Alfonso Carlos of Bourbon, Duke of San Jaime
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Infante Alfonso Carlos of Spain, Duke of San Jaime (Alfonso Carlos Fernando José Juan Pío; 12 September 1849, in
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– 29 September 1936, in
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) was the
Carlist Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – ...
claimant to the throne of Spain under the name Alfonso Carlos I; some French
Legitimists The Legitimists (french: Légitimistes) are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They r ...
declared him also the king of France, though Alfonso never officially endorsed these claims. In 1870 and in the ranks of the papal troops, he defended Rome against the
Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
. In 1872–1874, he commanded sections of the front during the
Third Carlist War The Third Carlist War ( es, Tercera Guerra Carlista) (1872–1876) was the last Carlist War in Spain. It is sometimes referred to as the "Second Carlist War", as the earlier "Second" War (1847–1849) was smaller in scale and relatively trivial ...
. Between the mid-1870s and the early 1930s, he remained withdrawn into privacy, living in his residences in
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. His public engagements were related to the buildup of an international league against
dueling A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and la ...
. Upon the unexpected death of his nephew Infante Jaime, Duke of Madrid in 1931, he inherited the Spanish and French monarchical claims. As an octagenarian he dedicated himself to development of Carlist structures in Spain. He led the movement into the anti-
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
conspiracy, which resulted in Carlist participation in the July coup d'état. As he had no children, Alfonso Carlos was the last undisputable Carlist pretender to the throne; after his death the movement was fragmented into branches supporting various candidates.


Family and youth

Alfonso was descendant to the royal Spanish Borbón family; his
great-grandfather Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic gra ...
was the king of Spain,
Carlos IV , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles III of Spain , mother =Maria Amalia of Saxony , birth_date =11 November 1748 , birth_place =Palace of Portici, Portici, Naples , death_date = , death_place ...
. Alfonso's grandfather Carlos María Isidro (1788-1855) was engaged in dynastical feud with his brother over inheritance, though the conflict overlapped with major social and political cleavages. The 1833-1840 civil war which ensued produced defeat of Carlos María, who claimed the throne as Carlos V, and of his traditionalist and anti-liberal followers, named Carlists. The claimant went on exile and abdicated in 1845 in favor of his oldest son. His younger son and the father of Alfonso, Juan de Borbón y Braganza (1822-1887), was at the time serving in the army of a relative, King of Sardinia. In 1847 he married
Maria Beatrix of Austria-Este Maria Beatrix Anna Frances of Austria-Este (1824–1906) ( it, Maria Beatrice Anna Francesca d'Austria-Este) was a high aristocrat from the Modena branch of the House of Habsburg. As daughter to the ruling Duke of Ferrara and of Modena, Duke of Mo ...
, sister to the ruling
Duke of Modena Emperor Frederick III conferred Borso d'Este, Lord of Ferrara, with the Duchy of Modena and Reggio in 1452, while Pope Paul II formally elevated him in 1471 as Duke of Ferrara, over which the family had in fact long presided. This latter territo ...
,
Francisco V Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''Franciscus''. Nicknames In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed "Paco". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Comunitatis'' (father of ...
; in 1848-1849 the couple had two sons, Alfonso born as the younger one. However, increasingly liberal outlook of Juan produced acute conflict with his religious wife and his brother-in-law, Francisco V. The couple agreed to separate; Juan left for England, while Maria Beatriz with their 2 sons remained in Modena. In the 1850s Alfonso spent his early childhood with his mother and older brother in the Duchy of Modena; it is there he received his early homeschooling. Due to the revolutionary turmoil of 1859 the family left for
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, hosted by the ex-emperor, Ferdinand I; they settled in
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, which remained their key residence until 1864. Their attempt to settle in
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, resulting from health concerns, was aborted due to the Italo-Austrian war; they spent the years of 1864-1867 shuttling between Innsbruck,
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and Graz. Both teenagers were raised in very pious ambience; their religious mother and equally devout but more strong-willed step-grandmother, María Teresa de Braganza, made sure the boys received a profoundly Catholic, Carlist and anti-liberal education. In 1868 Alfonso embarked on a long pilgrimage to Palestine; the same year his 21-year-old brother Carlos assumed the Carlist claim to the throne of Spain. When back in Europe Alfonso decided to join
Papal Zouaves The Papal Zouaves ( it, Zuavi Pontifici) were an infantry battalion, later regiment, dedicated to defending the Papal States. Named after the French zouave regiments, the ' were mainly young men, unmarried and Catholic, who volunteered to assist P ...
. When on leave from the papal service, in the late 1860s Alfonso met the teenage infanta María das Neves of Braganza (1852-1941). She was the oldest child of deposed king of Portugal Miguel I, who lost the throne in 1834; on exile Miguel wed princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, descendant to highly aristocratic German family. Alfonso and María married in 1871 in the bride's family estate at
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. The bride and the groom were related, as María's paternal grandmother
Carlota Joaquina Doña Carlota Joaquina Teresa Cayetana of Spain (25 April 1775 – 7 January 1830) was Queen of Portugal and Brazil as the wife of King Dom John VI. She was the daughter of King Don Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma. ...
was sister to Alfonso's paternal grandfather; they obtained the
papal dispensation In the jurisprudence of the canon law of the Catholic Church, a dispensation is the exemption from the immediate obligation of law in certain cases.The Law of Christ Vol. I, pg. 284 Its object is to modify the hardship often arising from the ...
first. The couple turned out to be caring and loving partners; their marriage lasted 65 years. However, they had no descendants. Some sources claim their only child was born in 1874 but died shortly afterwards, others maintain they had no children at all.


