Prince Alfonso, Count Of Caserta
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Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta (28 March 1841 – 26 May 1934) was the third son of
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand II (; ; ; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. ...
and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. He was
pretender to the throne A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term may often be used to either refer to a descendant of a deposed monarchy or a claim that is not legitimat ...
of the
Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies () was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1861 under the control of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the Bourbons. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by population and land are ...
in succession of his older half-brother,
Francis II of the Two Sicilies Francis II ( Neapolitan and , ; christened ''Francesco d'Assisi Maria Leopoldo''; 16 January 1836 – 27 December 1894) was King of the Two Sicilies. He was the last King of the Two Sicilies as successive invasions by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Vict ...
. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ferdinand Pius.


Heir to the throne

Born in
Caserta Caserta ( ; ) is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. An important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city, Caserta is located 36 kilometres north of Naples on the edge of the Campanian p ...
, Alfonso was the fourth-in-line heir to the throne of Two Sicilies since the time of his birth. Ahead of him in line were his older half-brother
Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...
and older brothers
Prince Louis, Count of Trani Prince ''Louis'' Maria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Trani (1 August 1838 – 8 June 1886) was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The eldest son of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his second wife ...
and Prince Alberto, Count of Castrogiovanni. On 12 July 1844, Alberto died, two months short of his fifth birthday and naturally childless which made Alfonso the third-in-line. On 22 May 1859, Ferdinand II died, making Francis the king. Francis had no children yet from his wife Duchess Maria Sophie in Bavaria. Louis became his
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
and Alfonso the second-in-line heir to their half-brother. The Two Sicilies were conquered by the
Expedition of the Thousand The Expedition of the Thousand () was an event of the unification of Italy that took place in 1860. A corps of volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi sailed from Quarto al Mare near Genoa and landed in Marsala, Sicily, in order to conquer the Ki ...
under
Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
in 1861 leading to the end of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Garibaldi served the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia, also referred to as the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica among other names, was a State (polity), country in Southern Europe from the late 13th until the mid-19th century, and from 1297 to 1768 for the Corsican part of ...
which was in the process of
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
. The deposed Royal House survived with Francis still at its head, even though he was no longer King. On 8 June 1886, Louis died. His only daughter Princess Maria Teresa was not in line for the throne, because females were barred from succession. Louis' death made Alfonso the heir presumptive to Francis, who had survived his own daughter. On 27 December 1894,
Francis II Francis II may refer to: * Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1433–1488) * Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua (1466–1519), ruler of the Italian city of Mantua * Francis II of France (1544–1560), king of France * Francis II, Duke of Lorraine ...
died, making Alfonso the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Alfonso later died at Cannes on May 26, 1934.


Personal life

Alfonso was also an artist, and received tuition from
Achille Vianelli Achille Vianelli or Vianelly (21 December 1803 – 2 April 1894) was an Italian painter of landscapes with genre scenes, often in watercolor. ''Piazza San Gaetano and San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples'', c. 1845 He was born in Porto Maurizio; he mov ...
.


