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Showing posts with the label Naples

The impressive history of the royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

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As there are "engagement rumours" between Prince Christian of Denmark and Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sililies it is perhaps a good moment to take a look at the family's history of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The Start The House of Bourbon - Two Sicilies descends from Philippe de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou . He was a grandson of King Louis XIV of France. He  founded the Bourbon dynasty of Spain. It was Philippe's grandson, Ferdinand who became in 1759 King of Naples and Sicily. His descendants occupied the joint throne, merged as the "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies" in 1816, until 1861, claimed it thereafter from exile, and constitute the extant Bourbon-Two Sicilies family. A dispute The succession of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies has, since 1960, been disputed between the senior Calabrian line, which is currently being represented by Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria (born 1968) and the junior Castro line, which is currently being represented by Prince Carlo,

6 June 1772: Birth of Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily

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Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily was born on 6 June 1772 at the Royal Palace in Naples. She was the eldest of 18 children. Family Her parents were Ferdinand IV & III of Naples and Sicily and Maria Carolina of Austria. She was the favourite child from her mother. Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily was inter alia the sister of Maria Amelia Theresa who would marry Louis Philippe, the King of the French. Her paternal grandparents were King Charles III of Spain and Maria Amalia of Saxony. Her maternal grandparents were Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa who became Holy Roman Empress. Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily was thus a member of the royal house of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Maria Theresa was named after her maternal grandmother Maria Theresa of Austria. Love and Marriage On 15 September 1790, she married her double first cousin Francis. In 1792 he would become Holy Roman Emperor Francis II and Emperor Francis I of Austria. The