Military episode (1870-1874)

Since enlisting into the Zouavaes during almost 2 years Alfonso Carlos was taking part in trainings, maneuvers and other peacetime service of papal army. When Italian troops assaulted Rome he served as
alférez In medieval Iberia, an ''alférez'' (, ) or ''alferes'' (, ) was a high-ranking official in the household of a king or magnate. The term is derived from the Arabic ('' al-fāris''), meaning "horseman" or "cavalier", and it was commonly Latinise ...
in the 6. Company of the 2. Battalion. It was deployed along Aurelian Walls and concentrated around
Porta Pia Porta Pia is a gate in the Aurelian Walls of Rome, Italy. One of Pope Pius IV's civic improvements to the city, it is named after him. Situated at the end of a new street, the Via Pia, it was designed by Michelangelo in replacement for the P ...
, on key axis of Italian assault. The fighting took place on September 20, 1870. For a few hours and heavily outnumbered, the Zouaves resisted onslaught of the
bersaglieri The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, (, "sharpshooter") are a troop of marksmen in the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Royal Sardinian Army, whi ...
shock units; some authors refer to the “famous last stand”. The papal order to give up was not accepted unanimously and some detachments kept fighting until all units surrendered later that day. Alfonso was neither recognized nor revealed his identity and for 3 days with other POWs he was kept imprisoned; they were then shipped to
Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
and released. He transferred to Graz and got married the following year. In early 1872 Carlos VII was gearing up to military rising against the monarchy of
Amadeo I Amadeo ( it, Amedeo , sometimes latinized as Amadeus; full name: ''Amedeo Ferdinando Maria di Savoia''; 30 May 184518 January 1890) was an Italian prince who reigned as King of Spain from 1870 to 1873. The first and only King of Spain to come fro ...
. He recalled his brother to southern France and in April nominated him commander of Carlist troops, supposed to operate in
Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...
. While fighting continued Alfonso resided mostly in Perpignan. He focused on logistics and labored to obtain financing; he also made personal military appointments and issued general orders. In late December he crossed to Spain and in February joined the column led by Francisco Savalls. During the next half a year Alfonso shuttled between small villages in the
Girona Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capital ...
and
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provinces. It is not clear what was his personal contribution to minor successes in the area; he is better known for organizing events intended to raise spirits. During the summer he developed acute conflict with Savalls; in October 1873 via France Alfonso moved to Navarre to discuss problems in command chain with his brother. Outcome of the talks was inconclusive and until spring of 1874 Alfonso remained in Perpignan. In April Alfonso returned to Catalonia and set headquarters in Prats de Llusanés. One source claims he turned Carlist structures into a well-lubricated machinery and moved south to consolidate the insurgent rule there. In May he crossed the
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
and commanded during fighting near Gandesa; in June he turned towards the Maestrazgo and southern
Aragón Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises th ...
. In July 1874 Alfonso headed failed siege of
Teruel Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with ...
, and later this month he ordered operation against Cuenca. The assault produced one of the largest Carlist triumphs; as one of only 2 provincial capitals, Cuenca was seized by the insurgents. However, victorious troops plundered the city and “Saco de Cuenca” became one of the most notorious cases of Carlist violence. In August 1874 Carlos VII transferred Alfonso to command of the newly created Ejército del Centro; Alfonso protested the decision and resigned. During September and October he remained relatively inactive. With headquarters in
Chelva Chelva is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Comarques of the Valencian Community, ''comarca'' of Los Serranos in the Valencia (autonomous community), Valencian Community, Spain. Its name in Valencian language, Valencian is ''Xelva'' ...
and then Alcora, he issued last orders to organize a raid towards
Murcia Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...
. With his brother's acceptance in November 1874 Alfonso crossed to France and withdrew into privacy.


