Spanish: María de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asís Antonia Luisa Fernanda de Orléans y Borbón French: Marie de La Mercédès Isabelle Françoise d'Asis Antoinette Louise Ferdinande d'Orléans
Born at the Palacio Real in Madrid on 24 June 1860, Mercedes was the sixth of her parents' nine children. Her father, Antoine, was the Duke of Montpensier while her mother, Luisa Fernanda, was an Infanta of Spain. Her mother's elder sister, Queen Isabella II, and brother-in-law, King Francis, served as Mercedes' godparents at her christening, when she was given the names: María de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asís Antonia Luisa Fernanda Felipa Amalia Cristina Francisca de Paula Ramona Rita Cayetana Manuela Juana Josefa Joaquina Ana Rafaela Filomena Teresa Santísima Trinidad Gaspara Melchora Baltasara et omni sancti.[1]
Although Mercedes was patrilineally a French princess, she was also a Spanish infanta and spent the first eight years of her life in Spain. Her childhood was spent at the Palace of San Telmo in Andalusia, her father's rumoured aspirations to obtain his sister-in-law's crown periodically rendering him unwelcome at the royal court in Madrid.
Marriage and reignedit
When Queen Isabella II was deposed in 1868, Mercedes' family left Spain for exile. It was reportedly during that banishment in 1872 that she met her first cousin Alfonso, Prince of Asturias,[1] also living in exile. Isabella II opposed a marriage between the two due to the hostilities between Mercedes' father and the former queen.[1]
Alfonso XII and Mercedes
Upon restoration, King Alfonso married María de las Mercedes at the church of Atocha in Madrid on 23 January 1878, following a huge ball in December 1877. Allegedly, the King's choice dashed the hopes of his still-exiled mother Queen Isabella for Alfonso's marriage to Blanca de Borbón, daughter of his Carlist rival Carlos de Borbón.[citation needed]
Mercedes helped build a new temple after the Church of Santa María de la Almudena was demolished in 1868.
Shortly after their honeymoon, it became evident that Queen Mercedes suffered from typhoid fever.[2][3][4][5] The marriage would last only six months, during which she reportedly had a miscarriage.[4] She died due to the fever on 26 June 1878, at 18 years old.[6][7]
Legacyedit
Mercedes' tomb in Almudena Cathedral, with Latin inscription Alphonsi xii dulcissima conjux ("Most sweet spouse of Alfonso XII").
The news of her demise spawned many folk songs accounting for it,[8] most notably the famous copla, with many variations in Spain and America, particularly popular among children delivered as a song accompanying a skipping rope game.[9] According to Benito Pérez Galdós, he had already heard about it few days after the incident: “¿Dónde vas Alfonso XII? ¿Dónde vas triste de ti? Voy en busca de Mercedes que ayer tarde no la vi…” ("Where are you going, Alfonso XII? Where are you going, sad man?—I'm going in search of Mercedes whom I did not see yesterday afternoon...").[9] A film about the romance between María de las Mercedes and Alfonso XII, Where Are You Going, Alfonso XII?, was released in 1958.[10]
Queen Mercedes co-initiated the building of the Cathedral of la Almudena in Madrid, opposite of the royal palace —the construction beginning in 1883.[citation needed] In May 2004 Felipe, Prince of Asturias, was wed there to Letizia Ortiz. Queen Mercedes' remains were re-interred there on 8 November 2000, in accordance with her widower's wishes.
^ abcFlantzer, Susan (20 November 2015). "Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
^"02 Nov 1878 - The Death of the Young Queen of Spain. - Trove". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
^MCNBiografias.com. "María de las Mercedes. Reina de España (1860-1878) » MCNBiografias.com". mcnbiografias.com.
^ ab"Cumplida la última voluntad de una reina". El País. 9 November 2000.
^. arquehistoria.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
^"Muere María de las Mercedes de Orleans y Borbón, cinco meses después de casarse". Madridiario. 26 June 2019.
^Parrado, Diego (9 November 2017). "La sortija maldita de Alfonso XII". Vanity Fair.
^Pallardó Pardo, Esther (2016). "La restauración bajo el reinado de Alfonso XII desde la perspectiva de lo audiovisual". Opción: Revista de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales (12): 120. ISSN 1012-1587.
^ abTejero Robledo, Eduardo (1998). "La tradición oral en la cadena etnográfica". Didáctica. Lengua y Literatura. 10. Madrid: Ediciones Complutense: 148.
