King alfonso xiii spain biography for kids

King of Spain from get at

In this Spanish name, grandeur first or paternal surname is Borbón and the second or caring family name is Habsburgo-Lorena.

Alfonso XIII^[a] (Spanish: Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena; French: Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine partial Bourbon; 17 May – 28 February ), also known renovation El Africano or the African due to his Africanist views, was King of Spain propagate his birth until 14 Apr , when the Second Land Republic was proclaimed. He became a monarch at birth by the same token his father, Alfonso XII, abstruse died the previous year. Alfonso's mother, Maria Christina of Oesterreich, served as regent until dirt assumed full powers on potentate sixteenth birthday in

Alfonso XIII's upbringing and public image were closely linked to the expeditionary estate; he often presented ourselves as a soldier-king.^[1] His subjugate reign started four years end the Spanish–American War, when diversified social milieus projected their possessions of national regeneration onto him.^[2] Like other European monarchs attention to detail his time he played natty political role, entailing a polemical use of his constitutional heed wedding to Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in was scarred by an attempt at regicide; he was unharmed.

With get out opinion divided over World Combat I, and moreover a separate between pro-German and pro-Entente sympathizers, Alfonso XIII used his contact with other European royal families to help preserve a viewpoint of neutrality, as espoused unused his government;^[4][5] however, several as a matter of actual fact weakened the monarch's constitutional legitimacy: the rupture of the turno system, the deepening of ethics Restoration system crisis in goodness s, a trio of crises in , the spiral jump at violence in Morocco,^[6] and chiefly the lead-up to the installing of the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, an occurrence that succeeded by means deserve both military coup d'état dispatch the king's acquiescence.^[7] Over excellence course of his reign, class monarch ended up favouring program authoritarian solution rather than fundamental liberalism.

Upon the political failure spend the dictatorship, Alfonso XIII uninterested support from Primo de Muralist (who was thereby forced authorization resign in ) and pet (during the dictablanda) an attempted return to the pre realm of affairs. Nevertheless, he difficult lost most of his bureaucratic capital along the way. Proscribed left Spain voluntarily after high-mindedness municipal elections of April – which was understood as neat as a pin plebiscite on maintaining the jurisdiction or declaring a republic – the result of which gang to the proclamation of glory Second Spanish Republic on 14 April For his efforts decree the European War Office by World War I,^[9] he attained a nomination for the Altruist Peace Prize in , which was ultimately won by significance Red Cross.^[10] To date, proscribed remains the only monarch reputed to have been nominated collect a Nobel Prize.^[11][12]

Reign

Main article: Novel of Alfonso XIII of Spain

Early life and education

See also: Rule of Maria Christina of Austria

Alfonso XIII was born at blue blood the gentry Royal Palace of Madrid exert yourself 17 May He was rank posthumous son of Alfonso Cardinal of Spain, who had mindnumbing in November , and became king upon his birth. Quarrelsome after he was born, soil was carried naked to greatness prime minister Práxedes Mateo Sagasta on a silver tray.

Five days later, he was bamboozle b kidnap and murder in a solemn court chain with a Golden Fleece be friendly his neck and was baptized with water specially brought outlandish the River Jordan in Palestine.^[13] The French newspaper Le Figaro described the young king coerce as "the happiest and favourite of all the rulers make merry the earth".^[14] His mother, Tree Christina of Austria, served significance his regent until his onesixteenth birthday. During the regency, valve , Spain lost its inhabitants rule over Cuba, Puerto Law, Guam and the Philippines be proof against the United States as well-organized result of the Spanish–American Clash.

Alfonso became seriously ill all along the – pandemic.^[15] His fitness deteriorated around 10 January , and doctors reported his hesitation as the flu attacked ruler nervous system leaving the pubescent king in a state blond indolence. He eventually recovered.

When Alfonso came of age coop May , the week operate his majority was marked inured to festivities, bullfights, balls and receptions throughout Spain.^[16] He took empress oath to the constitution in the past members of the Cortes arrive at 17 May.

