Isabel II of Spain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Isabel II
Queen of Spain
Reign	29 September 1833 – 30 September 1868
Proclamation	23 July 1843
Abdication	25 June 1870
Predecessor	Ferdinand VII
Successor	Amadeo I
Born	10 October 1830 Royal Palace, Madrid, Spain
Died	10 April 1904(1904-04-10) (aged 73) Paris, France
Burial	El Escorial, Spain
Spouse	Francis, Duke of Cádiz
Issue	Isabel, Princess of Asturias Alfonso XII, King of Spain Infanta María de la Paz Eulalia, Duchess of Galliera
Full name María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón
House	Bourbons of Spain
Father	Ferdinand VII of Spain
Mother	Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
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Isabel II of Spain (Spanish: Isabel II; María Isabel Luisa; born 10 October 1830 – died 10 April 1904) was the Queen of Spain. She ruled from 1833 until 1868. She became queen when she was very young. Later, she had to leave Spain and lived in France until she died. Her son became king after her.

Becoming Queen of Spain

Isabel was born in Madrid, Spain, on October 10, 1830. Her father was King Ferdinand VII of Spain. He had no sons, so he changed a law. This law used to say that only a male could become king. By changing it, his daughter Isabel could become queen.

Isabel was only three years old when her father died in 1833. This meant she became Queen of Spain at a very young age. Because she was so young, her mother, Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, ruled for her as regent. A regent is someone who governs a country when the king or queen is too young or unable to rule.

Isabel's right to be queen was challenged. Her uncle, Don Carlos, believed he should be king. This led to a series of wars called the Carlist Wars. These wars lasted for many years. Finally, Isabel's supporters won, and she was able to keep her throne.

Isabel's Reign as Queen

Isabel officially started ruling on her own in 1843, when she was 13 years old. Her coronation, which is a special ceremony to crown a monarch, happened on July 23, 1843.

During her time as queen, Spain went through many changes. There were often political problems and different groups fighting for power. Isabel II tried to keep the country stable. She married her cousin, Francis, Duke of Cádiz, in 1846.

Isabel's Children

Isabel II and her husband had several children. Her children were:

• Infanta Isabel of Spain, Princess of Asturias (born 20 December 1851 – died 22 April 1931). She married Prince Gaetano of the Two Sicilies. They did not have any children.
• Alfonso XII of Spain (born 28 November 1857 – died 25 November 1885). He became King of Spain after his mother. He married twice. His second marriage to Maria Cristina of Austria gave him children.
• Infanta María del Pilar o Spain (born 6 April 1861 - died 8 May 1879). She never married.
• Infanta María de la Paz of Spain (born 23 June 1862 – died 4 December 1946). She married Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria and had children.
• Infanta Eulalia of Spain (born 12 February 1864 – died 8 March 1958). She married Infante Antonio, Duke of Galliera, and they had children.

Leaving the Throne

In 1868, there was a revolution in Spain. This event is known as "La Gloriosa." As a result, Queen Isabel II had to leave Spain. She went into exile in France. She officially gave up her throne, which is called abdication, on June 25, 1870.

Isabel II lived the rest of her life in Paris, France. She died there on April 10, 1904, at the age of 73. Her body was later brought back to Spain. She was buried in the El Escorial monastery, a traditional burial place for Spanish monarchs.

Understanding Her Name

While her name is sometimes written as Isabella in English, this is not the correct Spanish spelling. Her name is Isabel. The name Isabel is the Spanish version of Elizabeth. Isabella is a different form of the name Isabel.

Her Royal Titles

Throughout her life, Isabel II had different titles:

• 10 October 1830 – 29 September 1833: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Asturias. This was her title as the heir to the throne.
• 29 September 1833 – 25 June 1870: Her Most Catholic Majesty The Queen. This was her title while she was the reigning queen.
• 25 June 1870 – 10 April 1904: Her Majesty Queen Isabel II of Spain. This was her title after she gave up her throne.

Related pages

Images for kids

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  Isabella swears the Constitution, by José Castelaro [es].

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  Portrait painting of Isabella II by Federico de Madrazo y Kuntz (1844).

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  Baptism of the Princess of Asturias in December 1851, by Rafael Benjumea [es].

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  Attempted regicide by the cura Merino in 1852

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  July 1854 revolution in Madrid

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  Isabella circa 1868

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  To France!, a caricature by Francisco Ortego depicting the exile of Isabella published in Gil Blas on 4 October 1868.

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  The former queen in Paris

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  Isabella II with her three youngest daughters Pilar, Paz, and Eulalia

See also

In Spanish: Isabel II de España para niños