both would be able to administer justice, apart or jointly. Isabella had pointed out that if Ferdinand insisted that only men could rule, he was putting their daughter’s rights (she was their only child at this point) at risk. And above all, it was decided that they would never, even if they were apart, override each other’s decisions. A unique partnership was now formed.6

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Review: Jeanne du Barry (2023)

Jeanne du Barry is a brand-new film about Madame du Barry, the last maîtresse-en-titre of King Louis XV of France, starring Maïwenn as Madame du Barry and Johnny Depp as King Louis XV.

Jeanne du Barry begins chronologically and swiftly walks the viewer through a simplified version of her early life as the illegitimate daughter of a cook. After several years of growing up and working her way up as a courtesan, a plan is devised to introduce Jeanne to the King. After some protocol hiccups and a smashing first meeting, Jeanne is married off to obtain a title so that she can be duly presented at court.

The ladies of the court are aghast at the lowly-born Jeanne being in such high favour with the King. This includes the King’s daughters, who are presented almost as caricatures. Then, a young Marie Antoinette arrives, and she frivolously disregards the influence Jeanne has on the King, leading to a conflict which was only resolved when Marie Antoinette addresses Jeanne in public.

Jeanne rises to such a high station that some wonder if the King will marry her, as King Louis XIV had done with Madame de Maintenon. Her reign as maîtresse-en-titre ends after six years with the death of King Louis XV. She is then ceremoniously shipped off to a convent. As with her youth, the film then skims over her later life, leaving the audience to wonder how and why she ended up under the guillotine so many years later.

Overall, Jeanne du Barry is a brilliantly visual film, and Johnny Depp is marvellous as the King. The costumes are breathtaking, and the jewels sparkle as they should. Maïwenn is perfect for Jeanne. However, I do wish they had spent more time developing Jeanne’s life, both before and after her relationship with the King. It is, after all, her name in the title.

See the release dates for Jeanne du Barry here.

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Queen Margrethe announces abdication in New Year’s Address

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has announced in her New Year’s Address that she will step down on 14 January 2024. This date also marks the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne.

She said, “In two weeks’ time, I have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years. Such an amount will leave its mark on anybody – also on me! The time takes its toll, and the number of “ailments” increases. One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past. 

In February this year, I underwent extensive back surgery. Everything went well, thanks to the competent health personnel, who took care of me. Inevitably, the operation gave cause to thoughts about the future – whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation. 

I have decided that now is the right time. On 14th January, 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I will hand over the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik. 

Tonight, I, first and foremost would like to express my thanks. Thank you for the overwhelming warmth and support which I have received during all these years. Thank you to the changing governments with whom the collaboration always has been rewarding, and thank you to The Parliament, who have always vested their confidence in me. 

Thank you to the many, many people who, on special occasions and in everyday life, have embraced me and my family with kind words and thoughts, turning the years into a string of pearls. 

The support and assistance which I have received throughout the years, have been crucial to the success of my task. It is my hope that the new King and Queen will be met with the same trust and devotion which have fallen to my lot.”

Her eldest son Frederik will thus become King Frederik X in two weeks.

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Book News Week 1 2024

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Book News Week 1 2024: 1 January – 7 January

Chinese Empresses (Asian Voices) 

Paperback – 2 January 2024 (US & UK)

Anne: Last Queen of England (Penguin Monarchs) 

Hardcover – 2 January 2024 (US)

The post Book News Week 1 2024 appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Who would be Queen of France today?

After the fall of the French monarchy on 21 September 1792, it was resurrected several times, but it currently does not exist. However, as the lines continued into the 21st century, who would be Queen of France today?

King Louis XVI was executed on 21 January 1793, and he was nominally succeeded by his son, now King Louis XVII. He died young while still imprisoned, and his uncle, the Count of Provence, became King Louis XVIII for the monarchists. He was officially proclaimed King during the Bourbon Restoration and reigned from 1815 until his death on 16 September 1824 (with a brief interruption). His wife had already died before his official reign.

He had no children and was succeeded by his brother, the Count of Artois, who became King Charles  X. His wife had died in 1805. He was forced to abdicate six years later, and his cousin Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans, a male-line descendant of King Louis XIII of France, through his second son, Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, was hailed as the new King. This became known as the July Revolution. The legitimists continued to recognise the line of the overthrown eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty.

Thus, the legitimist line continues with King Charles X’s son, Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême, who was recognised as King Louis XIX. He was married to King Louis XVI’s daughter, Marie Thérèse. They had no children together, and upon his death in 1844, the claim passed to his nephew Henry, who was recognised as King Henry V. He married Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, but they had no children together, thus ending the male line of King Louis XVI and his brothers.