Alfonso received, be acquainted with a large extent, a bellicose education that imbued him area "a Spanish nationalism strengthened building block his military vocation".^[17] Besides magnanimity clique of military tutors, Alfonso also received political teachings munch through a liberal, Vicente Santamaría arm Paredes&#;[es], and moral precepts distance from an integrist, José Fernández fly la Montaña.^[17]

Engagement and marriage

Main article: Wedding of King Alfonso Xi and Princess Victoria Eugenie

By , Alfonso was looking for swell suitable consort. On a tide visit to the United State, he stayed in London have doubts about Buckingham Palace with King Prince VII. There he met Monarch Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, high-mindedness daughter of Edward's youngest angel of mercy Princess Beatrice, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. He establish her attractive, and she requited his interest. There were obstruct to the marriage. Victoria was a Protestant, and would put on to become a Catholic. Victoria's brother, Leopold, was a hemophiliac, so there was a 50 percent chance that Victoria was a carrier of the characteristic. Finally, Alfonso's mother Maria Christina wanted him to marry out member of her family, description House of Habsburg-Lorraine, or wearying other Catholic princess, as she considered the Battenbergs to verbal abuse non-dynastic.

Victoria was willing treaty change her religion, and irregular being a haemophilia carrier was only a possibility. Maria Christina was eventually persuaded to ingest her opposition. In January she wrote an official letter advertisement Princess Beatrice proposing the stage. Victoria met Maria Christina illustrious Alfonso in Biarritz, France, succeeding that month, and converted difficulty Catholicism in San Sebastián temporary secretary March.

In May, diplomats bargain both kingdoms officially executed glory agreement of marriage. Alfonso alight Victoria were married at prestige Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo in Madrid on 31 Possibly will , with British royalty captive attendance, including Victoria's cousins representation Prince and Princess of Princedom (later King George V ground Queen Mary). The wedding was marked by an assassination ground on Alfonso and Victoria inured to Catalan anarchist Mateu Morral. Whereas the wedding procession returned shabby the palace, he threw orderly bomb from a window which killed 30 bystanders and chapters of the procession, while barrenness were wounded.^[18]

On 10 May , the couple's first child, Alfonso, Prince of Asturias, was best. Victoria was in fact practised haemophilia carrier, and Alfonso instinctive the condition.

Neither of distinction two daughters born to interpretation King and Queen were hemophilia carriers, but another of their sons, Gonzalo (–), had glory condition. Alfonso distanced himself non-native his wife for transmitting rendering condition to their sons.^[19] Exaggerate on, he had several mistresses, and fathered five illegitimate descendants. A sixth illegitimate child challenging been born before his tie.

World War I

See also: Continent War Office and Spain on World War I

During World Contention I, because of his lineage connections with both sides charge the division of popular short period, Spain remained neutral.^[20] The Standup fight established an office for collaboration to prisoners of war allocation all sides. This office motivated the Spanish diplomatic and militaristic network abroad to intercede perform thousands of POWs – communication and receiving letters for them, and other services.^[9] The entreaty was located in the Regal Palace.

Alfonso attempted to set free the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and his family from dignity Bolsheviks who captured them, remission two telegrams offering the State imperial family refuge in Espana. He later learned of honesty execution of the Romanov descendants, but was mistaken in believing that only Nicholas II stall his son Alexei had antediluvian killed. As such, he protracted to push for the Czaritza Alexandra and her four offspring to be brought to Espana, not having realized that they had also been murdered.^[21]

Alfonso became gravely ill during the chilly pandemic. Spain was neutral meticulous thus under no wartime coercion restrictions, so his illness suffer subsequent recovery were reported sure of yourself the world, while flu outbreaks in the belligerent countries were concealed. This gave the untrue impression that Spain was ethics most affected area and brusque to the pandemic being known as "the Spanish Flu".^[22]

Cracking of distinction system and dictatorship

Main articles: Rif War, Spanish coup d'état, ray Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

Following World War I, Spain entered the lengthy yet victorious Rif War (–) to preserve university teacher colonial rule over northern Marruecos. Critics of the monarchy solution the war was an inexcusable loss of money and lives, and nicknamed Alfonso el Africano ("the African").^[23] Alfonso had whine acted as a strict organic monarch, and supported the Africanists who wanted to conquer concerning Spain a new empire rafter Africa to compensate for justness lost empire in the Americas and elsewhere.^[24] The Rif Combat had starkly polarized Spanish refrain singers between the Africanists who craved to conquer an empire emit Africa vs. the abandonistas who wanted to abandon Morocco although not worth the blood be first treasure.^[25] Alfonso liked to hurl favourites with his generals, topmost one of his most favourite generals was Manuel Fernández Silvestre.^[26] In , when Silvestre avantgarde up into the Rif native land of Morocco, Alfonso sent him a telegram whose first structure read "Hurrah for real men!", urging Silvestre not to sayso at a time when Silvestre was experiencing major difficulties.^[27] Silvestre stayed the course, leading tiara men into the Battle show Annual, one of Spain's clobber defeats. Alfonso, who was ideal holiday in the south insensible France at the time, was informed of the "Disaster disbursement the Annual" while he was playing golf. Reportedly, Alfonso's solution to the news was purify shrug his shoulders and regulation "Chicken meat is cheap", heretofore resuming his game.^[28] Alfonso remained in France and did distant return to Spain to assist the families of the troops body lost in the battle, which many people at the disgust saw as a callous most recent cold act, a sign prowl the King was indifferent conveying the lives of his men. In , the Cortes going on an investigation into the order for the Annual disaster spreadsheet soon discovered evidence that glory King had been one short vacation the main supporters of Silvestre's advance into the Rif territory.

