Amadeo ( it, Amedeo , sometimes latinized as Amadeus; full name: ''Amedeo Ferdinando Maria di Savoia''; 30 May 184518 January 1890) was an Italian prince who reigned as
King of Spain
, coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg
, coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain
, image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg
, incumbent = Felipe VI
, incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
from 1870 to 1873. The first and only King of Spain to come from the
House of Savoy, he was the second son of
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy and was known for most of his life as the
Duke of Aosta, the usual title for a second son in the Savoyard dynasty.
He was elected by the
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales (; en, Spanish Parliament, lit=General Courts) are the bicameral legislative chambers of Spain, consisting of the Congress of Deputies (the lower house), and the Senate (the upper house).
The Congress of Deputies m ...
as Spain's monarch in 1870, following the deposition of
Isabel II
Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868.
Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
, and was sworn in the following year. Amadeo's reign was fraught with growing republicanism,
Carlist
Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – o ...
rebellions in the north, and the
Cuban independence movement. After three tumultuous years in the throne, he abdicated and returned to Italy in 1873, and the
First Spanish Republic
The Spanish Republic ( es, República Española), historiographically referred to as the First Spanish Republic, was the political regime that existed in Spain from 11 February 1873 to 29 December 1874.
The Republic's founding ensued after th ...
was declared as a result.
He founded the Aosta branch of Italy's royal
House of Savoy, which is junior in
agnatic
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...
descent to the branch descended from
King Umberto I
Umberto I ( it, Umberto Rainerio Carlo Emanuele Giovanni Maria Ferdinando Eugenio di Savoia; 14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900) was King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his assassination on 29 July 1900.
Umberto's reign saw Italy attempt colo ...
that reigned in Italy until 1900, but senior to the branch of the
dukes of Genoa
Duke of Genoa was a subsidiary title of the King of Sardinia. It was first awarded in 1815 to Prince Charles Felix of Savoy, who became the King of Sardinia in 1821.
Upon the death of King Charles Felix in 1831, the title was given to Prince F ...
.
Early life and first marriage
Prince Amedeo of Savoy was born in
Turin, then part of the
Kingdom of Sardinia. He was the third child and second son of
King Victor Emmanuel II
en, Victor Emmanuel Maria Albert Eugene Ferdinand Thomas
, house = Savoy
, father = Charles Albert of Sardinia
, mother = Maria Theresa of Austria
, religion = Roman Catholicism
, image_size = 252px
, succession1 ...
, who would later become the first
King of a unified Italy, and of
Archduchess Adelaide of Austria. He was granted the hereditary title of
Duke of Aosta from birth.
Entering the
Royal Sardinian Army
The Royal Sardinian Army (also the Sardinian Army, the Royal Sardo-Piedmontese Army, the Savoyard Army, or the Piedmontese Army) was the army of the Duchy of Savoy and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was active from 1416 until it became th ...
as
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in 1859, he fought through the
Third Italian War of Independence
The Third Italian War of Independence ( it, Terza Guerra d'Indipendenza Italiana) was a war between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire fought between June and August 1866. The conflict paralleled the Austro-Prussian War and resulted in ...
in 1866 with the rank of major-general. He led his brigade into action at the
Battle of Custoza and was wounded at Monte Croce. In 1868, after his marriage, he was created
vice admiral of the
Italian Royal Navy
The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' changed its name to '' Marina Militare'' ( ...
, but the position ended when he ascended the Spanish throne.
In 1867, his father yielded to the entreaties of the parliamentary deputy Francesco Cassins, and on 30 May of that year, Amedeo was married to
Donna
Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian.
People
*Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name
* Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), Ita ...
Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo
Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo (Maria Vittoria Carlotta Enrichetta; 9 August 1847 – 8 November 1876) was an Italian noblewoman and became the 6th Princess of Cisterna d'Asti and of Belriguardo after the death of her father.de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. ...
. The King initially opposed the match on the grounds that her family was of insufficient rank and that he hoped for his son to marry a German princess.
Despite her princely title, Donna Maria Vittoria was not of royal birth and belonged rather to the
Piedmontese nobility. She was, however, the sole heir to her father's vast fortune,
which subsequent Dukes of Aosta inherited, and thereby obtaining wealth independent of their dynastic
appanage
An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...
and allowances from Italy's kings.
The wedding day of Prince Amedeo and Donna Maria Vittoria was marred by the death of a station master, who was crushed under the wheels of the honeymoon train.
[Roger L. Williams, ''Gaslight and Shadow: The World of Napoleon III, 1851–1870'' (NY: Macmillan, 1957), 156–57]
In March 1870, Maria Vittoria appealed to the King to remonstrate with her husband for marital infidelities, which caused her hurt and embarrassment. However, the King wrote in reply that he understood her feelings, but he considered that she had no right to dictate her husband's behaviour, and her jealousy was unbecoming.
King of Spain
After the
Glorious Revolution deposed
Isabella II
Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868.
Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successi ...