Financial status

Along paternal line Alfonso inherited little wealth. His father, descendant to exiled branch of Spanish royals, abandoned the family; as a commoner he resided in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and lived off a pension, paid by relatives of his estranged wife. Alfonso's mother initially shared the family Austria-Este wealth in the
Duchy of Modena A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important difference between ...
. Once her brother lost the throne the branch lived on exile in
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and their properties were divided among many members. Upon wedding Alfonso married into wealth of the Braganza family, also exiled from Portugal but possessing numerous estates in
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, Austria and elsewhere. According to a not necessarily trustworthy source Francisco V, who had no sons, intended to make Alfonso his legal heir; the condition was that Alfonso adopts the Austria-Este name, which he refused. As a result of numerous divisions of assets within the Borbón/Austria Este and Braganza/Löwenstein-Wertheim families, Alfonso and his wife ended up as owners of 4 estates, all located in the imperial Austria: a multi-storey residential building at Theresianumgasse in
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
, the palace in Puchheim, the palace in Ebenzweier and numerous smaller urban estates in Graz. Until 1914 the couple remained in excellent financial position. Their source of income was mostly profits generated by rural economy related to the Ebenzweier and Puchheim estates, e.g. the former comprised some 1,000 hectares of forests alone. Their rural possessions were exempted from fiscal and other obligations, as they enjoyed extraterritorial status, granted by the ruling Habsburg branch to own relatives. The rural profits were generated by usual large-scale agricultural businesses, including production and sales of dairies, horticultural products, grain, cattle and even flowers. Other income was produced by rental of premises in Vienna and Graz and by various
securities A security is a tradable financial asset. The term commonly refers to any form of financial instrument, but its legal definition varies by jurisdiction. In some countries and languages people commonly use the term "security" to refer to any for ...
; some of them were issued by institutions operating abroad, e.g. in Russia. In the 1910s and on suggestion of a trusted Spanish adviser, most of these papers were deposed in Swiss banks. In the Republican Austria the couple suffered financial problems, especially in the early 1920s; they were the result of new social and fiscal regulations,
inflation In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduct ...
and loss of extraterritoriality. Thanks to efforts of the Madrid diplomacy the privileged status was restored to some estates and Ebenzweier was leased to Spanish embassy, yet they were still threatened by
expropriation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to pri ...
. Due to labor legislation the rural economy was barely making any profit, rental became commercially difficult and securities, located abroad, were hardly accessible. Facing total financial breakdown the couple accepted measures like cutting down trees for timber, regular sales of plots and Graz estates, and even sales of personal belongings like jewelry and art. During a few years they refrained from purchase of new clothing; in Vienna they always travelled on foot and during train journeys they regularly took 3rd class. They reduced personal staff to 3 servants and at time suffered cold due to economizing on heating. Since the early 1930s their status improved slightly; political changes in Austria produced less restrictive policy, and as king Alfonso was aided financially by the Carlist organization in Spain.