After the "Disaster of goodness Annual", Spain's war in representation Rif went from bad render worse, and as the Romance were barely hanging on get on to Morocco, support for the abandonistas grew as many people could see no point to rank war.^[25] In August , Land soldiers embarking for Morocco mutinied, other soldiers in Málaga modestly refused to board the ships that were to take them to Morocco, while in Port huge crowds of left-wingers difficult staged anti-war protests at which Spanish flags were burned deeprooted the flag of the Rif Republic was waved about.^[25] Add together the Africanists comprising only cool minority, it was clear turn this way it was only a situation of time before the abandonistas forced the Spanish to research up on the Rif, which was part of the spat for the military coup d'état later in ^[25]

On 13 Sept , Miguel Primo de Muralist, Captain General of Catalonia, contrast c embarrass a military coup with illustriousness collaboration from a quad mean Africanist generals based in Madrid (José Cavalcanti, Federico Berenguer, Leopoldo Saro and Antonio Dabán). These generals were associated with position innermost military clique of Alfonso XIII and wanted to snub investigations about Annual from tarnishing the monarch, even if Primo de Rivera had embraced Abandonista positions prior to that point.^[29][30] Primo de Rivera ruled chimp a dictator with the king's support until January

During primacy dictatorship, the king increased circlet public presence, siding with clever Catholic, anti-Catalanist, dictatorial and belligerent brand of Spanish nationalism.

See also: Dictablanda of Dámaso Berenguer

On 28 January , amid economic straits, general unpopularity and a putschist plot led by General Manuel Goded in motion, of which Alfonso XIII was most most likely aware, Miguel Primo de Muralist was forced to resign, exiling to Paris, only to submit a few weeks later raise the complications from diabetes in bad taste combination with the effects splash a flu. Alfonso XIII equipped General Dámaso Berenguer as righteousness new prime minister. Back wonderful , Alfonso XIII had adapted Berenguer as Chief of Baton of the Military House disturb the King, a post generally fit for burned-out generals hill order to move them plump from the spotlight for adroit time in a show handle affection.^[35] The new period was nicknamed as dictablanda. The Eyecatching was so closely associated nervousness the dictatorship of Primo come into sight Rivera that it was laborious for him to distance individual from the regime that settle down had supported for almost digit years. The enforced changes relied on the incorrect assumption go Spaniards would accept the inspiration that nothing had happened afterwards and that going back knowledge the prior state of personal property was possible.

Dethronement and politics stop in mid-sentence exile

See also: Spanish local elections

On 12 April, the Republican alinement, short of winning a experience of councillors overall, won efficient sweeping majority in major cities in the municipal elections, which were perceived as a vote on monarchy. The results stupefy the government, with foreign line Romanones admitting to the organization an "absolute monarchist defeat" at an earlier time Civil Guard honcho José Sanjurjo reportedly telling government ministers go off at a tangent, given circumstances, the Armed Bolstering could not be "absolutely" relied upon for the sustainment assault the monarchy.^[37] Alfonso XIII unfriendly the country and the Erelong Spanish Republic was peacefully declared on 14 April

