Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta

Heir to the throne

Born in Caserta, Alfonso was the fourth-in-line heir to the throne of Two Sicilies since the time of his birth. Ahead of him in line were his older half-brother Francis and older brothers Prince Louis, Count of Trani and Prince Alberto, Count of Castrogiovanni.

On 12 July 1844, Alberto died. He was two months short of his fifth birthday and naturally childless. Alfonso became the third-in-line heir.

On 22 May 1859, Ferdinand II died. Francis became King but had no children yet from his wife Maria Sophie of Bavaria. Louis became his heir presumptive and Alfonso the second-in-line heir to their half-brother.

However the Two Sicilies were conquered by the Expedition of the Thousand under Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1861. Garibaldi served the Kingdom of Sardinia which was in the process of Italian unification. The deposed Royal House survived with Francis still at its head.

On 8 June 1886, Louis died. His only daughter Princess Maria Teresa was not in line for the throne because females were barred from succession. Alfonso became the heir presumptive to Francis who had survived his own daughter.

On 27 December 1894, Francis II died. Alfonso became the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He died at Cannes in 1934.

Marriage and issue

Alfonso was married to his cousin, Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (16 March 1851 – 12 September 1938) on 8 June 1868. She was a daughter of Prince Francis, Count of Trapani and his wife Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.

Her paternal grandparents were Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. Her maternal grandparents were Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his second wife Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies.

Maria Isabella was a daughter of Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma. Maria Antonietta was another daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella of Spain.

They had twelve children.

Prince Ferdinand Pius of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria (25 July 1869 – 17 January 1960)

∞ Princess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of Bavaria, daughter of Ludwig III of Bavaria. This marriage produced six children.

Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (10 November 1870 – 11 November 1949)

∞ Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, daughter of Alfonso XII of Spain. This marriage produced three issue. ∞ Princess Louise of Orléans, daughter of Prince Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris. This marriage produced four children.

Prince Francesco di Paola of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (14 July 1873 – 26 June 1876)

Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (30 October 1874 – 28 November 1947)

∞ Prince Johann Georg of Saxony, son of George of Saxony. This marriage produced no issue.

Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (10 April 1877 – 4 October 1947)

∞ Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, son of Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany. This marriage produced four children.

Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (12 August 1878 – 20 June 1973)

∞ Prince Luiz Maria of Orléans-Braganza, son of Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil. This marriage produced three children.

Princess Maria Giuseppina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (25 February 1880 – 22 July 1971)

Prince Gennaro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (24 January 1882 – 11 April 1944)

∞ Beatrice Bordessa, Countess of Villa Colli. This marriage produced no issue.

Prince Ranieri of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro (3 December 1883 – 13 January 1973)

∞ Countess Maria Carolina Zamoyska, daughter of Andrzej Przemysław Zamoyski, Count Zamoyski. This marriage produced two children.

Prince Filippo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (10 December 1885 – 9 March 1949)

∞ Princess Marie Louise of Orléans, daughter of Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, Duke of Vendôme. This marriage produced one child. ∞ Odette Labori. This marriage produced no issue.

Prince Francesco d'Assisi of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (13 January 1888 – 26 March 1914)

Prince Gabriel of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1 January 1897 – 22 October 1975)

∞ Princess Malgorzata Izabella Czartoryska, daughter of Prince Adam Ludwik Czartoryski. This marriage produced one child. ∞ Princess Cecylia Lubomirska, daughter of Prince Kasimierz Lubomirski. This marriage produced four children.