, the new ''Cortes'' decided to reinstate the monarchy under a new
dynasty. The Duke of Aosta was by father line, a descendant of King
Philip II of Spain through his daughter
Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain
Catherine Michaela of Spain (; 10 October 1567 – 6 November 1597) was Duchess of Savoy by marriage to Duke Charles Emmanuel I. She ruled the Duchy several times as regent in Charles Emmanuel's absence, notably during his campaign in 1594.Dizio ...
and her son
Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano
Thomas Francis of Savoy, 1st Prince of Carignano (; ; 21 December 1596 – 22 January 1656) was an Italian military commander and the founder of the Carignano branch of the House of Savoy, which reigned as kings of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1831 ...
, and, by mother line, a descendant of King
Charles III of Spain
it, Carlo Sebastiano di Borbone e Farnese
, house = Bourbon-Anjou
, father = Philip V of Spain
, mother = Elisabeth Farnese
, birth_date = 20 January 1716
, birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain
, death_da ...
through his daughter
Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain. The Savoyard prince was elected king as Amadeo I on 16 November 1870 and swore to uphold the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princi ...
in Madrid on 2 January 1871.
The election of the new king coincided with the assassination of General
Juan Prim
Juan Prim y Prats, 1st Count of Reus, 1st Marquis of los Castillejos, 1st Viscount of Bruch (; ca, Joan Prim i Prats ; 6 December 1814 – 30 December 1870) was a Spanish general and statesman who was briefly Prime Minister of Spain until h ...
, his chief supporter. Amadeo then had to deal with difficult situations, with unstable Spanish politics, republican conspiracies,
Carlist
Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – o ...
uprisings,
separatism in
Cuba, interparty disputes, fugitive governments and assassination attempts.
Amadeo could count on the support of only the
Progressive Party, whose leaders traded off in the government by its parliamentary majority and electoral fraud. The progressives divided into monarchists and constitutionalists, which worsened the country's instability, and in 1872 a violent outburst of interparty conflicts hit a peak. There was a Carlist
uprising
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
in the
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
and
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
regions, and republican uprisings later occurred in cities across the country. The artillery corps of the army went on strike, and the government instructed Amadeo to discipline them.
Though warned of a plot against his life on 18 August 1872, he refused to take precautions. While returning from
Buen Retiro Park
The Buen Retiro Park (Spanish: ''Parque del Buen Retiro'', literally "Good retirement park"), Retiro Park or simply El Retiro is one of the largest parks of the city of Madrid, Spain. The park belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until the late 19th ...
to Madrid in company with the queen, he was repeatedly shot at in Vía Avenal. The royal carriage was struck by several
revolver and
rifle bullets. The horses were wounded, but its occupants escaped unhurt. A period of calm followed that event.
With the possibility of reigning without popular support, Amadeo issued an order against the artillery corps and then immediately
abdicated
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
from the Spanish throne on 11 February 1873. At ten o'clock the same night,
Spain was proclaimed a republic, and Amadeo made an appearance before the
Cortes
Cortes, Cortés, Cortês, Corts, or Cortès may refer to:
People
* Cortes (surname), including a list of people with the name
** Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), a Spanish conquistador
Places
* Cortes, Navarre, a village in the South border of ...
and proclaimed the
Spanish people to be ungovernable.
Later life
Completely disgusted, the ex-monarch left Spain and returned to Italy, where he resumed the title of
Duke of Aosta. The
First Spanish Republic
The Spanish Republic ( es, República Española), historiographically referred to as the First Spanish Republic, was the political regime that existed in Spain from 11 February 1873 to 29 December 1874.
The Republic's founding ensued after th ...
lasted less than two years, and in November 1874
Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as El Pacificador or the Peacemaker, was King of Spain from 29 December 1874 to his death in 1885 ...
, the son of Isabella II, was proclaimed king, with
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (8 February 18288 August 1897) was a Spanish politician and historian known principally for serving six terms as Prime Minister and his overarching role as "architect" of the regime that ensued with the 1874 restor ...
, Spanish intermittent prime minister from 1873 until his assassination in 1897, briefly serving as
regent.
Amadeo's first wife died in 1876. In 1888 he married his French niece, Princess
Maria Letizia Bonaparte, Duchess of Aosta
Maria Letizia Bonaparte (Marie Laetitia Eugénie Catherine Adélaïde; 20 November 1866 – 25 October 1926) was one of three children born to Prince Napoléon and his wife Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy. In 1888 she married Prince Amadeo, D ...
(20 November 186625 October 1926), daughter of his sister
Maria Clotilde and of
Prince Napoléon Bonaparte
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
, a nephew of
Napoleon I. They had one child,
Umberto Umberto is a masculine Italian given name. It is the Italian form of Humbert. People with the name include:
* King Umberto I of Italy (1844–1900)
* King Umberto II of Italy (1904–1983)
* Prince Umberto, Count of Salemi (1889–1918)
* Umberto ...
(1889–1918), who died of the flu during the
First World War.
Amadeo remained in Turin, Italy until his death on 18 January 1890. His friend
Puccini composed the famous elegy for
string quartet ''Crisantemi'' in his memory.
