August Czartoryski and his relations with his maternal Spanish family

Abstract

August Czartoryski (1858-1893) came from one of the most outstanding aristocratic families related to many European courts. He was born in Paris, his father being Władysław Czartoryski and his mother – Maria Amparo Muñoz de Borbón, the daughter of Maria Christina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Queen of Spain, and her secret husband Agustín Fernando Muñoz, Duke of Riánsares. His Spanish family also included the Muñozes’ numerous children, Isabella II of Spain and her son Alfonso XII.

A few monographs and other small publications on August have been published. However, in none of them the motif of his relations with his maternal family are studied in detail. The present article fills the gap. The author shows August’s contacts with particular members of his Spanish family, assesses them, and considers the question if having Spanish roots and being related to the Spanish royal family was significant for the formation of his personality and the sense of his national identity.

Because of the scantiness of works concerning the subject the article is mainly based on manuscripts from Polish and Spanish archives.