Mercedes of Orléans

María de las Mercedes d'Orléans y Borbón, a.k.a Mercédés/ Marie des Graces d'Orleans-Montpensier (24 June 1860 - 26 June 1878) was Queen Consort of Spain, the first wife of Alfonso XII. She was born in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Antoine d'Orléans, Duke of Montpensier and of Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain.

Through her father, Mercedes was the granddaughter of King Louis Philippe I, King of the French and of Princess Marie Amalie, Princess of the Two Sicilies. Through her mother, Mercedes was the granddaughter of King Fernando VII of Spain by his niece and fourth wife, María Cristina of Bourbon, Princess of the Two Sicilies. Thus, Mercedes descended from Hugh Capet through all four of her grandparents, since his descendants reigned in Spain, France and Naples (later Kingdom of the Two Sicilies).

She was born at the Palacio Real, Madrid (the royal castle). Isabella II and her husband Francisco were Mercedes's 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.

Although Mercedes was patrilineally a French princess, she was officially also a Spanish infanta. In addition to being a niece of Isabella II, Mercedes was entitled to the title of infanta because her father Antoine had been created Infante Antonio of Spain at his marriage. Her entire childhood was spent mostly at their Palace of San Telmo, Sevilla, in Andalucía (southern Spain). They apparently were not welcome to Madrid, because of her father's aspirations to gain the throne for himself. She was especially close to all her siblings, and most especially to her brother Fernando, who died when she was 13 years old. She was also close to her eldest sisters, the Princesses Isabel (who married her cousin Philippe, Comte de Paris in 1864) and María Amelia (who died at the age of 19 in 1870), as well as her younger sister María Cristina (1862-1879), who died shortly after Mercedes's own death in 1878.

In 1860's, Spain lived through a crisis of democratic demands. In the end, Mercedes' aunt queen Isabella was deposed. Also Mercedes' family got exiled. It was reportedly in 1872, at the age of 12, in exile, when she for the first time ever met her first cousin, Alfonso, Prince of Asturias. Mercedes was still a teenager when she fell in love with her cousin, Alfonso, the dispossessed Prince of Asturias, the son of her godparents, who had been sent to exile earlier in his life following the 1868 revolution which dethroned his mother. In 1876, some time after Alfonso's restoration, the 19-year-old Alfonso declared his intent to marry the 16-year-old Mercedes. The marriage did not meet the approval of all the Royal Family - particularly, the former queen Isabella was enraged: she had planned to marry Alfonso with Infanta Blanca (1866-1935), the daughter of her Carlist rival, Carlos, Duke of Madrid. However, by then Alfonso had become King of Spain, so his word was final (legend tells that Alfonso had said that he never will marry against his will). Engagement took place as a huge ball in December 1877. They were married on January 23 1878 in a tiring ceremony at the church of Atocha. It has been described that Mercedes was a beautiful young lady, with big black eyes and that her hair was "black as nights of Andalusia".

Their wedding was one of the most popular ones in Spain's history and celebrations were enormous.

However, shortly after their honeymoon, it became evident that Mercedes had tuberculosis. The marriage was to last only six months, during which Mercedes had a miscarriage. Almost desperate, the King could do nothing to prevent his wife's death. Queen Mercedes succumbed to the illness two days after her 18th birthday, not having regained consciousness for several days.

Queen Mercedes' corpse was clothed in black and white nun vestments and she was buried at Escorial, however not in the royal crypt (because only queens who had given birth to a royal heir are interred there).


 * [[Media:AlfonsoDoce.ogg|Download recording]] - The folk song "¿Dónde vas, el caballero?" was adapted as "¿Dónde vas, Alfonso Doce?" with lyrics reflecting the story of tragic love between king and queen. This is a version from Minorca preserved at the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Maria Hugas de Aceval on September 26, 1939 in St. Augustine, Florida.

Later that year the grieving King suffered an attack on his life, but he survived. When his minister Cánovas del Castillo suggested that the King ought to take a new wife, he obediently chose his former sister-in-law and cousin, Maria Cristina of Orléans, who resembled Mercedes in many ways. Unfortunately, she too died of tuberculosis during the engagement period, which left the young King heartbroken. Without any zest left for life, he married the dry and plain Maria Christina of Austria, who would give him three children, one of which, Alfonso's heir and successor, was born after his own death.

Queen Mercedes was one of the initiators of building Cathedral of la Almudena, a new church, in Madrid, opposite to royal palace. Over a century later, May 2004, Letizia Ortiz and Felipe, Prince of Asturias were wed at that church. Construction started in 1883. Mercedes' corpse was moved there 8 November 2000, according to wishes of her widower.

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