Maria Christina of Austria
|
Maria Christina of Austria, Queen of Spain |
Maria Christina, Princess Imperial and
Archduchess of
Austria, Princess Royal of
Hungary and
Bohemia (
Maria Christina Désirée Henriette Felicitas Rainiera von Habsburg-Lothringen,
21 July 1858â€"
6 February 1929) was the second
Queen consort of King
Alfonso XII of Spain and was
Queen Regent of
Spain during the minority of her son
Alfonso XIII and during the abeyancy of the throne before his birth, from
November 25 1885 -
7 May 1902.
Known to her family as Christa, she was born at
Zidlochovice Castle (Gross Seelowitz), near
Brno, in
Moravia, a daughter of
Archduke Karl Ferdinand and his wife,
Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria.
Her paternal grandparents were
Archduke Charles of Austria and
Princess Henriette Alexandrine of Nassau-Weilburg.
Maria Christina married King Alfonso XII of Spain on
29 November 1879 at the Royal Palace in
Madrid, and became the mother of his only three legitimate children: Infanta
Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, Infanta
Maria Teresa of Spain, and Alfonso (born posthumously). His previous wife was
Mercedes of Orléans, who had died half a year after their marriage, leaving no issue.
When the King died, Maria Christina was pregnant, so the throne was in abeyancy, 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 Maria 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.
She died at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
