'' Don'' Agustín Fernando Muñoz y Sánchez (4 May 180811 September 1873), 1st Duke of Riánsares, 1st Marquess of San Agustín, 1st Duke de Montmorot, was the second and

morganatic Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...

husband of Maria Christina, Regent of Spain.

Early life

Muñoz was born at

Tarancón Tarancón is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Cuenca, Castilla–La Mancha. As of 2018, it has a population of 14,834, which makes it the second most populated municipality in the province. History The place's repopulation pre ...

in the

Province of Cuenca Cuenca () is one of the five provinces of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is located in the eastern part of this autonomous community and covers 17,141 square km. It has a population of 203,841 ...

, New Castile. He was the second son of Juan Antonio Muñoz de Funes (1779-1849), later created Count of Retamoso and his wife, Eusebia Maria Sánchez Ortega (b. 1781). His paternal grandmother Eugenia Dorotea de Funes Martínez (b. 1753) was a

nursemaid A nursemaid (or nursery maid) is a mostly historical term for a female domestic worker who cares for children within a large household. The term implies that she is an assistant to an older and more experienced employee, a role usually known as ...

of Infanta Carlota Joaquina, while his father was the keeper of an ''estanco'' or office for the sale of the

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

of the government

monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...

Marriage to the Regent of Spain

Muñoz enlisted in the royal bodyguard, and he attracted the attention of Queen Maria Christina. According to one account, he distinguished himself by stopping the runaway horses of her carriage; according to another, he only picked up her handkerchief; a third and scandalous explanation of his fortune has been given. Maria Christina's husband, King

Ferdinand VII of Spain Ferdinand VII (; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was Monarchy of Spain, King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. Before 1813 he was known as ''el Deseado'' (t ...

died on 28 September 1833, and on 29 December 1833 she and Muñoz were privately married. Agust%C3%ADn_Mu%C3%B1oz_S%C3%A1nchez

If Maria Christina had officially made the marriage public, she would have forfeited the regency; but her relations with Muñoz were perfectly well known within the Spanish court. When on 13 August 1836 the soldiers on duty at the summer palace La Granja mutinied and forced the regent to grant a constitution, it was generally, though wrongly, believed that they overcame her reluctance by seizing Muñoz, whom they called her ''guapo'', or fancy man, and threatening to shoot him. In 1840 Maria Christina found her position intolerable; she renounced the regency and left Spain with Muñoz. In 1842 Maria Christina purchased the

Château de Malmaison The Château de Malmaison () is a French château situated near the left bank of the Seine, about west of the centre of Paris, in the commune of Rueil-Malmaison. Formerly the residence of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, along with the Tui ...

as their residence. In 1843, on the overthrow of General

Baldomero Espartero Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies ...

they returned to Spain.

Public recognition of the marriage

In 1844, Muñoz's stepdaughter

Queen Isabella II Isabella II (, María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868. She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain. Isabella wa ...

was declared to be of age. On 23 June 1844 Isabella gave to Muñoz the title of ''duque de Riánsares'', to which was attached a

Grandeza de España Grandee (; , ) is an official aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they have the significant co ...

;''Elenco de Grandezas y Títulos Nobilarios Españoles''. Madrid: Ediciones Hidalguia, 1996; . the title came from the river Ánsares, near Muñoz's birthplace in Tarancón. On 12 October 1844 Isabella gave official consent to the marriage between her mother and Muñoz, and it was publicly performed. In 1846 Isabella made Muñoz a

Knight of the Golden Fleece This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Burgundian Golden Fleece 15th century !Year of induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes , - , rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , 1467, , Founde ...

. On 30 May 1846 she gave Muñoz a second title, ''marqués de San Agustín''. Muñoz was made a Captain General, the highest rank in the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

. In 1847

Louis Philippe, King of the French Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...

, gave Muñoz the title ''duc de Montmorot''; he also invested Muñoz with the Grand Cross of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. Until driven from Spain with Maria Christina by the revolutionary movement of 1854, Muñoz is credibly reported to have applied himself to making a large fortune out of railway concessions and by judicious

stock exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for ...

speculations. Of political ambitions he had none. All authorities agree that he was not only good-looking, but kind and well-bred. Muñoz died in 1873, five years before his wife, at his home, Villa Mon Désir in

Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...

, near

Sainte-Adresse Sainte-Adresse () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the region of Normandy, France. Geography A coastal suburb situated some northwest of Le Havre city centre, at the junction of the D147 and the D940. The English Channel forms ...

, in France. His remains are buried in the crypt of the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Riánsares, several kilometres outside Tarancón.

Children

Muñoz and Maria Christina had several children:José María Zavala: ''Bastardos y Borbones: Los hijos desconocidos de la dinastía''
* María Amparo Muñoz, 1st Countess of Vista Alegre (17 November 183419 August 1864) married Prince

Władysław Czartoryski Prince Władysław (Ladislaus) Czartoryski (3 July 1828 – 23 June 1894) was a Polish noble, political activist in exile, collector of art, and founder of the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków. Early life Czartoryski was born in Warsaw, Congres ...

(1828–1894) * Maria de los Milagros Muñoz, 1st Marchioness of Castillejo (8 November 18359 July 1903) married to Filippo del Drago, Prince di Mazzano e d'Antuni (1824–1913). * Agustín Muñoz, 1st Duke of Tarancón (15 March 183715 July 1855) *

Fernando Muñoz, 2nd Duke of Tarancón Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia (like the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka). It is e ...

and Riansares (27 April 18387 December 1910) married to Eladia Bernaldo de Quirós y Gonzalez de Cienfuegos (1839–1909). * María Cristina Muñoz, Marchioness of La Isabella (19 April 184020 December 1921) married to Jose Maria Bernaldo de Quirós y Gonzalez de Cienfuegos, 8th Marquess de Campo Sagrado (1840–1911). * Juan Muñoz, Count of Recuerdo (29 August 18412 April 1863) * Antonio Muñoz y de Borbón (3 November 1842 – 1847) * José Muñoz, Count of Gracia (21 December 184317 December 1863)

Early life

Marriage to the Regent of Spain

Public recognition of the marriage

Children

References

Further reading