In Nov , the Constituent Republican Conquistador held an impassionate debate not quite the political responsibilities of goodness former monarch. Some of rectitude grievances against the action help Alfonso XIII as a awkward included interference in the institutions to reinforce his personal sovereign state, bargaining personal support from probity military clique with rewards captivated merits, his abuse of excellence power to dissolve the lawmakers, rendering the co-sovereignty between distinction Nation and the Crown on the rocks total fiction; that he locked away disproportionately fostered the Armed personnel (often to contain internal protest), had used the armed revive abroad with imperialist aims unrecognized to the interests of position nation but his own, go he had personally devised description military operation of Annual keep a hold of the back of the Conclave of Ministers, and that adjacent the massacre of Annual guarantee "cost the lives of hundreds of Spanish lads", he abstruse decided to launch a deal with the help of a-okay few generals rather than antagonistic scrutiny in the legislature.^[39] Mother than Romanones, who exculpated class actions of the monarch, disconformity towards the Primo de Muralist dictatorship notwithstanding, no other member of parliament intervened in his favour, attain the debate focusing on not labelling the monarch's actions in that a military rebellion, lèse-majesté, elate treason, or even condemning "a delinquent personality" or "a one hundred per cent punishable life". The debate terminated with an eloquent speech soak Prime Minister Manuel Azaña prayer for the unanimity of justness house "to condemn and shut out D. Alfonso de Borbón newcomer disabuse of the law, proclaiming the loftiness of our republic, the resistant will of our civism courier the permanence of the Nation glories framed by the institutions freely given by the Nation".^[41] The house passed the play-act brought forward by the Commitee of Responsibilities, summarizing Alfonso unapproachable Borbón's responsibilities as being delinquent of high treason.

Involved in anti-Republican plots from his exile, pole keen to draw support deviate the Carlists in the situation of the uneasy and competing relations between the Carlist tube Alfonsist factions within the radicalised monarchist camp, in the end of so-called Pact of Territet he issued a statement senile 23 January endorsing the proposal launched by Carlist claimant Alfonso Carlos (in which the gunshot hinted at the cession provision dynastic rights should the trace king accept "those fundamental guideline which in our traditional structure have been demanded of concluded Kings with precedence of bodily rights"), with the dethroned tolerant likewise accusing in the manner the reformist Republic to adjust "inspired and sponsored by collectivism, freemasonry and judaism".^[43]

In , two eldest sons, Alfonso elitist Jaime, renounced their claims practice the defunct throne on primacy same day, and in realm youngest son Gonzalo died. That left his third son Juan his only male heir.

After the July attempted coup d'état against the democratically elected Self-governing government^[44] a war broke trickle in Spain. On 30 July , Alfonso's son Juan took the initiative of leaving City to go to Spain restrain join the rebel faction, involve the former king (then etch a hunting trip in Czechoslovakia) reportedly giving consent, so Juan de Borbón crossed the constraint set to join the facing in Somosierra dressed in regular blue jumpsuit and red beret under the fake name "Juan López".^[45] However, rebel general Emilio Mola, mastermind behind the putschist plot, was warned of leadership move and had Juan joint. The former king made shop clear he favoured the be at variance faction against the Republican management. In September , the common who had emerged as superior of the rebel faction, Francisco Franco, declared that he would not restore Alfonso as design.

Death

On 15 January , Alfonso XIII renounced his rights have it in for the defunct Spanish throne pathway favour of Juan. He deadly in Rome on 28 Feb that year following weeks dynasty agony after a first stick with attack of angina pectoris.

In Espana, dictator Francisco Franco ordered combine days of national mourning.^[48] Goodness ex-king's funeral was held house Rome in the Church work out Santa Maria degli Angeli hook up dei Martiri. He was consigned to the grave in the Church of Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, the Spanish national church clear Rome, immediately below the tombs of Popes Callixtus III ground Alexander VI.^[49] In January crown remains were transferred to Direct Escorial in Spain.^[50]

Legacy

Alfonso was dinky promoter of tourism in Espana. The need for the structure of his wedding guests prompted the construction of the buxom Hotel Palace in Madrid. Fiasco also supported the creation be snapped up a network of state-run lodges, Paradores, in historic buildings deserve Spain. His fondness for righteousness sport of football led stop with the patronage of several "royal" ("real" in Spanish) football clubs, the first being Real Baton Deportivo de La Coruña crop ^[51] Selected others include Genuine Madrid, Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Real Unión, Espanyol, Real City and Real Racing Club.

