REUSS, MARQUIS DE LAS CASTILLEJOS, Spanish general and statesman : b. Reuss, Catalonia, 6 Dec. 1814; d. Madrid, 30 Dec. 1870. Destined for the law, he entered the the teers in the cause of the infant Queen Isabella on the outbreak of the civil war, which in 1833 followed the death of Ferdinand VII. At its close in 1839, Prim threw himself into politics, and when Queen Maria Christina quitted Spain, worked in behalf of the Progresista party against Espartero, who, 8 May 1841, had assumed the regency. In May ISO he led the insurrectionist forces against Espartero, and upon the downfall of the Espartero ministry was rewarded by the queen by being created successively brigadier general, Count de Reuss, and in 1843 governor of Madrid. Suspected later of conspiracy against the government in 1844, he was sentenced to six years' imprisonment but was released after six months, and made governor of Porto Rico. Dis tinguishing himself in the war against Morocco at the battle of Los Castillejos, 1 Jan. 1860, he was given the title of Marquis de los Castillejos.
He commanded the Spanish expedition, which acting jointly with the French and English landed in Mexico early in 1862 to enforce claims of indemnity against that country, but withdrew his troops almost immediately. Again accused of conspiracy, he was banished in 1864, but headed an uprising in January 1866 against the government and was compelled to flee to England in 1967. From there he gave support to a revolution started in Spain that stumner and in September suddenly appeared in Cadiz and fought against the government in the mili tary revolution headed by Topete and Serrano. Upon the defeat of the government Serrano ap pointed Prim Minister of War in his provisional government. He became bead of the Cabinet and procured the election of Amadeo, Duke of Aosta, second son of the king of Italy, as king of Spain. He was shot by unknown assassins while driving through Madrid. Consult Jime nez, F., Militar y Politica de D. Juan Prim) (1860); Leonardson, 'Prim' (1901).