Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Castellví
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Francisco de Borbón y Castellví | |
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Elena María de Castellví y Shelly |
Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Castellví (
Early life and career
Francisco de Paula was born in
His early years were spent between Spain and France. On 12 March 1870, his father challenged Antoine, Duke of Montpensier, to a duel. The duel ended in the shooting and death of his father. His brother Enrique refused to accept the 30,000 pesetas that the Duke of Montepensier offered to pay as compensation for his act. He and his siblings were adopted by their uncle, Francisco de Asís.[1]
Like his brothers, Francisco proved to have good military skills. Initially, he joined the
Francisco de Paula was known at the time to claim for himself the erstwhile
Marriage and family
In Havana, he met his first wife, María Luisa de La Torre y Bassave (1856–1887), daughter of José Maria de La Torre y Armenteros, a wealthy Cuban landowner. They married in Havana on 15 September 1877 but settled in Madrid, where four of their five children were born.
They had five children:
- Elena de Borbón y de la Torre (18 September 1878 – 24 September 1936), married in 1908 to José de Oltra y Fullana, had issue. Killed during the Spanish Civil War.
- María Luisa de Borbón y de la Torre (27 March 1880 – 28 January 1968), married in 1904 to Diego González-Conde y García, Marquis de Villamantilla de Perales, had issue.
- Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville; their grandson Francisco de Borbón y Escasany is the current Duke of Seville.
- José María de Borbón y de la Torre (16 December 1883 – 28 October 1962), married in 1909 to Maria Luisa Rich y Carbajo, who was murdered by her husband in 1926. The case was silenced by the will of his cousin Alfonso XIII. They had issue.
- María de los Dolores de Borbón y de la Torre (25 May 1887 – 28 January 1985), died unmarried.
After the death of María Luisa in 1887, Francisco de Paula married secondly on 15 February 1890 in Madrid to Felisa de León y Navarro de Balboa, from a noble family and also a native of Cuba.
They had three children:
- Enrique María de Borbón y de León (6 July 1891 – 29 October 1936), Marquis de Balboa, married in 1917 to Isabel de Esteban y Iranzo, Countess de Estaban, had issue. Killed during the Spanish Civil War.
- Alfonso María de Borbón y León (24 October 1893 – 29 October 1936), Marquis de Squilache, married in 1925 to María Luisa de Caralt y Mas, had issue. Killed during the Spanish Civil War.
- María de las Nieves Blanca de Borbón y León (26 August 1898 – 4 June 1989), married in 1929 to Luis de Figueroa y Alonso-Martinez, 2nd Count de Romanones, had issue.
Later years
After the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic, Francisco de Paula was able to stay in Spain, and he continued to reside in Madrid. However, after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he had to seek asylum at the Embassy of Chile in Madrid. Several of his descendants had worse luck – his children Elena, Enrique and Alfonso, and grandchildren María Luisa González-Conde y de Borbon, José Luis de Borbon y Rich and Jaime de Borbón y Esteban, were shot by the Spanish Republican Army.
Notes and sources
- ^ Fuente: La Ilustración Española y Americana 25.3.1870 pag.94 - Don Enrique de Borbón
- thePeerage.com - Don Francisco de Paula de Borbón y de Castellvi
- The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: II 96
- Mateos Sáinz de Medrano, Ricardo. Nobleza Obliga. La Esfera de Los Libros, 2006. ISBN 84-9734-467-7.
