Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies Archive. Regent Queen

Collection

Web address:: http://www.culturaydeporte.gob.es/cultura/areas/archivos/mc/archivos/ahn/portada.html

Title (official language):: Archivo de Maria Cristina de Borbon, Dos Sicilias y Borbon. Reina Gobernadora

Scope and content:: This collection is made up of documentation kept by Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (de Bourbon). It contains personal correspondence, drafts, accounts, diaries, and notes.

Concerning Jews, the collection contains reports and letters dated 1831, regarding Alegria Berrejer, from Melilla. It also contains letters from James Mayer de Rothschild (1847), Daniel Weisweiller (1859-1866), and Ignacio S. Bauer (1864) about financial affairs.

Archival history:: This collection is preserved in the section “Diversos” of the Spanish National Historical Archive.

Administrative/biographical history:: Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies was the consort queen of Spain from 1829 to 1833 and regent of the Kingdom from 1833 to 1840. She was the daughter of Francisco I, King of Naples, and married Fernando VII, King of Spain. Maria Christina and Fernando had a daughter, Isabel, who became queen after her father passed away. Maria Christina fought to ensure the throne went to her daughter. She was overthrown by General Espartero, so Maria Christina and Isabel became exiles in Paris. The coup d’état overthrowing General Narvaez declared that Isabel had reached the age of majority and allowed the regent queen and her daughter to return to Spain. Maria Christina had a great influence on the Court and invested in different business.

Access, restrictions:: Free access regulated by the current legal environment on access to Spanish historical archives (law 16/1985 of Spanish Historical Patrimony).

Finding aids:: Data on the collection are also available at the website of the Spanish National Archives (PARES).

Author of the description:: Marina Girona Berenguer; ILC, CSIC; October 2019