Former King Francisco d'Assisi of Spain died earlier tonight at his home at Epinay, France, reports the New York Times. He was 79 years old.
Don Francisco, Duke of Cadiz, was born on May 13, 1822, at Aranjuez, Spain. On October 10, 1846, he married his double first cousin, Queen Isabel II. On the same day, he was "proclaimed King of Spain."
Following the revolution of 1868, Queen Isabel and King Francisco were forced to leave Spain. Isabel formally abdicated her throne on June 25, 1870, in favor of her son, the late King Alfonso XII, the father of the present king.
Former Queen Isabel and two of her daughters, Infanta Isabel and Infanta Eulalia, were at Don Fransisco's bedside when he died.
I believe his correct name was Francisco de Asís de Borbón.
ReplyDeletePerhaps calling him "d'Assisi" was a Freudian slip given the rumours about his private life... :-)