Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti

Prince Gaetan
Count of Girgenti
Born (1846-01-12)12 January 1846
Naples, Two Sicilies
Died 26 November 1871(1871-11-26) (aged 25)
Lucerne, Switzerland
Burial El Escorial, Madrid, Spain
Spouse Isabella, Princess of Asturias
Full name
Italian: Gaetano Maria Federico
House Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Father Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Mother Maria Theresa of Austria
Religion Roman Catholic

Prince Gaetan of the Two Sicilies, Count of Girgenti (Italian: Gaetano Maria Federico, Principe di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, Conte di Girgenti) (12 January 1846, Naples, Two Sicilies – 26 November 1871, Lucerne, Switzerland) was the seventh child of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria.[1][2] Gaetan was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and consort to Isabella, Princess of Asturias, twice the recognized heir presumptive to the throne of Spain. Through this union, Gaetan was created an Infante of Spain.

Marriage and later life

Gaetan married Isabella, Princess of Asturias, eldest surviving child of Francis, Duke of Cádiz and his wife Isabella II of Spain, on 13 May 1868 in Madrid.[1][2] Gaetan was a first cousin to both of Isabella's parents. Their union was intended to end a feud between the Neapolitan Bourbons and the Spanish Bourbons following Spain's recognition of the Kingdom of Italy unified under the House of Savoy. The ceremony took place shortly before Spain's Glorious Revolution which brought an end to Isabella II's reign.

Gaetan and Isabella's marriage proved unhappy. For two years, Gaetan traveled throughout Europe visiting relatives in major cities including Vienna. A troubled and depressed man, Gaetan suffered from weak health and epilepsy. He had unsuccessfully attempted suicide at least once before shooting himself in the head in his hotel room in Lucerne, Switzerland. Isabella returned to Spain in 1874 and did not remarry. Their brief union produced no issue.[1][2]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Arms

Ancestry

References

  1. 1 2 3 Darryl Lundy (10 May 2003). "Gaetan di Borbone, Principe di Borbone delle Due Sicilie". thePeerage.com. Retrieved 2008-10-05. External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 Paul Theroff. "TWO SICILIES". Paul Theroff's Royal Genealogy Site. Archived from the original on April 28, 2009. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
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