Lifestyle

Both very religious, Alfonso and María made a loving couple; throughout all of their 65-year marriage they stayed close one to another. Unlike his older brother, Alfonso has never been reported as involved in
extra-marital Extramarital sex occurs when a marriage, married person engages in human sexual activity, sexual activity with someone other than their spouse. The term may be applied to the situation of a single person having sex with a married person. Where ex ...
episodes. The couple were only moderately attracted by glitz of the imperial capital; for political reasons they did not have access to official gatherings organized by the Habsburg court. Alfonso used to spend his days behind the desk doing business correspondence. Periodically he was assisted by personal secretary, yet he complained of not having one who could do business in
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
. In the interwar period he corresponded heavily with Marqués de Vesolla, who turned his principal financial advisor and trustee. In their free time the couple enjoyed long walks; even in their 80s they walked for 2–3 hours, and in Vienna their preferred spot was the Belvederegarten. When younger Alfonso was fond of riding a bicycle. Both enjoyed bullfighting and when in America or Spain they always tried to attend a corrida. Until 1914 the couple led a luxurious life, shuttling between their estates depending upon season and other circumstances. In each residence they maintained dedicated staff, and when travelling they carried with them servants and numerous belongings, including horses. Since they found winters in Austria severe, around December every year the couple used to depart for warmer regions and returned around April; prior to
World War One World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Alfonso and his wife during 45 successive years travelled to
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, other
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
(though not Spain) and embarked on longer journeys to America, Africa and the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
. Their luggage could have amounted to 95 pieces and 4 tons. Due to financial difficulties the couple ceased travelling after World War One; later they resumed winter journeys, though not to exotic places any more. They travelled incognito and lived very modestly. Since inheriting the Carlist claim in 1931 Alfonso and María used to spend long spells in southern France, next to the Spanish frontier. If paying visits or being visited, they usually limited themselves to close family. At times they met other relatives, like nephews and nieces. Until 1906 they frequently visited Alfonso's mother, the nun in Graz. In the 20th century they maintained closer links with Alfonso's nephew and the Carlist claimant, Don Jaime; owner of the
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palace near Vienna, he used to visit his uncles en route to and from Paris. Their mutual relation was cordial, but Alfonso considered Don Jaime somewhat of a playboy. Despite political and dynastical conflict the couple maintained very correct correspondence with
Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...
, especially that Spanish diplomacy provided them with enormous help after 1918. They reserved enmity only for
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, widowed by Alfonso's brother; they thought her an immoral profligate who lived off selling illegally seized belongings. Until the late 1920s they were also lukewarm towards some members of the Borbón-Parma family. From one of their Africa journeys Alfonso and María brought a black girl named Mabrouka; over time she assumed a role in-between a servant and a family member. From 1909 onwards Alfonso kept paying a pension to his English half-siblings.


