Jaime, Duke of Madrid

Early life

Jaime was the only son of Carlos, Duke of Madrid, and of his wife Princess Margherita of Bourbon-Parma. He was born at Vevey in Switzerland and received the baptismal names Jaime Pío Juan Carlos Bienvenido Sansón Pelayo Hermenegildo Recaredo Álvaro Fernando Gonzalo Alfonso María de los Dolores Enrique Luis Roberto Francisco Ramiro José Joaquín Isidro Leandro Miguel Gabriel Rafael Pedro Benito Felipe.

During his early childhood Jaime accompanied his father in Spain during the Third Carlist War and was subject to delirious applause on part of the Carlist troops. Following defeat the young Jaime was educated by the Jesuits first at the Collège de Vaugirard in Paris and then at Beaumont College in Old Windsor. In 1890 he entered the Austrian Theresian Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt, graduating in 1893. The same year he was orphaned by his mother; one year later his father remarried with Berthe de Rohan; relations with his stepmother went from bad to worse. Between 1893 and 1896 he kept travelling, visiting India, Philippines and Morocco. He also made few incognito trips to Spain, re-entering the country first time since his childhood and accompanied by trusted Carlists like Tirso de Olazábal y Lardizábal. By the Madrid government he was considered a foreigner, deprived of Spanish citizenship as his father was stripped of it in the aftermath of the Third Carlist War. His trips served as basis for Carlist propaganda of the late 1890s.

In 1896 Jaime received a commission in the Russian army, initially stationed in Odessa. As member of the Imperial Russian Army in 1900 and 1901 he took part in the Boxer Expedition, fighting in the Battle of Beitang. In 1904 and 1905 he took part in the Russo-Japanese War fighting in the Battle of Liaoyang and the Battle of Vafangon. At that time he was formally assigned to Warsaw.

Warsaw spell

Following his Odessa service, in late 1897 don Jaime was transferred to Warsaw, where he arrived at unspecified time in late March or early April 1898. He spent there almost 6 years on the highly intermittent basis, until he departed for Austria in late 1903. Though in terms of his political career Don Jaime's stay in the city was of little relevance, it is not clear to what extent the service mattered as his formative period.

Background

In the late 19th century, Warsaw was the third most populous city of the Russian Empire; with almost 700,000 inhabitants, it was larger than Madrid or Barcelona. According to the official 1897 census, 62% of the population were Poles, 27% Jews, 9% Russians and 2% Germans; not a single Spaniard was listed as living in the city. All officialdom, including top administrative layers, schooling, judiciary, and military, was dominated by the Russians. At that time Warsaw was the centre of Vistula Land, a region that retained some minor legal identity but, in general, was well integrated into the Russian administrative structures. The level of national and social tension was relatively low but occasionally noticeable; in 1898, strikes hit the local metalworking industry and in 1899 the 1st of May demonstration turned into riots.

At the turn of the century, Warsaw was vital for Russian military planning. The city was headquarters of the westernmost of 14 Russian military districts, and home to a large military garrison. As since the Berlin Congress of 1878 relations with Germany were steadily deteriorating, the area was of growing concern for the Russian General Staff. Itself a prominent salient flanked by German and Austro-Hungarian provinces, it posed a challenge for planners. The prevailing military strategy, known as Miliutin-Obruchev system, pursued a defensive counteroffensive vision; it admitted that initially it might be necessary to abandon territories west of the Vistula and mount a defense based on seven fortresses, of which Warsaw and the other three would form a forward shield.

Military career

Don Jaime arrived in Warsaw following at least half-a-year spell in the Russian army; he had served in a cavalry regiment in Odessa before. It is not clear why the prince left the Black Sea coast and what political, diplomatic or military mechanism got him landed in Warsaw; the choice was probably determined by family logistics. Though convenient travelwise, given the role of Warsaw garrison the assignment was a challenge from military perspective, especially that don Jaime was assigned to Гродненский гусарский лейб-гвардии полк. His new unit was a cavalry regiment forming part of the very prestigious if not somewhat snobbish, Russian aristocracy dominated Life-Guard category.

