Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta


Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta was the third son of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria.
He was pretender to the throne of the Two Sicilies in succession of his older half-brother, Francis II of the Two Sicilies. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ferdinand Pius.

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 Duchess Maria Sophie in 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.

Personal life

Alfonso was also an artist, and received tuition from Achille Vianelli.

Marriage and issue

Alfonso was married to his cousin, Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies 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.

Ancestry