The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies is a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets— realm, title ...

of the

Spanish Bourbons The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spanis ...

that ruled

Southern Italy Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half. The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the peop ...

and

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

for more than a century in the 18th and 19th centuries. It descends from the

Capetian dynasty The Capetian dynasty (; french: Capétiens), also known as the House of France, is a dynasty of Frankish origin, and a branch of the Robertians. It is among the largest and oldest royal houses in Europe and the world, and consists of Hugh Cape ...

in legitimate male line through Philippe de Bourbon,

Duke of Anjou The Count of Anjou was the ruler of the County of Anjou, first granted by Charles the Bald in the 9th century to Robert the Strong. Ingelger and his son, Fulk the Red, were viscounts until Fulk assumed the title of Count of Anjou. The Robertians ...

, a younger grandson of

Louis XIV of France , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Versa ...

(1638–1715) who established the Bourbon dynasty in Spain in 1700 as

Philip V Philip V may refer to: * Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC) * Philip V of France (1293–1322) * Philip II of Spain, also Philip V, Duke of Burgundy (1526–1598) * Philip V of Spain Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was ...

(1683–1746). In 1759 King Philip's younger grandson was

appanage An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...

d with the kingdoms of

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

and

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, becoming Ferdinand IV and III (1751–1825), respectively, of those realms. His descendants occupied the joint throne (renamed "

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( it, Regno delle Due Sicilie) was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1860. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by population and size in Italy before Italian unification, comprising Sicily and a ...

" in 1816) until 1861, claimed it thereafter from exile, and constitute the extant Bourbon-Two Sicilies family. The succession of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies has, since 1960, been disputed between the senior Calabrian line, which is currently being represented by

Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria , title = Duke of CalabriaGrandee of SpainCount of Caserta , image = , caption = , succession = Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (disputed) , reign-type = Tenure , reign =5 October 2015 – present , pre ...

(born 1968) and the junior Castro line, which is currently being represented by

Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro (born 24 February 1963) is one of the two claimants to the headship of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Early life Prince Carlo was born at Saint-Raphaël, Var, France, as the only son ...

(born 1963). Since Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, has only daughters, in accordance with the traditional male-line succession of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the succession in theory should go to the senior Calabrian line since Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria has male heirs. Efforts of reconciliation were carried out in 2014, but have been followed by continuing arguing within the family as Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, insists on a break with tradition by transmitting succession to his eldest daughter.

Name

The name "Bourbon-Two Sicilies" (sometimes shortened to "Bourbon-Sicily") combines the

patriline Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

(Bourbon) with their former

territorial designation In the United Kingdom, a territorial designation follows modern peerage titles, linking them to a specific place or places. It is also an integral part of all baronetcies. Within Scotland, a territorial designation proclaims a relationship with ...

(Two Sicilies).

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

The first Kingdom of the Two Sicilies resulted from the unification of the

Kingdom of Sicily The Kingdom of Sicily ( la, Regnum Siciliae; it, Regno di Sicilia; scn, Regnu di Sicilia) was a state that existed in the south of the Italian Peninsula and for a time the region of Ifriqiya from its founding by Roger II of Sicily in 1130 un ...

with the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

(called the kingdom of peninsular Sicily), by King

Alfonso V of Aragon Alfonso the Magnanimous (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfonso V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfonso I) from 1442 until his death. He was involved with struggles to the t ...

in 1442. The two had been separated since the

Sicilian Vespers The Sicilian Vespers ( it, Vespri siciliani; scn, Vespiri siciliani) was a successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out at Easter 1282 against the rule of the French-born king Charles I of Anjou, who had ruled the Kingdom of S ...

of 1282. At the death of King Alfonso in 1458, the kingdom became divided between his brother

John II of Aragon John II (Spanish: ''Juan II'', Catalan: ''Joan II'', Aragonese: ''Chuan II'' and eu, Joanes II; 29 June 1398 – 20 January 1479), called the Great (''el Gran'') or the Faithless (''el Sense Fe''), was King of Aragon from 1458 until his death i ...

, who kept Sicily, and his bastard son

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

, who became king of Naples.

Reigning kings

, - , Ferdinand I
1816–1825 , , , , 12 January 1751

son of Charles VII and

Maria Amalia of Saxony es, María Amalia Cristina Francisca Javiera Flora Walburga , spouse = Charles III of Spain , issue = , issue-link = #Issue , house = Wettin , father = Augustus III of Poland , mother = Maria Josepha of ...

, ,

Marie Caroline of Austria Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia (13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was List of consorts of Naples, Queen of Naples and List of Sicilian consorts, Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto'' ruler ...

12 May 1768
17 children

Lucia Migliaccio of Floridia Lucia Migliaccio, Duchessa di Floridia (19 July 1770, in Syracuse, Sicily – 26 April 1826, in Naples) was the second wife of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. Their marriage was morganatic and Lucia was never a queen consort.Genealogisches Handbu ...