General political views

Alfonso considered himself above all a Spaniard and identified with Spain as “my country”; he believed in Spanish mission in America, where highly spirited Hispanidad was to oppose the mean Anglo-Saxon culture. During incognito journeys to Spain in the 1920s he felt “like in heaven” and cheered gentle, serene, helpful Spaniards. Until 1918 he also felt emotionally highly attached to Austria and wholeheartedly supported
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during the
Great War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. However, after the overthrow of the monarchy the sympathy for his host country evaporated, mostly due to the social legislation adopted; he referred to Austria as to his prison. What did not change was Alfonso's
Francophobia Anti-French sentiment (Francophobia or Gallophobia) is fear or antagonism of France, the French people, French culture, the French government or the Francophonie (set of political entities that use French as an official language or whose French-s ...
. Both in great politics and in unfortunate family events he kept tracing treacherous and sinister influence of Paris, controlled by
masonic Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
and republican crooks, and lamented apparent French influence over Spain. Though liberal Spanish press at times named Alfonso “the butcher of Cuenca”, referring to his command of Carlist troops which plundered Cuenca following seizure of the city during the
Third Carlist War The Third Carlist War ( es, Tercera Guerra Carlista) (1872–1876) was the last Carlist War in Spain. It is sometimes referred to as the "Second Carlist War", as the earlier "Second" War (1847–1849) was smaller in scale and relatively trivial ...
, later on he demonstrated anti-war and peaceful stand. During the Spanish-American conflict he declared in private that Spain should have abandoned
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and
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3 years earlier. He was irritated by what he perceived as hyper-patriotic frenzy of the Spanish press, praised the Madrid government for concluding the peace treaty and claimed it had prevented loss of Canary Islands and Balearic Islands. During the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
the couple ran a mini-hospital in their Vienna house, and catered personally to wounded soldiers. He deplored revolutionary violence in Russia and elsewhere. When assuming the Carlist claim he confessed that civil war was an unacceptable means of politics. However, he was best known as partisan of the anti-duel movement. In a few countries Alfonso Carlos co-founded and animated leagues against dueling, in some cases he ensured royal patronage, wrote a book which advanced the cause and published a few related articles. As descendant and heir to deposed rulers he abhorred liberal regimes set up in the second half of the 19th century in Europe. The
Soviet revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
remained his constant negative reference point, standing for iconic breakdown of civilization. However, also social-democratic legislation of republican Austria gained his furious criticism, with successive Austrian authorities referred to as “communist” and “bolsheviks” ruling over “the country of thieves who have respect neither for law nor for justice nor for property”; even the Christian-democratic president Miklas was dubbed as “red”. He welcomed the Primo dictatorship and later lamented decline of political order in Spain of 1930. He predicted the country would turn a republic within 2 years; when the Alfonsine monarchy indeed fell he viewed the newly set up
Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...
as a stepping stone towards anarchy and communism. Alfonso viewed the Dollfuss regime in Austria as a step forward, yet his views on the Fascist regime in Italy and the Nazi rule in Germany remain unclear.


Carlist engagements, 1875-1930

According to the Carlist dynastical doctrine, upon birth Alfonso was the third in line of succession to the throne. In 1861-1868 he was the second, and in 1868-1870 the first to inherit the claim. Since 1870 he was relegated to the second position, as upon future death of his older brother the claim was supposed to pass to his newly born son and Alfonso's nephew, later known as Don Jaime. When this indeed happened in 1909 Alfonso became again the first in line of succession, but very few looked upon him as a future Carlist king. Though over decades Don Jaime moved from youth to mid-age childless and was aging unmarried, until the late 1920s it was still theoretically possible he would have a legitimate son. Even in case he would not, Alfonso could not have reasonably expected to inherit the claim, as it seemed unlikely that he would outlive his 21-year-junior nephew. Hence, for over half a century within mainstream Carlism Alfonso was viewed as a collateral member of the royal family who gallantly contributed to the cause in the early 1870s, but who would not play any role in the future. The dissenting factions tended to look towards Alfonso as to a would-be dynastical counter-proposal to either his brother or his nephew almost every time when Carlism suffered from internal crisis. In the mid-1880s supporters of Ramón Nocedal challenged Carlos VII and some nurtured hopes that Alfonso would become their leader; also some French legitimists, following death of Conde de Chambord, considered Alfonso and not his father the next French king. In the late 1890s a faction pressing violent action against the Spanish monarchy faced caution and skepticism on part of the claimant; again, their speculations tended to focus on Alfonso. In the mid- and late 1910s followers of Juan Vázquez de Mella decidedly favored Germany during the
Great War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
; as Don Jaime sympathized with Entente and Alfonso supported the
Central Powers The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
, the latter again became subject of dynastical speculations. Alfonso has never revealed a slightest tone of disloyalty to his ruling relatives and has never tried to supersede them or to build his own following in the party. Though he proudly admitted his Carlist identity he remained somewhat detached from the movement, and participated neither in behind-the-scenes meetings forging the Carlist policy nor in large Carlist gatherings held abroad; this stand earned him some criticism and few called him “santo imbécil”. He maintained private correspondence with some Carlist personalities in Spain, at times discussed political developments and expressed his own opinions, but there is no evidence he has tried to enforce his views or mount any political schemes. His correspondence neither reveals any speculations or maneuvers related to his future theoretical claim. In the 1920s he started making provisions for his own death and in 1930 he was positive that his nephew remained in good health, with years and maybe decades of “rule” ahead of him.


French claim

Following the unexpected death of his nephew, in October 1931 Alfonso inherited the legitimist claim to the French throne. He has never officially voiced in the French case; he neither endorsed claims by Blancs d'Espagne nor distanced himself from them. The branch related to Sixte Bourbon-Parma declared him "Charles XII", while the followers of Paul Watrin opted rather for "Alphonse I". Between 1931 and 1936 Alfonso spent at least 4 winters in the south of France, but he avoided public engagements; the best known was a religious event in Mondonville, highly saturated with legitimist flavor.


Spanish claim

With death of Don Jaime in October 1931 Alfonso inherited the Carlist claim to the Spanish throne. He accepted it, though he privately confessed that the decision came as the “largest sacrifice of my life” and that Traditionalist crown was a “crown of thorns”. In order not to burn the bridges with the Alfonsists he rejected the royal name of “Alfonso XII”; in order not to alienate the Carlists he rejected also the name of “Alfonso XIV” and eventually settled for the royal name of "Alfonso Carlos I". Traditionally the Carlist claimants assumed also the title of Duque de Madrid. Because of Berthe de Rohan, widow after Carlos VII who still bore the title of Duquesa de Madrid, Alfonso Carlos eventually opted for the title of Duque de San Jaime. He confirmed ''en bloc'' all earlier personal party nominations of Don Jaime; however, in late 1931 for few months he settled in France to discuss things in detail. Alfonso Carlos initially seemed ready to discuss an informal dynastic solution, tentatively agreed between Don Jaime and the deposed Alfonso XIII as so-called Pact of Territet. He met Alfonso in France and both issued warmly-worded manifestos, though with little substance. This triggered anxiety among the Carlist branch known as the cruzadistas; during the meeting with Alfonso Carlos in mid-1932 they seemed to have arrived at some understanding, but as the cruzadistas became intransigent, he expelled them from the party. In 1933-1934 Alfonso Carlos grew clearly disinclined toward a dynastic agreement; in 1934 he also dismissed potential claim of his grandnephew Karl Pius. In 1935 Alfonso Carlos welcomed Don Alfonso in Puchheim, but they focused on family issues. After final hesitation in April 1936 Alfonso Carlos made public his decision; following his death prince Xavier would become a regent, who as soon as possible and following consultation with a grand Carlist assembly would decide upon the next king. Another paramount issue Alfonso Carlos had to deal with was the Carlist stand towards the Spanish Republic. He despised the regime as a first step towards bolshevism, yet it is not clear to what extent he shaped Carlist daily politics of 1931–1936. He presided over re-unification of
Traditionalism Traditionalism is the adherence to traditional beliefs or practices. It may also refer to: Religion * Traditional religion, a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group * Traditionalism (19th-century Catholicism), a 19th–c ...
; some claim that as personally he was leaning towards
Integrism In politics, integralism, integrationism or integrism (french: intégrisme) is an interpretation of Catholic social teaching that argues for an authoritarian and anti- pluralist Catholic state, wherever the preponderance of Catholics within t ...
, former Integrists became overrepresented in command. Some claim that already in 1932 he engaged in plans for a "combined monarchist rising", which have eventually fizzled out. Following death of the party jefé Marqués de Villores in 1932 he appointed a moderate successor, Conde Rodezno, and with little enthusiasm authorized his tactics of entering into ongoing political parliamentary co-operation with Alfonsists in the National Bloc. However, since 1933 he was increasingly impressed by the local Andalusian leader Manuel Fal Conde, who advanced intransigent and increasingly militant anti-republican course. In 1934 Fal replaced Rodezno as Secretary General, and in 1935 he assumed the role of Jefé Delegado. Under his guidance and with full approval on part of Alfonso Carlos the party withdrew from the National Bloc and embarked on a stand-alone, non-compromise course.


