Maria Christina of Austria

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For the eighteenth century archduchess, see Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen.
Maria Christina of Austria
Queenspainmc.jpg
Queen consort of Spain
Tenure 29 November 1879 –
25 November 1885
Queen regent of Spain
Tenure 25 November 1885 – 17 May 1902
Born (1858-07-21)21 July 1858
Brno, Moravia, Austria
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Palacio Real, Madrid, Spain
Burial El Escorial
Spouse Alfonso XII of Spain
Issue Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Maria Teresa
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Full name
Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria von Habsburg-Lothringen
House Habsburg-Lorraine
Father Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria
Mother Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria
Religion Roman Catholic

Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria of Austria [1] (21 July 1858 – 6 February 1929) was Queen of Spain as the second wife of King Alfonso XII. She was regent during the minority of their son, Alfonso XIII, and the vacancy of the throne between her husband's death and her son's birth.

Early life

Known to her family as Christa, she was born at Židlochovice Castle (Groß Seelowitz), near Brno, in Moravia, a daughter of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria.

Her paternal grandparents were Archduke Charles of Austria and Princess Henriette Alexandrine of Nassau-Weilburg.

Various sources attributed good traits to Maria Christina before her marriage. One states she was "tall, fair, sensible, and well educated".[2]

Marriage and issue

Maria Christina married King Alfonso XII of Spain on 29 November 1879 at the Basilica of Atocha in Madrid, and became the mother of his only three legitimate children:

His previous wife was Mercedes of Orléans, who had died half a year after their marriage, leaving no issue. She lived a discreet life as queen.

Royal Monogram of Queen Maria Christina of Spain

Widowhood

Maria Christina with her three children, 1897.

When the King died, Maria Christina was pregnant, so the throne was vacant, depending on whether Maria Christina's unborn child was a male or a female; a male would make that child king, while a female would place her elder daughter, Infanta María Mercedes, on the throne. During this period, Maria Christina ruled as regent until her child, a son, was born, who was Alfonso XIII of Spain from birth. Maria Christina continued as regent until Alfonso XIII attained his majority in 1902; she is the "Her Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain" named as concluding in the Treaty of Paris (1898) with the United States of America, ending the Spanish–American War.

Her chief adviser and head of government was Práxedes Mateo Sagasta. Her rule is described as well balanced and in accordance with respect for the constitutional rights, and many political reforms were instated during her regency to prevent political conflicts and chaos. Her role was mostly ceremonial, and her purpose was to preserve the crown for her son until he became an adult.

After her son's marriage in 1906, she lost her position as first lady at court. Nevertheless, Alfonso XIII continued to look to her on many occasions for advice.

She was the 805th Dame of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa.

In February 1929, after some weeks of heart disease, she died at the Royal Palace in Madrid and is buried at El Escorial. Sir Charles Petrie, Alfonso XIII's biographer, maintained that the Queen dowager's death had a disastrous effect on her son, and that the latter never recovered politically from the blow. Within little more than two years the monarchy had collapsed.

Heraldry

Ancestry

Family of Maria Christina of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17. Maria Theresa of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4. Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18. Charles III of Spain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9. Maria Louisa of Spain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19. Maria Amalia of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20. Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. Frederick William, Duke of Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21. Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22. Wilhelm Georg, Count of Sayn-Hachenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23. Princess Isabella Auguste Reuss of Greiz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (= 16)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (= 8)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25. Maria Theresa of Austria (= 17)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. Archduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26. Charles III of Spain (= 18)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13. Maria Louisa of Spain (= 9)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27. Maria Amalia of Saxony (= 19)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28. Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14. Duke Louis of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29. Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Duchess Maria Dorothea of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30. Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg (= 20)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15. Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 31. Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau (= 21)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ "Maria Christina (Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria), Sternkreuzordens-Dame, Ehrengroßkreuz des souveränen Malteser-Ritterordens; geb. zu Groß-Seelowitz den 21. Juli 1858, vermählt zu Madrid den 29. November 1879 mit Seiner Majestät Alphons XII., König von Spanien, Inhaber des Infanterie-regiments Nr. 94, Witwe seit 25. November 1885." Schematismus für das kaiserliche und königliche Heer und für die kaiserliche und königliche Kriegsmarine für 1904. Vienna: Druck und Verlag der k.k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, December 1903. p.22
  2. ↑ Wormeley Latimer, p. 382.

Sources

  • Campos y Fernández de Sevilla, Francisco-Javier. María Cristina de Habsburgo y la Regencia, 1885–1902. San Lorenzo de El Escorial: Estudios Superiores del Escorial, Real Colegio Universitario "María Cristina", 1994.
  • Cancio R. Capote, Rita Maria. The Function of Maria Christina of Austria's Regency, 1885–1902, in Preserving the Spanish Monarchy. México: Ediciones Botas, 1957.
  • Figueroa y Torres, Alvaro de, Conde de Romanones. Doña María Cristina de Habsburgo Lorena, la discreta regente de España. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1934.
  • Martín Alonso, Aurelio. Diez y seis años de regencia, María Cristina de Hapsburgo-Lorena, 1885–1902. Barcelona: L. Tasso, 1914.
  • Thoma, Helga. Habsburgs letzte Herrscherin: Maria Christine, Erzherzogin von Österreich, Königin-Regentin von Spanien. Wien-Klosterneuburg: Edition Va Bene, 2003.
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Maria Christina of Austria
Cadet branch of the House of Habsburg
Born: 21 July 1858 Died: 6 February 1929
Spanish royalty
Vacant
Title last held by
Mercedes of Orléans		 Queen consort of Spain
29 November 1879 – 25 November 1885		 Vacant
Title next held by
Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg
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