Alfonso XII
Artist: Federico Madrazo y Kuntz (Spanish, 1815-1894)
Date: 1886
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain
Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de AsÃs Fernando PÃo Juan MarÃa de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 1857 – 25 November 1885), also known as El Pacificador (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 December 1874 to his death in 1885.
After the Glorious Revolution of 1868 deposed his mother Isabella II from the throne, Alfonso studied in Austria and France. His mother abdicated in his favour in 1870, and he returned to Spain as king in 1874 following a military coup against the First Spanish Republic. Alfonso died aged 27 in 1885, leaving his pregnant widow, Maria Christina of Austria, as regent of Spain. Their son, Alfonso XIII, became king upon his birth the following year. Maria Christina continued as regent until Alfonso XIII came of age in 1902.