Last months

No source clarifies what was Alfonso Carlos' position versus massive Carlist paramilitary buildup in 1935–1936. Since late 1935 he resided in
Guéthary Guéthary (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France. It is located in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, the town traditionally standing on the northernmost coastal linguistic boundary of the B ...
in southern France and until early summer of 1936 he supervised personally Carlist conspiracy plans and their negotiations with the military, approving of conditions that Fal presented to head of rebellious generals, Mola. On June 28 and for reasons which are not entirely clear, he left Saint Jean de Luz and headed for Vienna, leaving prince Xavier to manage daily politics. From then on it was Xavier who supervised Carlist conspiracy and talks with the military. Alfonso Carlos’ approval was sought remotely on most outstanding issues; it is known that he explicitly prohibited any local Navarrese negotiations. Following vague agreement reached in talks with Mola, the final order to rise was issued by prince Xavier in name of Alfonso Carlos. An emissary was immediately flown to Vienna to obtain confirmation; when it arrived
the coup The Coup is an American hip hop band from Oakland, California. Their music is an amalgamation of influences, including funk, punk, hip hop, and soul. Frontman Boots Riley's revolutionarily-charged lyrics rank The Coup as a renowned political ...
was already in full swing. Alfonso Carlos issued a royal decree which dissolved all Carlist regular executive structures and replaced them with wartime Juntas de Guerra, including the central one. However, from his residence at Theresianumgasse in the Austrian capital the claimant had little further control over the events unfolding. His known statements are mostly enthusiastic acknowledgements of Carlist military effort. One of the very last of his documents was the telegram message with greetings to the
requeté The Requeté () was a Carlist organization, at times with paramilitary units, that operated between the mid-1900s and the early 1970s, though exact dates are not clear. The Requeté formula differed over the decades, and according to its chan ...
detachment known as "40 de
Artajona Artajona is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto ...
", which on September 13 as the first
Nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...
unit entered the captured city of San Sebastián. Similarly, he acknowledged that a hospital in
Pamplona Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...
had been named after him and that one Carlist militia battalion had been named after his wife. He was impressed with requeté buildup and rather optimistic as to the outcome of the conflict; in his letter of September 22 he declared that "la gloria de nuestros requetés será haber salvado a España y a Europa". No other type of his activity – e.g. in terms of seeking diplomatic support or ensuring financial aid – is known. On September 28, 1936, Alfonso Carlos and his wife as usual decided to take a daily walk in the nearby Belvederegarten. When crossing Prinz Eugen Strasse, with the garden nearby on the other side of the street, the 87-year-old behaved erratically; he stopped in the middle of the tram track, then attempted to run, and was eventually hit by a car approaching from Schwarzenbergplatz. He was immediately taken to the hospital and emergency team was assembled to treat him; following slight improvement in the evening, he perished the following day. One historian speculates – given 12 hours difference between the death of Alfonso Carlos and Franco's ascendance to caudillo – that the collision might not have been accidental. The funeral and burial in the family chapel in Puchheim was attended by the widow – who emerged unhurt from the accident, by prince Xavier, many aristocratic family members and the Carlist executive, which in corpore travelled by train from the war-engulfed Spain.