Marriage and issue

Alfonso was married to his cousin,
Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Maria Antonietta Giuseppina Leopoldina; 16 March 1851 – 12 September 1938) was a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies by birth and by her marriage to Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta, claimant to ...
(16 March 1851 – 12 September 1938) on 8 June 1868. She was a daughter of
Prince Francis, Count of Trapani Prince Francis of the Two Sicilies, Count of Trapani (Full Italian name: ''Francesco di Paola Luigi Emanuele, Principe di Borbone delle Due Sicilie''; 13 August 1827 – 24 September 1892) was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Life ...
and his wife
Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (21 May 1834 – 14 July 1901), was an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany by birth and Trapani, Countess of Trapani by marriage to her uncle Prince Francis, Count of Trapani ...
, Princess of Tuscany. Her paternal grandparents were
Francis I of the Two Sicilies Francis I of the Two Sicilies (; 19 August 1777 – 8 November 1830) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1825 to 1830 and regent of the Kingdom of Sicily from 1806 to 1814. Early life Francis was born the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicili ...
and his second wife
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, ...
. Her maternal grandparents were
Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany Leopold II, , English: ''Leopold John Joseph Francis Ferdinand Charles''. (3 October 1797 – 29 January 1870) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1824 to 1859. He married twice; first to Maria Anna of Saxony, and after her death in 1832, to Mari ...
and his second wife Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies. Maria Isabella was a daughter of
Charles IV of Spain Charles IV (; 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808. The Spain inherited by Charles IV gave few indications of instability, but during his reign, Spain entered a series of disa ...
and
Maria Luisa of Parma Maria Luisa of Parma (Luisa Maria Teresa Anna; 9 December 1751 – 2 January 1819) was, by marriage to King Charles IV of Spain, Queen of Spain from 1788 to 1808 leading up to the Peninsular War. Her relationship with Manuel Godoy and influence o ...
. Maria Antonietta was another daughter of
Francis I of the Two Sicilies Francis I of the Two Sicilies (; 19 August 1777 – 8 November 1830) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1825 to 1830 and regent of the Kingdom of Sicily from 1806 to 1814. Early life Francis was born the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicili ...
and
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, ...
. They had twelve children. * Prince Ferdinand Pius of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria (25 July 1869 – 17 January 1960) : ∞
Princess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of Bavaria Princess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of Bavaria (6 July 1872 – 10 June 1954) was the daughter of the last King of Bavaria, Ludwig III of Bavaria, Ludwig III, and Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (1849–1919), Maria Theresia of Austria-Este. Her husband ...
, daughter of
Ludwig III of Bavaria Ludwig III (Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfred; 7 January 1845 – 18 October 1921) was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918. Initially, he served in the Bavarian Army, Bavarian military as a lieutenant and went on to hold ...
. This marriage produced six children. *
Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Don Carlos, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain (Full Italian language, Italian name: ''Carlo Maria Francesco d'Assisi Pasquale Ferdinando Antonio di Padova Francesco de Paola Alfonso Andrea Avelino Tancredi, Principe di Borbone dell ...
(10 November 1870 – 11 November 1949) : ∞ Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, daughter of
Alfonso XII of Spain Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...
. This marriage produced three issue. : ∞
Princess Louise of Orléans Princess Louise Françoise Marie Laure of Orléans (24 February 1882 – 18 April 1958) was a Princess of the Two-Sicilies and paternal great grandmother of King Felipe VI of Spain. Louise was the youngest daughter of Philippe d'Orléans (1838†...
, daughter of Prince Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris. This marriage produced four children. *Prince Francesco di Paola of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (14 July 1873 – 26 June 1876) * Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (30 October 1874 – 28 November 1947) : ∞
Prince Johann Georg of Saxony Prince Johann Georg Pius Karl Leopold Maria Januarius Anacletus of Saxony, Duke of Saxony (10 July 1869 – 24 November 1938) was the sixth child and second-eldest son of George of Saxony and his wife Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal (1843–1884), I ...
, son of
George of Saxony George (; 8 August 1832 – 15 October 1904) was king of Saxony and member of the House of Wettin. Early life George was born in the Saxon capital Dresden. He was the second son of King John of Saxony (1801–1873) and his wife, Princess Amal ...
. This marriage produced no issue. *
Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Full Italian name: Maria Cristina Carolina Pia Carmela Giuseppa Antonia Anna Luitgarda Speranza Lucia Caterina Apollonia Cecilia Agata di Borbone; 10 April 1877 – 4 October 1947) was the titular ...
(10 April 1877 – 4 October 1947) : ∞ Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, son of
Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany (; 10 June 1835 – 17 January 1908) was the last Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1859 to 1860. Biography Born at Florence, he was the son of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Princess Maria Antonia of th ...
. This marriage produced four children. *
Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess Maria di Grazia (Full Italian name: ''Maria delle Grazie Pia Chiara Anna Teresa Isabella Luitgarda Apollonia Agata Cecilia Filomena Antonia Lucia Cristina Caterina di Borbone'' ) (12 August 1878 – 20 June 1973) was a princess of Bourb ...
(12 August 1878 – 20 June 1973) : ∞ Prince Luiz Maria of Orléans-Braganza, son of
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil '' Dona'' Isabel (29 July 1846 â€“ 14 November 1921), called "the Redemptress", was the Princess Imperial ( heiress presumptive to the throne) of the Empire of Brazil and the Empire's regent on three occasions. Born in Rio de Janeiro as th ...
. This marriage produced three children. * Princess Maria Giuseppina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (25 February 1880 – 22 July 1971) * Prince Gennaro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (24 January 1882 – 11 April 1944) : ∞ Beatrice Bordessa, created Countess of Villa Colli, born into a bourgeois Italian family from Chester in the North of England. This marriage produced no issue. * Prince Ranieri of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro (3 December 1883 – 13 January 1973) : ∞ Countess Maria Carolina Zamoyska, daughter of Andrzej Przemysław Zamoyski, Count Zamoyski. This marriage produced two children. * Prince Filippo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (10 December 1885 – 9 March 1949) : ∞ Princess Marie Louise of Orléans, daughter of Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, Duke of Vendôme. This marriage produced one child. : ∞ Odette Labori, daughter of the French attorney Fernand Labori. This marriage produced no issue. *Prince Francesco d'Assisi of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (13 January 1888 – 26 March 1914) *
Prince Gabriel of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Prince Gabriele of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Gabriele Maria Giuseppe Carlo Ignazio Antonio Alfonso Pietro Giovanni Gerardo di Majella et Omni Sancti; 11 January 1897 – 22 October 1975) was a prince of the deposed dynasty which ruled the Kingdom of ...
(1 January 1897 – 22 October 1975) : ∞ Princess Malgorzata Izabella Czartoryska, daughter of Prince Adam Ludwik Czartoryski. This marriage produced one child. : ∞
Princess Cecylia Lubomirska Princess Cecylia Lubomirska (28 June 1907 – 20 September 2001) was a member of the House of Lubomirski by birth and a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies through her marriage to Prince Gabriel of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Family Cecylia was the se ...
, daughter of Prince Kasimierz Lubomirski. This marriage produced four children.


