House of Habsburg-Itúrbide

The House of Habsburg-Itúrbide is the second royal house after the House of Itúrbide^[1][2] In 1822 when the newly independent Mexican congress confirmed the title of Agustín I, Constitutional Emperor of Mexico on Agustín de Itúrbide, a Mexican general. After the demise of the First Mexican Empire less than a year later, Mexico became a republic. However, in the 1860s Mexico's monarchy was revived during the Second Mexican Empire, under Maximilian I of Mexico of the House of Habsburg. Maximilian I formally adopted two of Agustín I's grandsons, thus the name Habsburg-Iturbide.

In 1859, Ferdinand Maximilian was first approached by Mexican monarchists — members of the Mexican nobility, led by local nobleman José Pablo Martínez del Río — with a proposal to become the Emperor of Mexico. He did not accept at first, but sought to satisfy his restless desire for adventure with a botanical expedition to the tropical forests of Brazil. However, after the French intervention in Mexico, under pressure from Napoleon III and after General Élie-Frédéric Forey's capture of Mexico City and the plebiscite which confirmed his proclamation of the empire, he consented to accept the crown in 1863. His decision involved the loss of all his nobility rights in Austria, though he was not informed of this until just before he left. Archduchess Charlotte was thereafter known as "Her Imperial Majesty Empress Carlota". He was widely known as Archduke Ferdinand Max.

In the 1860s, Mexico's monarchy was revived during the Second Mexican Empire. With the help of Napoleon III of France and conservative Mexicans, Archduke Maximilian Ferdinand of Austria, was given the throne of Mexico and the title of emperor, as Maximilian I of Mexico. He and his consort Charlotte of Belgium had no children of their own and adopted two grandsons of Agustin I, Salvador de Iturbide and Agustín de Iturbide, to be raised as heirs until they conceived a child of their own. They never did. The House of Habsburg-Iturbide holds no recognition from the Mexican government, nor does it serve in protocolary events.^[3][4][5]

References

1. ^ House of Habsburg Itúrbide
2. ^ "Casa Imperial - Don Agustin de Itúrbide" (in Spanish). http://www.casaimperial.net/augustin_es.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
3. ^ Maximilian and Carlota by Gene Smith, ISBN 0245524185, ISBN 978-0245524189
4. ^ Maximilian and Juarez by Jasper Ridley, ISBN 0-89919-989-5
5. ^ Haslip, Joan, Imperial Adventurer - Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, London, 1971, ISBN 0-297-00363-1

External links

• Imperial House site
• The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, a novel based on the true story by C.M. Mayo