It is not entirely clear what was Don Jaime's rank when he arrived in Warsaw; Spanish press referred to him as "teniente", Polish press referred to him as "chorąży". There is no official Russian document available for consultation; the most likely rank was прапорщик. On 17 September 1900 he was formally promoted to поручик (lieutenant) and at that rank he served until the end of his actual Warsaw assignment, though in 1904 he was promoted to капитан (captain) and finally to полковник (colonel). None of the sources consulted provides any information on don Jaime's function in the regiment and it is not known whether he served in regimental staff or with any of the squadrons. In late 1902 the press reported that upon return from a just commencing 6-month leave, the following May don Jaime would intend to seek release from duty, but in late summer 1903 he was still reported serving. In October 1903 he was transferred from the Hussar Regiment to personal staff assigned to the Warsaw district commander.

Duration and sub-periods

Though he was formally appointed to Warsaw in December 1897 and though it is likely he spent a few brief spells in the city between 1904 and 1906, there is no confirmation of don Jaime actually serving in Warsaw before March 1898 and after October 1903. His duty was largely performed on the on and off basis; in-between the above dates he spent in total some 40 months in the city, on average slightly more than half a year per annum. Except 1898 and 1899 he used to leave around November, as allegedly the local autumn weather did not serve him well; don Jaime was usually returning to service around April. The longest uninterrupted stay identified was between November 1899 and June 1900. Punctuated by at least month-long breaks of leave periods, his service in Warsaw broke down to 8 separate strings.

When away, don Jaime was either on leave in Austria-Hungary, Italy and France or on service assignments with the Russian army: as member of demarcation commission at Russian frontier with Turkey, Afghanistan and Persia (from summer to fall 1899), in combat units during the Boxer Uprising (from summer 1900 till spring 1901) and during the Russo-Japanese War (starting the spring of 1904). He also spent brief rest periods in the Polish countryside. He was last reported in Warsaw in late autumn of 1903, leaving the city some time by the end of the year. As at that time he was already released from the hussar regiment, it is likely he intended to terminate his Warsaw service. During outbreak of the war against Japan in early 1904 Don Jaime was with his father in Venice, where he was reached by the call to arms; before having been received by Nicholas II in St. Petersburg in March he was likely to have stayed few days in Warsaw, though this was not recorded by the local press. It is also possible—though not confirmed in sources—that he spent few days in Warsaw in June 1905 (en route from Austria to St. Petersburg and back) and in July/August 1906 (en route from Paris to St. Petersburg and back)

Private life

Initially Don Jaime lived in a semi-rural, military-dominated Sielce suburb, hardly within the administrative city limits; his residence was a modest one-room apartment in the regimental officers' barracks building at Агриколя Дольная street, with two batmen - one of them Spanish - living next door. Starting June 1900 he was already reported as living at Шопена street 8, in a plushy, prestigious area and in a newly constructed apartment building. Despite his modest rank don Jaime took part in official feasts seated among most prestigious participants, be it members of the House of Romanov, top Russian generals like military district commander or civil officials like president of Warsaw. Very sporadically he was reported as taking part in gatherings of local elites, either those associated with visits of his distant relatives like Ferdinand Duke of Alençon or feasts of apparently unrelated Polish aristocrats like count Mieczysław Woroniecki.

Though possibly familiar with religious hierarchs, in general Don Jaime was not listed as engaged in local community life; he declared spending his free time in theatres and restaurants and indeed was noted there. He was, however, a noticeable city figure as a sportsman; apart from joining the local horse racing society he was particularly recognized for automobile activities. He owned one of the first cars in Warsaw, a De Dion Bouton machine allegedly well recognized by the city dwellers. The only local he seemed to have been in closer relations with was Stanisław Grodzki, a Warsaw automobile pioneer and owner of the first car dealership; local motor fans were greeting Don Jaime when he was launching his automobile trips. Rather accidentally don Jaime was also acknowledged and cheered as a sportsman by "forgemen, peasants and inkeepers". Spanish press reported Carlist officials departing from Madrid to see him, but the Polish one has not noted any visits paid.

Politics

The Warsaw press of the era was fairly well informed about developments in Spain, with war against the United States systematically reported and even results of the Cortes elections discussed down to minuscule details; e. g. in 1899 there were 4 Carlists noted as elected. Spanish political life was depicted rather accurately if not indeed prophetically, though at times with some patronizing tones. It was acknowledged—even in jokes—that very few Poles knew who the Carlists were. Despite occasional references to Carlism in news columns, cases of linking these reports with don Jaime residing in Warsaw were rather exceptional. Usually press notes referred to don Jaime as "His Royal Highness", they were maintained in polite style which has never turned into anything more than sympathetic desinteressement. Not a single case of either hostile or friendly stance towards the Carlists has been identified. Though interviews with don Jaime adhered to respectful and warm tone, they by no means amounted to political proselytism; some of them sounded slightly ironic about the Carlist cause.

