Prince Ferdinand María was born on 10 May 1884 at the Royal Palace of Madrid. His father was Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria, son of Prince Adalbert of Bavaria and Infanta Amalia of Bourbon. His mother was Infanta María de la Paz of Bourbon, daughter of Queen Isabella II and King Francisco de Asís. Through both his parents, Prince Ferdinand María was a first cousin of King Alfonso XIII, who was two years younger than him. He was baptized at the Royal Palace of Madrid. In 1886, when he was two years old, his aunt the Queen Regent awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to Bavaria, where his two siblings Adalbert and Pilar were born. Prince Ludwig Ferdinand was the only member of the Bavarian Royal Family who always remained on friendly terms with his cousin, King Ludwig II. When Ludwig II was arrested at Neuschwanstein Castle in 1886, he called Ludwig Ferdinand for help; the latter immediately intended to follow this call, but was prevented from leaving Nymphenburg Palace by his uncle Luitpold who was about to take over government as the ruling Prince Regent. From 1878 the family resided at Palais Ludwig Ferdinand, their town-house in Munich He attended the Bavarian War Academy, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant of Heavy Cavalry in the Bavarian Army. Then, he returned to Spain.
Marriage and naturalisation
On 20 October 1905, King Alfonso XIII announced the marriage between his elder sister Infanta María Teresa and Prince Ferdinand Maria. The announcement was gazetted in the Gazette of Madrid as follows: "For the sake of My Royal Family and of the Nation, after having heard My Council of Ministers, I shall give My Royal Consent to the contract of marriage between My Most Beloved and Most Dear Sister Infanta María Teresa and My Most Beloved Cousin Prince Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria and Bourbon. My Government will inform the Cortes this My Royal Resolution". That same day, Prince Ferdinand Maria naturalised and the king granted unto him the title and prerogative of Infante of Spain, by grace. He was also invested a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and was granted the Collar and Grand Cross of the orders of Charles III and Isabella the Catholic, respectively. The wedding took place on 12 January 1906 at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Ferdinand and María Teresa had four children:.
The couple settled down in Spain and moved into the newly built Cuesta de la Vega Palace in Madrid, which was their main residence.
Career
Prince Ferdinand María was incorporated into the Spanish Army with the rank of cavalry lieutenant in 1905. He was commissioned into the 20th Hussars of Pavia Regiment. On 23 June 1908, he was promoted to Commander and was commissioned into the 12th Lusitania Rifle Regiment. He was moved to Africa with his regiment and took part in the Rif War. This marriage and the granted royal rank in Spain meant that Ferdinand, the third-generation Spanish-Bavarian, committed himself to Spain. His second marriage with a Spanish noblewoman changed nothing in that respect. Ferdinand married for a second time to María Luisa de Silva y Fernández de Henestrosa, :es:Ducado de Talavera de la Reina|Duchess of Talavera de la Reina, daughter of Luis de Silva y Fernández, 10th Count of Pie de Concha and his wife, Maria de los Dolores Fernández de Henestrosa y Fernández de Córdoba, on 1 October 1914 in Fuenterrabía, Spain. Maria Luisa was also granted the title Infanta of Spain.