The line then went back to the descendants of Philippe, Duke of Anjou, second son of Louis, Grand Dauphin, who had succeeded as King Philip V of Spain, following the childless death of King Charles II of Spain1. He gave up his French succession rights to succeed as King of Spain, but this is irrelevant for the legitimists. If they considered his renunciation valid, the succession would fall to the Orléans line. When Henry V died, the claim was taken up by Infante Juan, Count of Montizón, a great-great-grandson in the male line of King Philip V. Infanta Juan was also the Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain after his father Carlos claimed the throne of Spain as King Charles V in opposition to the succession of his niece Queen Isabella II. Juan was married to Archduchess Maria Beatrix of Austria-Este.

Upon Juan’s death in 1887, the claim passed to his eldest son, Infante Carlos, Duke of Madrid, who was married to Princess Margherita of Bourbon-Parma, herself a great-granddaughter of King Charles X of France. After Princess Margherita’s death, he remarried to Princess Berthe de Rohan in 1894. Upon Carlos’s death in 1909, he was succeeded in his claim by his son Jaime, Duke of Madrid. Infante Jaime remained unmarried, and upon his death in 1931, his claim passed to his uncle, Infante Alfonso Carlos, Duke of San Jaime. Alfonso Carlos was married to Infanta Maria das Neves of Portugal, but they had no surviving children together.

Upon Alfonso Carlos’s death in 1936, his claim passed to King Alfonso XIII of Spain, a great-great-great-great-grandson in the male line of King Philip V of Spain. He was married to Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg. He was deposed as King of Spain in 1931. Upon his death in 1941, he was succeeded by his second son, as his eldest son had died in 1938. His second son was Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia, who had renounced his rights to the Spanish throne because he was deaf. The throne of Spain was eventually restored to the son of King Alfonso XIII’s third son, who became King Juan Carlos I. The French claim, however, passed to his second son, Infante Jaime, who had married Emmanuelle de Dampierre in 1935. They had two children before divorcing in 1947. Upon Jaime’s death in 1975, his French claim passed to his eldest son, Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz.

Alfonso married María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco in 1972, and they had two sons before divorcing in 1982. Their eldest son died at the age of 11. Alfonso died in 1989, and he was succeeded by his second son, Louis Alphonse de Bourbon, who uses the title Duke of Anjou. He married María Margarita Vargas Santaella in 2004, and they have four children. Under the legitimist claim, she is the current Queen of France.

The competing claim comes from the Orléans line. Following the July Revolution, Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans, became Louis Philippe I, King of the French. He was married to Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily. During the February 1848 Revolution, King Louis Philippe I abdicated in favour of his nine-year-old grandson, Philippe, Count of Paris, as his eldest son, Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, had died in 1842. However, the young Philippe was not recognised as King; instead, the Second Republic was proclaimed. Nevertheless, the Orléans claim to the French throne passed to him.

Philippe married Infanta Maria Isabel of Spain in 1864, and upon his death in 1894, he was succeeded in his claim by his eldest son, Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans. He had married Archduchess Maria Dorothea of Austria in 1896, but they separated without having had children in 1914. Upon his death in 1926, he was succeeded by his cousin and brother-in-law, Prince Jean, Duke of Guise, the son of Philippe, Count of Paris’s brother, Robert. He was married to Princess Isabelle of Orléans, who was thus Philippe’s sister. They had four children together, and upon his death in 1940, his claim passed to his only son, Prince Henri, Count of Paris.

Prince Henri was married to Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza in 1931, and they had eleven children before separating in 1986. Upon Henri’s death in 1999, he was succeeded in his claim by his eldest son, who is also known as Prince Henri, Count of Paris. He had married Duchess Marie Therese of Württemberg in 1957, but they divorced in 1984, so she was never titular Queen. He remarried to Micaela Cousiño Quiñones de León in 1984. Upon his death in 2019, he was succeeded by his second son, Prince Jean, Count of Paris, as his elder son, Prince François, Count of Clermont (who was also developmentally disabled), died in 2017. Prince Jean was married to Philomena de Tornos Steinhart in 2009, and she is thus the current Queen of France under the Orléans claim.

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Marie Thérèse of France – A final exile (Part eight)

Read part seven here.

King Charles X had begun making decisions, which even worried Marie Thérèse. Soon, the situation spiralled out of control. Crowds of angry men and women refused to work, and police fired into the crowd, costing several lives. This turned into a full-out insurrection at the end of July 1830. King Charles packed up the family and headed to Versailles as the flags of the revolution replaced the flags of the Bourbons.