Honours and arms


Orders and decorations

* : ** Knight of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa The Military Order of Maria Theresa (; ; ; ; ; ) was the highest military honour of the Habsburg monarchy, Austrian Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire. History Founded on 18 June 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolín, by the Empress Mari ...
, ''1861'' ** Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian
Order of Saint Stephen The Order of Saint Stephen (officially ''Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire'', 'Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr') is a Roman Catholic Tuscan dynastic military order founded in 1561. The order was created ...
, ''1894'' * : Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished
Order of Charles III The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III (, originally ; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OC3) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bes ...
, ''28 January 1871'' * : Knight of the Royal
Order of Saint Hubert The Royal Order of Saint Hubert (), or sometimes () is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood founded in 1444 or 1445 by Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg. He sought to commemorate his victory over the House of Egmond at the Battle of ...
, ''1895''
Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Bayern
' (1908), "Königliche Orden" p. 9


Arms

File:Coat of Arms of Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta (c.1840-1886).svg, Prince Alfonso's arms as Count of Caserta c.1840-1886 File:Coat of Arms of the Crown Prince of the Two Sicilies.svg, Prince Alfonso's arms as titular heir to the throne 1886-1894 File:Great Royal Coat of Arms of the Two Sicilies.svg, Prince Alfonso's arms as head of the Royal House 1894-1934


Ancestry


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfonso Of Caserta, Count 1841 births 1934 deaths People from Caserta Pretenders to the throne of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Princes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Italian Roman Catholics Dukes of Calabria Counts of Caserta Burials at the Cimetière du Grand Jas 19th-century Roman Catholics 20th-century Roman Catholics Knights Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Sons of kings