Historically relations between Russia and Carlism have been marked by indifference with occasional demonstrations of mutual sympathy. Don Jaime has not been noted as involved in any political initiatives, though his taking part in official Russian feasts with members of the House of Romanov participating was clearly flavored with political undertones. At one opportunity the prince made some effort to court the Poles, referring to alleged Polish combatants in ranks of the legitimist troops during the last Carlist war; official Spanish diplomatic services tried to keep a close watch on him. National and social unrest which erupted in Warsaw in 1905 occurred after don Jaime had already left the city; he had little opportunity to make his own opinion let alone take sides. It is not clear whether vague personal references to the Russian revolution, made by don Jaime in his 23 April 1931 manifesto, were anyhow related to the 1905 events.

Warsaw spell in perspective

Don Jaime joined the Russian army in his mid-20s, in-between youth and mid-age, straightforward, easy-going, just about to get married and to launch his international career. His last, brief Warsaw spells occurred when he was in his mid-30s, a solitary who by some was already viewed as a bit of a disappointment. For the rest of his life he remained a highly ambiguous if not mysterious figure and is as such acknowledged in historiography. It is not clear to what extent service in the Russian army contributed to his formation. Imperial Guards corps officers made a peculiar company, with own identity, values and rituals, especially in an ethnically alien ambience. According to a Polish cliché a cynical lot, their preferred sports were allegedly womanizing, drinking and tormenting Jews in the jolly westernmost garrison of the Empire, in Russian officer-speak known as весёлая варшавка. Some of his Carlist opponents claimed that in the early 1900s don Jaime was already ideologically derailed.

Don Jaime is not known to have publicly and explicitly referred to the Warsaw service in the decades to come. In Spanish historiography the Warsaw spell is usually treated marginally. Don Jaime's military career in the Far East is at times acknowledged as sort of a curiosity, though his service in the Russian army is mentioned when discussing controversies within Carlism related to Spain's role in the First World War. Historiographic works on Carlism focus either on don Jaime's role in internal strife in the 1910s or on his very last years during dictablanda and the Second Spanish Republic in the early 1930s. In Polish historiography his hussars spell went largely unnoticed. Dedicated works dealing with Spanish-Polish relations acknowledge even brief Polish episodes of celebrities like Pablo Picasso or Carmen Laforet but they ignore don Jaime, even though along Sofía Casanova (1907-1945) and Ignacio Hidalgo de Cisneros (1950-1962) he is one of the best-known Spaniards permanently residing in Warsaw.

Claimant to the Spanish and French thrones

On 18 July 1909 Jaime succeeded his father as Carlist claimant to the throne of Spain and Legitimist claimant to the throne of France. As Carlist claimant to Spain he was known as Jaime III, but used the style Duke of Madrid. As Legitimist claimant to France he was known as Jacques I, but used the style Duke of Anjou.

Jaime retired from the Russian army and henceforward lived mostly at Schloss Frohsdorf in Lanzenkirchen in Austria and at his apartment on Avenue Hoche in Paris. He visited Spain incognito on a number of occasions. He also owned the Villa dei Borbone at Tenuta Reale near Viareggio in Italy which he had inherited from his mother.

For part of World War I Jaime lived under house-arrest at Schloss Frohsdorf in Austria.

On 16 April 1923, by a decree to his Delegate-General in Spain, the Marques de Villores, Jaime created the Order of Prohibited Legitimacy (Orden de la Legitimidad Proscrita) to honour those who suffered imprisonment in Spain or were exiled for their loyalty to the Carlist cause.

In April 1931 the constitutional king of Spain Alfonso XIII was forced to leave the country and the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. Jaime issued a manifesto calling upon all monarchists to rally to the legitimist cause. Several months later, on 23 September, Jaime received Alfonso at his apartment in Paris. Two days later Alfonso and his wife Ena received Jaime at the Hotel Savoy d'Avon near Fontainebleau. Jaime conferred the collar of the Order of the Holy Spirit upon Alfonso. These meetings marked a certain rapprochement between the two claimants to the Spanish throne.

A week after his meetings with Alfonso, Jaime died in Paris. He was buried at the Villa dei Borbone at Tenuta Reale. He was succeeded in his Spanish and French claims by his uncle Alfonso Carlos, Duke of San Jaime.