Francis I of the Two Sicilies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Francis I |
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Portrait by Vicente López Portaña, c. 1829
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| King of the Two Sicilies | |||||
| Reign | 4 January 1825 – 8 November 1830 | ||||
| Predecessor | Ferdinand I | ||||
| Successor | Ferdinand II | ||||
| Born | 19 August 1777 Royal Palace of Naples, Naples, Kingdom of Naples |
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| Died | 8 November 1830 (aged 53) Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
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| Burial | Basilica of Santa Chiara, Naples | ||||
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| House | Bourbon | ||||
| Father | Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies | ||||
| Mother | Maria Carolina of Austria | ||||
| Religion | Catholic Church | ||||
| Signature |  |
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| Styles of Francis I of the Two Sicilies |
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| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
Francis I of the Two Sicilies (born August 19, 1777 – died November 8, 1830) was a king who ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1825 to 1830. Before becoming king, he also served as a regent for the Kingdom of Sicily from 1806 to 1814. His full Italian name was Francesco Gennaro Giuseppe Saverio Giovanni Battista.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Francis was born in Naples. His parents were Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Maria Carolina of Austria. This made him a nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, who were the last King and Queen of France before the French Republic was formed.
When his older brother, Carlo, Duke of Calabria, passed away in 1778, Francis became the next in line to the thrones of Naples and Sicily. He received the special title of Duke of Calabria, which was traditionally given to the person who would inherit the Neapolitan throne.
Marriages and Royal Ties
In 1796, Francis married his cousin, Archduchess Maria Clementina of Austria. She was the daughter of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor. After she died in 1801, he married another cousin, María Isabella of Spain. She was the youngest daughter of King Charles IV of Spain. Interestingly, Francis's youngest sister, Princess Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily, also married Maria Isabella's older brother, who later became Ferdinand VII of Spain.
Becoming a Ruler
In 1806, the Bourbon royal family had to leave Naples and move to Sicily. During this time, a British official named Lord William Bentinck helped create a new constitution for Sicily. Francis's father, Ferdinand, agreed to step down from his role, and Francis was made regent in 1812. A regent is someone who rules a country when the king or queen is too young, ill, or absent.
After Napoleon I gave up his power, Francis's father returned to Naples. He then combined his two kingdoms into one, called the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, in 1816. Francis then took on the title of Duke of Calabria again.
His Time as King
When Francis became king in 1825, he chose to follow a more traditional path. He didn't get deeply involved in the daily running of the government. Instead, he let his trusted advisors and officials handle most of the tasks.
During his reign, there was a small uprising in a region called Cilento in 1828, but it was quickly put down. A notable achievement during his rule was successfully getting the Austrian army, which had been stationed in the kingdom, to leave in 1827. This helped save a lot of money for the kingdom.
King Francis also created the Royal Order of Francis I. This was a special award given to people who did good things for their country.
His Children
Francis had children from both of his marriages.
With Maria Clementina of Austria
- Maria Carolina (1798–1870): She married Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry and later Ettore Count Lucchesi Palli.
- Ferdinando, Duke of Noto (1800–1801).
With Isabella of Spain
- Luisa Carlotta (1804–1844): She married her mother's younger brother, Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain.
- María Cristina (1806–1878): She married her uncle, Ferdinand VII of Spain, and later Ferdinand Muñoz.
- Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies (1810–1859): He became the next King of the Two Sicilies after his father.
- Carlo Ferdinando, Prince of Capua (1811–1862): He married Penelope Smyth.
- Leopoldo Beniamino, Count of Syracuse (1813–1860): He married Princess Maria of Savoy-Carignan.
- Maria Antonia (1814–1898): She married Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
- Antonio Pasquale, Count of Lecce (1816–1843).
- Maria Amalia (1818–1857): She married Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain.
- Maria Carolina (1820–1861): She married Don Carlos de Bourbon.
- Teresa Cristina (1822–1889): She married Emperor Pedro II of Brazil.
- Luigi Carlo, Count of Aquila (1824–1897): He married Januária, Princess Imperial of Brazil.
- Francesco di Paola, Count of Trapani (1827–1892): He married Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria.