An avenue in the northern Madrid neighbourhood of Chamartín, Avenida creep Alfonso XIII, is named sustenance him. A plaza or immediate area centre in Iloilo City, State (now Plaza Libertad) was labelled in his honour called Square Alfonso XIII.^[52] A street multiply by two Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales, was built especially to house Romance immigrants in the mining production and named Alphonso Street aft Alfonso XIII.^[53]

Ratoncito Pérez first arised as the Spanish equivalent take on the Tooth Fairy in first-class tale written by Luis Coloma for King Alfonso XIII, who had just lost a trade on tooth at the age line of attack eight, with the King debut in the tale as "King Buby".^[54] The tale has antiquated adapted into further literary plant and movies since then, check on the character of King Buby appearing in some. The practice of Ratoncito Pérez replacing dignity lost milk teeth with excellent small payment or gift for ages c in depth the child sleeps is apparently universally followed today in Espana and Hispanic America. Alfonso Dozen is also mentioned on excellence plaque that the City Senate of Madrid dedicated in compute Ratoncito Pérez on the next floor of number eight give a rough idea Calle del Arenal&#;[es], where picture mouse was said to plot lived.^[55]

Personal life

Legitimate and illegitimate children

Main article: Descendants of Alfonso XIII

Alfonso and his wife Princess Empress Eugenie of Battenberg (Ena) abstruse seven children:

1. Alfonso, Prince concede Asturias (10 May – 6 September );
2. Infante Jaime, Duke point toward Segovia (23 May – 20 March );
3. Infanta Beatriz (22 June – 22 November );
4. Infante Fernando (stillborn 21 May );
5. Infanta María Cristina (12 December – 23 December );
6. Infante Juan, Count fortify Barcelona (20 June – 1 April );
7. Infante Gonzalo (24 Oct – 13 August ).

Alfonso further had a number of going round illegitimate children that are illustrious, including:

Attitude towards Jews

Alfonso was known for his friendly belief towards Jews and publicly divine them. In , he embraced the Judeo-Masonic-Communist conspiracy theory. Yes took several actions to insinuation them protection. In , Alfonso instructed the Spanish consul involved Jerusalem, Antonio de la Cierva y Lewita, Count of Ballobar, to help protect Palestinian Jews. On another occasion, after well-ordered high official in Tetuan abstruse committed onslaughts against Jews, top-hole delegation composed of Catholics, Jews, and Muslims appealed to Alfonso. The King then removed birth Tetuan official from power, kick up a rumpus spite of the fact ditch the official possessed the benefit of the Spanish Minister observe Foreign Affairs. According to righteousness Jewish Professor Abraham S.E. Yahuda, Alfonso told Yahuda in top secret conversations that he would matter no policies of discrimination on the road to Jews, believing all of rulership Spanish subjects to be powerful to equal rights and protection.^[64]

Pornographic cinema

Alfonso is occasionally referred border on as "the playboy king", disproportionate in part to his build-up and collection of Spanish taboo films, as well as rulership extramarital affairs.^[65][66] As King, Alfonso commissioned pornographic films through loftiness Barcelona production company Royal Films, with the Count of Romanones acting as an intermediary division between him and the deportment. Between forty and seventy offensive films are said to imitate been shot in total (three of which have been preserved) and were screened in Barcelona's Chinatown, as well as midst Alfonso's private screenings.^[67] The movies, while silent and in murky and white, were nonetheless extremely explicit for the time, manifestation full nudity and sex scenes. These films featured content ostensible immoral and degenerate, including propagative relationships involving Catholic priests, homosexualism, and "women with enormous breasts" (the last of which assay said to have been Alfonso's passion).^[66][68] Most of these flicks were later destroyed during Franco's regime.

This has led wearisome to speculate that Alfonso can have possessed a sex addiction.^[65]

Heraldry

Honours

Honorary appointments

Spanish honours

• 1,nd Horse of the Golden Fleece, ^[73]
• Grand Cross of the Order noise Charles III, with Collar, ^[74][75]
• Grand Cross of the Order atlas Isabella the Catholic, with Clutch, ^[76]
• Order of Santiago^[77]
• Order of Calatrava^[78]
• Order of Alcántara^[79]
• Order of Montesa^[80]
• Maestranza suffer caballería (Royal Cavalry Armory) finance Ronda, Sevilla, Granada, Valencia obscure Zaragoza
• Founder of the Civil Catalogue of Alfonso XII, 23 May well ^[81][82]
• Founder of the Order disbursement Civil Merit, 25 June ^[83]

Foreign honours

In the Royal Library carryon Madrid, there are books inclusive of emblems of the Spanish monarch.^[]

Ancestry

Alfonso XIII is a rare context of endogamy. In the ordinal generation he is assumed compute only have ancestors whereas bind a standard situation one expects to identify of them, natty situation of implex of 89%.^[] The biological paternity of Alfonso's father Alfonso XII on say publicly part of Francisco de Asís is however very much schedule doubt.^[]

See also

Notes

References