Legacy
The
municipality of
Amadeo, in the
province of
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
, in the
Philippines, which was a
colony of Spain, was named after Amadeo I when it was established on 15 July 1872, during his reign.
A large
salt lake,
Lake Amadeus
Lake Amadeus (together with Lake Neale, Pitjantjatjara: ''Pantu'' ("salt lakes")) is a large salt lake in the southwest corner of Northern Territory of Australia, about north of Uluru. The smaller Lake Neale is adjacent to the northwest. It ...
, and the subsequently-named
Amadeus Basin
The Amadeus Basin is a large (~170,000 km2) intracratonic sedimentary basin in central Australia, lying mostly within the southern Northern Territory, but extending into the state of Western Australia.
Origins
The Amadeus Basin is named ...
, where it lies in central
Australia, is also named after Amadeo I by the explorer
Ernest Giles
William Ernest Powell Giles (20 July 1835 – 13 November 1897), best known as Ernest Giles, was an Australian explorer who led five major expeditions to parts of South Australia and Western Australia.
Early life
Ernest Giles was born in Bris ...
, who was the first European to find the lake, in 1872.
Honours and arms
National
* :
** Knight of the
Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, ''27 September 1862''
** Grand Cross of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, ''27 September 1862''
** Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown of Italy, ''27 September 1862''
**
Gold Medal of Military Valour
The Gold Medal of Military Valour ( it, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers.
The f ...
, ''5 December 1866''
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Charles III, with Collar, ''28 November 1866''
Foreign
*
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...
: Grand Cross of the
Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, ''1875''
* : Grand Cordon of the
Order of Leopold (civil), ''5 September 1863''
* : Knight of the
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...
, ''19 August 1863''
* : Grand Cordon of the
Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, ''11 September 1882''
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Saint-Charles
The Order of Saint Charles (french: Ordre de Saint Charles) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in Monaco on 15 March 1858.
Award
This order rewards service to the State or Prince. In particular cases, it may be granted to forei ...
, ''27 April 1875''
*
Kingdom of Prussia:
** Knight of the
Order of the Black Eagle
The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King i ...
, ''13 March 1867''
** Grand Commander's Cross of the Royal
House Order of Hohenzollern, ''10 March 1881''
* : Knight of the
Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-called, ''1879''
*
Sweden-Norway
Sweden and Norway or Sweden–Norway ( sv, Svensk-norska unionen; no, Den svensk-norske union(en)), officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and known as the United Kingdoms, was a personal union of the separate Monarchy, kingdoms ...
:
** Knight of the Royal
Order of the Seraphim, ''2 August 1863''
** Grand Cross of the
Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav I ...
, ''28 December 1872''
Arms
Issue
By Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo:
#
Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta (13 January 18694 July 1931)
Marshal of Italy
Marshal of Italy ( it, Maresciallo d'Italia) was a rank in the Royal Italian Army (''Regio Esercito''). Originally created in 1924 by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini for the purpose of honoring Generals Luigi Cadorna and Armando Diaz, the ran ...
married to
Princess Hélène of Orléans
, house = Orléans
, father = Prince Philippe, Count of Paris
, mother = Infanta Maria Isabel of Spain
, birth_date =
, birth_place = York House, Twickenham, England
, death_date =
, death_place = Castellammare di Stabia, Ita ...
and had issue, including
Prince Aimone who was briefly ''King Tomislav II of Croatia''.
#
Prince Vittorio Emanuele, Count of Turin
Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy-Aosta, Infante of Spain, Count of Turin (24 November 1870 – 10 October 1946) was a grandchild of King Victor Emmanuel II and a member of the House of Savoy. He was a cousin of Victor Emmanuel III.
Early lif ...
(24 November 187010 October 1946) died unmarried.
#
Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, (29 January 1873 – 18 March 1933) was an Italian mountaineer and explorer, briefly Infante of Spain as son of Amadeo I of Spain, member of the royal House of Savoy and cousin of the Italian King ...
(29 January 187318 March 1933)
Vice Admiral in the
Italian Royal Navy
The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' changed its name to '' Marina Militare'' ( ...
died unmarried.
By Maria Letizia Bonaparte:
#
Umberto, Count of Salemi (22 June 188919 October 1918), died of the Spanish flu during World War I.
Ancestry
References
External links
Historiaantiqua.''Amadeo I; (Spanish)'' (2008)
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amadeo Of Spain
1845 births
1890 deaths
19th-century Spanish monarchs
Amadeo I
Amadeo ( it, Amedeo , sometimes latinized as Amadeus; full name: ''Amedeo Ferdinando Maria di Savoia''; 30 May 184518 January 1890) was an Italian prince who reigned as King of Spain from 1870 to 1873. The first and only King of Spain to come fro ...
Nobility from Turin
Spanish captain generals
Captain generals of the Navy
Knights of Santiago
Italian princes
Burials at the Basilica of Superga
Monarchs who abdicated
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Italy)
Grand Masters of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint-Charles
Navarrese titular monarchs
People of the Third Carlist War
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy