Why was Queen Isabella II of Spain luckier with lovers than in politics?

The name of Isabella II was widely known. However, it is not at all due to political merits. Queen Isabella II is remembered not only as a ruler who lost her kingdom. But also as a woman famous for her affairs with handsome men, which has become her special feature in historical reports. How did it happen that the daughter of King Ferdinand VII preferred lovers to politics? Why was the Queen only fit to perform at festive events and cut ribbons? Who is to blame for her disregard for authority? And did Spain need such a queen?

The young Queen is left all alone

In 1830, Isabella was born, whose name was given to her in honor of the majestic Queen who united the lands of Spain and became a symbol of fidelity to marital ties. Despite the absence of other heirs from her father, King Ferdinand VII, his younger brothers, Don Francisco and Don Carlos, already saw themselves as heirs to the throne because the king’s health was undermined by illness, which provoked a power struggle. Due to doctors’ gloomy predictions, the monarch decided to appoint his wife as regent and declare his young daughter Isabella, the heir to the throne.

This decision proved extremely timely, as King Ferdinand died nine days later. Realizing it would be impossible to maintain power without compromise, Isabella’s mother began implementing changes. Since 1837, Spain has been transformed into a constitutional monarchy under her influence. Nevertheless, the conflict with the country’s leading military figure forced her to abandon the regency. She fled to France, leaving her ten-year-old daughter Isabella alone in Madrid.

As a child, Isabella did not seek to immerse herself in politics. For her, the times when conspiracies were whispered in the corridors of power were those of carefree schooling, which, unfortunately, did not differ in depth. Without anyone to motivate her, Isabella preferred to spend her time enjoying horseback riding and avoided math in favor of singing lessons. This led to the fact that her education was rather superficial. Growing like wild grass, she showed no interest in learning the art of management.

The Queen’s Lovers

When Isabella turned thirteen, her mother and her new husband returned. From that moment on, the search for a suitable groom for her began. Among all the outstanding candidates of the European nobility, the choice fell on Francisco de Assis, a man who was not distinguished by his will or activity, but was considered the least threatening among other contenders in the power struggle. Isabella disliked her husband on a physical level. She met her first lover just a few months after the wedding celebration.

Her husband, trying to object, quickly faced the situation’s realities – after all, she occupied the throne, and his role was much smaller. As a result, Isabella led a lifestyle that she considered acceptable to herself, not skimping on pleasure, spending lavishly, and not limiting herself to changing partners. All six of her children were not conceived by her legal spouse, who recognized them each time as his children. After all, no one would take such news out of the walls of the royal palace.

The Ribbon-cutting Queen

Isabella was uninterested in political affairs, intervening only when strictly necessary or when specifically asked. Although the Queen attempted to strengthen her position by proposing a new version of the Constitution, her efforts were unsuccessful, and she chose the path of peaceful retreat.

Isabella enjoyed traveling around her country, where she found a warm welcome. She was personally involved in the opening of significant facilities, including the first railway connecting Madrid and Aranjuez, ports, and the first water pipeline in Madrid, not to mention the Royal Theater. Visit. A F R I N I K . C O M .For the full article. Her generosity in distributing alms and fearlessness in the face of the people also deserve special mention.

The Queen escapes from the revolution

Discontent among the people eventually led to significant events, as a result of military clashes, where Spain was unable to achieve success. The situation escalated so much that a revolution broke out in 1868.

This news caught the Queen in a relaxed atmosphere on the coast, enjoying her vacation. Realizing the full scale of the problem, she immediately went into exile in Paris. There, on Avenue Kleber, in a luxurious house, she was warmly welcomed by Napoleon III and Eugenie, the Empress with Spanish roots.

Exile as liberation

The exile brought unexpected results: Isabella freed herself from unwanted marital ties by filing for divorce two years after her flight. In the same year, 1870, she decided to give up the crown in favor of her son, Alfonso, which marked the beginning of a new era for the Spanish monarchy.

Isabella II no longer felt any interest in the events taking place in Spain. After leaving her homeland, she did not witness either the accession of her son to the throne or the beginning of her grandson’s reign, which happened quickly enough. Isabella spent her last day in Paris, where she died in 1904.