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January 01, 1970
mercedes, orléans, maría, june, 1860, june, 1878, queen, spain, first, wife, king, alfonso, born, madrid, daughter, antoine, orléans, duke, montpensier, infanta, luisa, fernanda, spain, queen, consort, spaintenure23, january, 1878, june, 1878born, 1860, june, . Maria de las Mercedes of Orleans 24 June 1860 26 June 1878 was Queen of Spain as the first wife of King Alfonso XII She was born in Madrid the daughter of Antoine of Orleans Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain Mercedes of OrleansQueen consort of SpainTenure23 January 1878 26 June 1878Born 1860 06 24 24 June 1860Palacio Real Madrid SpainDied26 June 1878 1878 06 26 aged 18 Palacio Real Madrid SpainBurialCathedral of la AlmudenaSpouseAlfonso XII of Spain m 1878 wbr NamesSpanish Maria de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asis Antonia Luisa Fernanda de Orleans y BorbonFrench Marie de La Mercedes Isabelle Francoise d Asis Antoinette Louise Ferdinande d OrleansHouseOrleansFatherAntoine d Orleans Duke of MontpensierMotherInfanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain Contents 1 Early life 2 Marriage and reign 3 Death 4 Legacy 5 Ancestry 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life edit nbsp Photograph of Mercedes in 1874 nbsp Royal cypher Born at the Palacio Real in Madrid on 24 June 1860 Mercedes was the sixth of her parents nine children Her father Antoine was the Duke of Montpensier while her mother Luisa Fernanda was an Infanta of Spain Her mother s elder sister Queen Isabella II and brother in law King Francis served as Mercedes godparents at her christening when she was given the names Maria de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asis Antonia Luisa Fernanda Felipa Amalia Cristina Francisca de Paula Ramona Rita Cayetana Manuela Juana Josefa Joaquina Ana Rafaela Filomena Teresa Santisima Trinidad Gaspara Melchora Baltasara et omni sancti 1 Although Mercedes was patrilineally a French princess she was also a Spanish infanta and spent the first eight years of her life in Spain Her childhood was spent at the Palace of San Telmo in Andalusia her father s rumoured aspirations to obtain his sister in law s crown periodically rendering him unwelcome at the royal court in Madrid Marriage and reign editWhen Queen Isabella II was deposed in 1868 Mercedes family left Spain for exile It was reportedly during that banishment in 1872 that she met her first cousin Alfonso Prince of Asturias 1 also living in exile Isabella II opposed a marriage between the two due to the hostilities between Mercedes father and the former queen 1 nbsp Alfonso XII and Mercedes Upon restoration King Alfonso married Maria de las Mercedes at the church of Atocha in Madrid on 23 January 1878 following a huge ball in December 1877 Allegedly the King s choice dashed the hopes of his still exiled mother Queen Isabella for Alfonso s marriage to Blanca de Borbon daughter of his Carlist rival Carlos de Borbon citation needed Mercedes helped build a new temple after the Church of Santa Maria de la Almudena was demolished in 1868 Death edit nbsp Portrait of Mercedes in 1878 the year of her death portrait by Manuel Cabral Aguado Bejarano Shortly after their honeymoon it became evident that Queen Mercedes suffered from typhoid fever 2 3 4 5 The marriage would last only six months during which she reportedly had a miscarriage 4 She died due to the fever on 26 June 1878 at 18 years old 6 7 Legacy edit nbsp Mercedes tomb in Almudena Cathedral with Latin inscription Alphonsi xii dulcissima conjux Most sweet spouse of Alfonso XII The news of her demise spawned many folk songs accounting for it 8 most notably the famous copla with many variations in Spain and America particularly popular among children delivered as a song accompanying a skipping rope game 9 According to Benito Perez Galdos he had already heard about it few days after the incident Donde vas Alfonso XII Donde vas triste de ti Voy en busca de Mercedes que ayer tarde no la vi Where are you going Alfonso XII Where are you going sad man I m going in search of Mercedes whom I did not see yesterday afternoon 9 A film about the romance between Maria de las Mercedes and Alfonso XII Where Are You Going Alfonso XII was released in 1958 10 Queen Mercedes co initiated the building of the Cathedral of la Almudena in Madrid opposite of the royal palace the construction beginning in 1883 citation needed In May 2004 Felipe Prince of Asturias was wed there to Letizia Ortiz Queen Mercedes remains were re interred there on 8 November 2000 in accordance with her widower s wishes A town in the northern Philippine province of Isabela was named Reina Mercedes in her honor in 1886 when the Spanish colonial government formally separated it from Cauayan When the King s minister Canovas del Castillo suggested that he take a new wife Alfonso acquiesced choosing Mercedes sister Maria Cristina She also contracted tuberculosis and died during the engagement period citation needed In late 1879 he married Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria Teschen the eldest of their children the Princess of Asturias was named in honour of Queen Mercedes Ancestry editAncestors of Mercedes of Orleans8 Louis Philippe II Duke of Orleans4 Louis Philippe I of France9 Louise Marie Adelaide de Bourbon2 Prince Antoine Duke of Montpensier10 Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies5 Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily11 Maria Carolina of Austria1 Maria de las Mercedes of Orleans12 Charles IV of Spain6 Ferdinand VII of Spain13 Maria Luisa of Parma3 Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain14 Francis I of the Two Sicilies7 Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies15 Maria Isabella of SpainSee also editReign of Alfonso XIIReferences edit a b c Flantzer Susan 20 November 2015 Maria de las Mercedes of Orleans Queen of Spain Unofficial Royalty Retrieved 19 December 2022 02 Nov 1878 The Death of the Young Queen of Spain Trove Nla gov au Retrieved 6 July 2018 MCNBiografias com Maria de las Mercedes Reina de Espana 1860 1878 MCNBiografias com mcnbiografias com a b Cumplida la ultima voluntad de una reina El Pais 9 November 2000 Alfonso XII y Maria de las Mercedes real historia de amor ArqueHistoria arquehistoria com Archived from the original on 6 April 2013 Retrieved 19 March 2013 Muere Maria de las Mercedes de Orleans y Borbon cinco meses despues de casarse Madridiario 26 June 2019 Parrado Diego 9 November 2017 La sortija maldita de Alfonso XII Vanity Fair Pallardo Pardo Esther 2016 La restauracion bajo el reinado de Alfonso XII desde la perspectiva de lo audiovisual Opcion Revista de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales 12 120 ISSN 1012 1587 a b Tejero Robledo Eduardo 1998 La tradicion oral en la cadena etnografica Didactica Lengua y Literatura 10 Madrid Ediciones Complutense 148 Pallardo Pardo 2016 pp 114 115 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mercedes of Orleans Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mercedes of Orleans amp oldid 1217631013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
