Crown of Alphonso of Spain

he old regalia of Spain was destroyed in a great fire of 1734. In the 19th Century a new crown and sceptre were made, which were displayed at accession ceremonies and at the opening of the Cortes (Parliament).

Alponso XIII of Spain, the posthumous son of Alphonso XI, was proclainmed King at his birth. He reigned from 1886 to 1931. He assumed control of Government at the age of 16 in 1902.

On May 31st 1906 he married Scottish-born Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, a neice of Edward VII and granddaughter of Queen Victoria. A Serene Highness by birth, Ena, as she was known, was raised to Royal Highness status a month before her wedding to prevent the union from being viewed as unequal. As Alphonso XIII and Queen Ena were returning from the wedding they narrowly escaped assassination in a bomb explosion which killed and injured many bystanders and membners of the royal procession.

During his reign Spain lost its last colonies in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Phillippines, lost several wars in North Africa and endured the Dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera. When the 2nd Spanish Republc was proclaimed in 1931 he abandoned the country with no formal abdication. When the Spanish Civil War broke out Alphonso made it clear that he favoured the military uprising against the Popular Front Government but General Franco declared in September 1936 that the Nationalists would never accept Alphonso as King.

He died in exile in Rome after leaving his successory rights to his fourth, but second surviving son, Juan de Borbon, Count of Barcelona, the father of the late King Juan Carlos. The Count of Barcelona renounced his rights to the throne in 1977 in favour of his son Juan Carlos.

The crown, made of gold, features half arches resting on 8 plates bearing the emblem of the kingom. It is currently held in the Patrimone Nacional in Madrid.