Xavier, Duke of Parma
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Francisco Javier de Borbón y Braganza (Francis Xavier of Bourbon and Bragança; 25 May 1889 - 7 May 1977) was 1974-1977 titular Duke of Parma and Piacenza, head of the Bourbon-Parma house, and as pretender, claimant Carlist Regent of Spain 1936-1952 and claimant Carlist King of Spain 1952-1977.
He was born at Villa Pianore, near Lucca (Italy), the son of Robert, Duke of Parma, and of Maria Antonia, Infanta of Portugal. His maternal grandparents were Miguel of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.
His mother's sister's husband was the childless Alfonso Carlos, Duke of San Jaime, the last Carlist pretender of proper carlist genealogical line, thus Xavier was known as Alfonso Carlos' nephew.
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[edit] Political life
The death of Alfonso Carlos, the last unquestioned heir of Carlist dynasty, occurred in 1936 just when Spain was in civil war between right-wing military and republican regime, and Carlists may have had great possibilities to have their monarch restored, their Requetés being one of the main forces of the rebel army.
After Alfonso Carlos' death, some claimed that dynastic seniority — after the Salic law — fell upon Alfonso XIII of Spain, former constitutional King of Spain and then in exile at Rome, therefore, at least in theory, ending the family split. But according to the Carlist theory of legitimacy in exercise, and to the causes for exclusion in Spain's traditional laws, Carlists thought that Alfonso (XIII) and his heir Juan de Borbón were radically disqualified to head the Carlist cause.
Alfonso Carlos had named in 1936 Prince Francis Xavier of Bourbon Parma as Regent, as he was the nearest Bourbon who shared the Carlist ideals. During World War II, Prince Xavier returned to the Belgian army, where he had served during World War I. He was demobilized and joined the French maquis.
He was taken prisoner by the Wehrmacht and sent first to Natzweiler-Struthof and then to the Dachau concentration camp, where forces of the United States Army liberated him in 1945.
In 1952, after being known as prince regent for the past 16 years, without a Carlist king-pretender, he laid openly his claims to the Throne as king Javier I, later seconded by his eldest son Carlos Hugo, married to Princess Irene of the Netherlands.
Francisco Franco skillfully played one Carlist group against the other. During the Franco regime (1935-75), the mainstream Carlism kept an uncomfortable minority position, sometimes inside, sometimes outside the regime's political affiliates, more often than not at odds with the official policy, but with the ministry of Justice thrice given to a loyal "Carlist", who was accordingly expelled from the Traditionalist Communion of Carlism. The Franco period was also marred by the problem of succession (see below) and internal strife on how to deal with Francoism.
Franco recognized the titles of nobility conceded by two of the earlier Carlist claimants, Carlos V and Carlos VII, as well as all the titles granted by the Isabelline branch.
At dictator Franco's death in 1975 (when Juan Carlos I of Spain succeeded to the actual throne over protests of Carlists), the Carlist movement was badly split, and unable to get wide public attention again.
At Montejurra where Carlists met each year, on 9 May 1976, there was a clash between Carlos Hugo's supporters, aided by extreme left-wing militants[citation needed], and Carlists led by Carlos Hugo's brother, Sixto Enrique de Borbón, both of them sons of Xavier. Two men, neither of them a Carlist[citation needed], were killed. There was also a strange third group, among whom Gladio operative Stefano Delle Chiaie.
After alienating many Carlists by his attempts of an approach to Franco (1965–1967), Carlos Hugo switched to a leftist Titoist, autogestionary socialist movement. His mother, Madeleine of Bourbon, and his brother, Sixto Enrique de Borbón (Sixtus Henry of Bourbon), stood for traditional Carlism.
In 1958, a small group of former Carlists had recognized Juan de Borbón, count of Barcelona, father of the future Juan Carlos I, as their Head.
In 1960, Jaime de Borbón (Juan's eldest brother) proclaimed himself as Carlist Head (as "King Jaime IV of Spain"), as he claimed to be senior male by primogeniture of the dynasty. On May 3, 1964, Don Jaime took the title Duke of Madrid. He had no Carlist followers.
From 1943 to 1953, the Archduke Archduke Karl Pius, Prince of Tuscany, a maternal grandson of Carlos VII, also claimed the Headship of the House, supported by some of General Franco's officials from the Movimiento Nacional.
Beside them, there were other minor factions, which recognized neither of the above. But the vast majority[citation needed] of the Carlist Communion followed Francisco Javier de Borbón, first as regent and later as king, until his death in 1977. Today their Abanderado or standard-bearer is Don Javier's second son, Sixto Enrique.
[edit] In fiction
The TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles presents Xavier (Matthew Wait) and his brother Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma (Benedict Taylor) as Belgian officers in the World War I who help young Indiana Jones.
[edit] Family and issue
He married Madeleine de Bourbon Busset, a French noblewoman of an illegitimate Bourbon branch, on 12 November 1927, in Lignières, France.
The couple had the following children:
- María Francisca, Infanta of Spain, Princess of Parma, born August 19, 1928. Princess Lobkowicz by marriage.
- Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, born April 8, 1930.
- María Teresa, Infanta of Spain, Princess of Parma, born July 28, 1933.
- Cecilia, Infanta of Spain, Princess of Parma, born April 12, 1935.
- María de las Nieves, Infanta of Spain, Princess of Parma, born April 29, 1937.
- Sixto Enrique, Infante of Spain, Prince of Parma, born July 22, 1940. Carlist Regent.
[edit] On line resources
| House of Bourbon-Parma Born: 1936 Died: 1977 |
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|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alfonso Carlos of Bourbon, Duke of San Jaime |
Succeeded by Carlos Hugo of Bourbon, Duke of Parma |
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| House of Bourbon-Parma Born: 25 May 1889 Died: 7 May 1977 |
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|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alfonso Carlos I |
* NOT REIGNING * King of Spain Carlist claimants to the throne of Spain (1936-1952 (as regent) 1952-1977 (as king)) |
Succeeded by Carlos Hugo I |