27 November 1814
No children, , 4 January 1825

aged 73 , - ,

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

1825–1830, , , , 14 August 1777

son of Ferdinand I and

Maria Carolina of Austria Maria Carolina Louise Josepha Johanna Antonia (13 August 1752 – 8 September 1814) was List of consorts of Naples, Queen of Naples and List of Sicilian consorts, Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. As ''de facto'' ruler ...

, ,

Maria Isabella of Spain Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...

6 July 1802
12 children, , 8 November 1830

aged 53 , - , Ferdinand II
1830–1859 , , , , 12 January 1810

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...

son of

and

, ,

Maria Christina of Savoy Maria Cristina of Savoy (Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppa Gaetana Efisia; 14 November 1812 – 21 January 1836) was the first Queen consort of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. She died as a result of childbirth. She is venerated in the Catholic ...

21 November 1832
1 child

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg monarchy, Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' ( ...

9 January 1837
12 children, , 22 May 1859

Caserta 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 Camp ...

aged 49 , - , Francis II
1859–1861, , , , 16 January 1836

son of Ferdinand II and

, ,

Maria Sophie of Bavaria Maria Sophie Amalie, Duchess in Bavaria (4 October 1841, Possenhofen Castle – 19 January 1925, Munich) was the last Queen consort of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. She was one of the ten children of Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria and P ...

8 January 1859
1 child, , 27 December 1894

Arco ARCO ( ) is a brand of gasoline stations currently owned by Marathon Petroleum after BP sold its rights. BP commercializes the brand in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States an ...

aged 58 , - :''In 1861 Two Sicilies became part of the newly founded

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...

.''

Heads of the House since 1861

When Prince Ferdinand Pius died in 1960, he left no male descendant, and two branches of the family claimed the right to succeed him as head of the house. Ferdinand Pius had seven younger brothers. At the time of Ferdinand Pius's death in 1960, the oldest brother, Carlos (1870–1949) was deceased, but had left descendants. The next surviving brother was

Ranieri Ranieri is an Italian surname and given name originated from the masculine Germanic given name Ragnar (Old Norse ''Ragnarr''). Surname *Teodorico Ranieri (b. unknown, d. 1306), Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church *Massimo Ranieri (born ...

(1883–1973). By the rule of primogeniture, headship would normally pass through Carlos to his son

Alfonso Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...

. Ranieri contested Alfonso's claim arguing that Carlos had renounced any claim to the Two Sicilies succession on the part of himself and his heirs when he executed the Act of Cannes in 1900 in anticipation of his marriage the next year to Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, heiress presumptive to the Spanish throne. Alfonso offered a different interpretation of the Act of Cannes, describing it as effective only if Carlos should succeed to the Spanish throne. He also took the position that the Act of Cannes was invalid under the succession rules of the house of Two Sicilies itself. The dispute remains unresolved. On 25 January 2014, representatives of the two rival branches, Prince Carlo (Castro line) and Prince Pedro, then Duke of Noto (Calabria line), jointly signed a pledge of partial reconciliation. The document recognised both branches as members of the same house, committed both to pursue further reconciliation and concord, meanwhile recognising the titles then claimed by each branch. At the Holy Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica celebrated in Rome on 14 May 2016, during the International Pilgrimage of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George to Rome and Vatican City, Prince Carlo made public his decision to change the rules of succession. This change was made in order to make the rules of succession compatible with international and European law, prohibiting any discrimination between men and women. The rule of

absolute primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

would henceforth apply to his direct descendants, his elder daughter being recognized as heiress apparent.New Rules of Succession decreed for the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies
/ref> Prince Pedro publicly objected that Prince Carlo's declaration violated the terms of their reconciliation agreement, to which Carlo replied that further "destabilisation" could lead to termination of the 2014 pact.

Members of the House

center, 450px, Family tree

Titles

Children and male-line grandchildren of the King of the Two Sicilies bore the title ''Prince(ss) Royal of the Two Sicilies'' with the style of

Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''. When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it takes ...

. Other agnatic descendants of the King, born of authorized marriages, bore the title ''Prince(ss) of the Two Sicilies'' with the style of Royal Highness. Since 1861, and similarly to members of the House of Bourbon-Parma, the style ''Prince(ss) of Bourbon-Two Sicilies'' has been used for and by members of this family to highlight their membership in the House of Bourbon. The title of princess is also born by the wives of the princes of the house provided the marriage is dynastically approved.

Princes of the Two Sicilies (since 1816)

Princesses of the Two Sicilies (since 1816)

By birth

By marriage

References

External links

Royal House Of Bourbon Two Sicilies
- official website of the Neapolitan branch of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Real Casa Borbone Due Sicilie
- official website of the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Associazione per i Siti Reali e le Residenze Borboniche
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bourbon-Two Sicilies, House of 1759 establishments in Italy