As she returned to her father-in-law’s side, he said, “My daughter, will you forgive me?” She replied, “Let us forget the past.”1 As she had feared, King Charles was forced to abdicate. On 2 August 1830, King Charles signed the document of his abdication, and Marie Thérèse’s husband reluctantly signed 20 minutes later. The young Duke of Bordeaux was now the new King of France at the age of 9. The following day, 14,000 armed Parisians headed towards the royal family, and they prepared to leave France again.

Once again, Marie Thérèse tearfully said goodbye to her childhood friend Pauline, and this would be the last time they would see each other. Marie Caroline intended to remain in France as regent for her son. However, they soon learned that the young Henry would not be King, and the Chamber of Deputies had elected the Duke of Orleans as the next King. He was now Louis Philippe I, King of the French. Meanwhile, Marie Thérèse watched from a ship as the French coastline faded away.

The family eventually settled in Edinburgh, and she rented a house at Regent Terrace for herself, her husband and Princess Louise. The others settled at Holyrood, where Marie Thérèse would become a frequent visitor. She focused on her nephew and his road to the throne, which she still believed could happen. It soon became apparent that they could not stay in Edinburgh, and contacted the Austrian Emperor for help. He offered them the Hradschin Palace in Prague.

In October 1832, Marie Thérèse returned to her Habsburg family and the family was installed on the second floor of the palace. Once more, she unpacked the family altar in her bedroom, which contained mementoes from her parents and brother. But even here, they would not stay long. In 1835, the Emperor died, and the new Emperor, Ferdinand I, wanted to use the palace. They eventually settled on Gorizia, known for its good air and rented the medieval Castello di Strassodo. However, King Charles soon developed a cough, and it was feared he had cholera. He died on 6 November 1836, even though Marie Thérèse had done her best to nurse him.

To the Legitimists, Marie Thérèse’s husband was now King Louis XIX, and she was his Queen. They led a very simple life in Gorizia with Louise and Henry. The children’s mother, Marie Caroline, had long since thrown herself into a scandalous life. By December 1843, Marie Thérèse’s husband was ill with cancer, and he declined rapidly. For six months, he suffered terrible pains and eventually went blind. He died on 3 June 1844 as a sobbing Marie Thérèse repeated the words of Abbé Edgeworth to her father on the scaffold, “Son of Saint Louis, ascend to heaven!”2 He was buried in the Kostanjevica Monastery with his father.

The widowed Marie Thérèse felt it was time to change and bought Schloss Frohsdorf. She also tried to welcome Marie Caroline back to the family. The following year, Marie Thérèse hosted the wedding of Princess Louise to the future Duke of Parma at Schloss Frohsdorf. Princess Louise would name her first child after her aunt. In 1846, Henry married Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, and Marie Thérèse agreed to have Schloss Frohsdorf as their primary residence when they were not travelling.

In 1848, Louis Philippe I was forced to abdicate, and the French Second Republic was proclaimed. Just four years later, another Bonaparte became Emperor – Napoleon III, which lasted until 1870 when the monarchy in France truly came to an end. When Louis Philippe died two years after his abdication, Marie Thérèse did not take pleasure in his death. She even organised a memorial service for him.

Marie Thérèse continued to devote her life to her loved ones and charity. She also continued to take a walk daily until she caught a chill on 12 October 1851. She continued to get worse, and a doctor was called. She received a visit from Archduchess Sophie, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph I.  By the 15th, she was so ill that only Henry was allowed to visit her. On the 16th, the anniversary of her mother’s death, she insisted on commemorating the day. She said, “Nothing could stop me from going to the chapel to render to the memory of my mother; I have never failed in those duties.”3 However, she was too ill and eventually the Abbé Trébuquet came to her room.

The Emperor’s personal physician diagnosed pneumonia and pleurisy as she rested on her divan. With the help of her secretary, she organised her papers and had many of them burned. Her family mementoes were to go to Henry. Over the next two days, her fever pitched, and she fell into a coma during the night of 18/19 October. At 11.15 a.m., she spoke her final words, “I am annihilated.”4 Abbé Trébuquet spoke the words, “Daughter of Saint Louis and of Louis XVI, ascend to heaven!”5 

On 25 October, Marie Thérèse’s funeral took place at the chapel at Schloss Frohsdorf. She was buried at the Kostanjevica Monastery. In her last will and testament, she wrote, “After the example of my parents, I pardon, with my entire soul, and without exception, all those who have injured or offended me. I pray to God to shower down his blessings upon France – France that I have never ceased to love even under my bitterest afflictions.” 6

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