Reception and legacy

In the Spanish public discourse of the late 19th century Alfonso Carlos featured as an iconic villain, one of a few key protagonists of Carlist atrocities. In the post-war liberal propaganda “saco de Cuenca” played similar role as “ masacre de Badajoz” did in the Republican propaganda after the Civil War of 1936–1939; it marked the climax of barbarity, and Alfonso Carlos was held personally responsible for it. Canovas formally requested his extradition from France and in 1878 a book ''Los sucesos de Cuenca'' delivered a horror picture of Carlist savagery. In the 1890s a series of popular pamphlets ''Los crímenes del carlismo'' by José Nakens repeatedly presented Alfonso Carlos as instigator of various bloody episodes. As late as 1900 the press referred to him as “odioso asesino de Cuenca”. The Galdós' novel '' De Cartago a Sagunto'' (1911) renewed his image of a blood-stained criminal commander. As somewhat more ambiguous figure he was marginally referred to in great Spanish modernist literature of Unamuno and Baroja. In much less popular Carlist narrative he was hailed as former gallant military leader and member of the royal family. In the early 20th century the anti-duel activity of Alfonso Carlos earned him some moderate recognition, though not in Spain, where he fell into oblivion. When in 1931 the Spanish press reported on his assumption of the Carlist claim, most titles felt it appropriate to explain to their readers who the person in question was; some noted literally that “there is an uncle of Don Jaime alive, named Alfonso de Borbón, who lives in Austria”. It was only sporadically that some titles kept referring to “saqueador de Cuenca”. On the other hand, the Traditionalist propaganda machinery launched a campaign of exaltation, hailed "nuestro augusto caudillo" and constructed a panegyric mediatic image of the pretendent. Alfonso Carlos’ memory did not feature prominently in the fragmented post-war Carlism. The Javieristas used to refer to his 1936 regency decision as to legitimization of Don Javier's leadership; some others concluded that with death of Alfonso, the Carlist dynasty extinguished and Carlism came to the end. In the Francoist propaganda he was absent and did not feature in the gallery of Nationalist heroes, as the regime was cautious to enforce official unity and to contain excessive Carlist idolization. Sort of documentary historiographic approximation was offered by Melchor Ferrer in 1950. Ferrer also focused in detail on Alfonso Carlos leadership in the final volume of his monumental series on history of Carlism. It was edited posthumously and issued in 1979; the same year its excerpts were published as a separata under the title of ''Don Alfonso Carlos de Borbón y Austria-Este''. Until the early XXI century it remained the only monograph dedicated to the claimant; Alfonso Carlos failed to trigger historiographic interest and is missing even in detailed accounts on recent history of Spain. Historiography on Carlism tends to focus on his 1936 regency decision, the move which fundamentally affected the fate of the movement for decades to come. In 2012 editors of Alfonso Carlos' diary prefaced it with a 66-page biography, which is currently the best account available.Cristina de la Puente, José Ramón Urquijo Goitia, ''El autor: Alfonso de Borbon y Austria-Este'', n:Alfonso de Borbón Austria-Este, ''Viaje al Cercano Oriente en 1868: Constantinopla, Egipto, Suez, Palestina'', Zaragoza 2012, ISBN 9788413403755, pp. XXXVII-LXXII


Publications

* "The Effort to Abolish the Duel", ''The North American Review'' 175 (August 1902): 194–200. * "The Fight Against Duelling in Europe", ''The Fortnightly Review'' 90 (1 August 1908): 169–184. * ''Resumé de l'histoire de la création et du développement des ligues contre le duel et pour la protection de l'honneur dans les différents pays de l'Europe de fin novembre 1900 à fin octobre 1908'' (Vienna: Jasper, 1908). German translation: ''Kurzgefasste Geschichte der Bildung und Entwicklung der Ligen wider den Zweikampf und zum Schutze der Ehre in den verschiedenen Ländern Europas von Ende November 1900 bis 7. Februar 1908'' (Vienna: J. Roller, 1909). * ''Documentos de D. Alfonso Carlos de Borbon y de Austria-Este'' (Madrid: Editorial Tradicionalista, 1950).


Ancestry


Footnotes


Further reading

* Maria das Neves de Borbón. ''Mis memorias sobre nuestra campaña en Cataluña en 1872 y 1873 y en el centro en 1874. 1a parte, de 21 abril 1872 a 31 agosto 1873'' (Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1934). His wife's memoirs of the Third Carlist War. {{DEFAULTSORT:Alfonso Carlos, Duke of San Jaime 1849 births 1936 deaths 19th-century Spanish people 20th-century Spanish people People from London House of Bourbon (Spain) Spanish infantes Dukes of Spain Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Legitimist pretenders to the French throne Carlist pretenders to the Spanish throne Road incident deaths in Austria Navarrese titular monarchs People of the Third Carlist War Spanish expatriates in Austria