CARLOS, DON (Count de Molina), Infants of Spain, and pretender to the Spanish throne, was the second son of Carlos IV. of Spain, and was born on the 29th of March 1788. Left chiefly in the hands of priests, to whom the superintendence of his education had been en trusted, Don Carlos remained in comparative obscurity during the domination of Godoy. On the first abdication of his father and the accession of his brother Ferdinand VII., Don Carlos was sent to meet Bonaparte, who had announced his intention to visit Spain. The young prince was inveigled beyond the French provinces, and made in effect a prisoner, and Ferdinand, like his brother, soon found himself also in the hands of the French. Bonaparte next compelled the weak ex-monarch of Spain to proceed to Bayonne, and refusing to acknow ledge his former abdication, forced him first to resume the crown, and then, for himself and his posterity, to "abdicate all claims to the Spanish kingdom in favour of his ally the Emperor of the French." In this renunciation, after a strenuous opposition, Don Carlos, as well as Ferdinand, was compelled to join. The brothers were sent to Prince Talleyrand's house at Valleneay, where they were detained prisoners, though treated with great respect, till 1813, when Napoleon restored them to liberty and Ferdinand to the throne of Spain.
When, after the suppression of the constitutional party by the French invasion under the Duo d'Angouleme, Ferdinand appeared inclined to adopt a somewhat more moderate policy, the absolutists turned their attention towards Don Carlos, and determined if possible to raise him to the throne. A conspiracy of a formidable character was organised, and an insurrection broke out in Catalonia in 1825, but was repressed by the vigorous measures of the Count d'Espaiia.
Don Carlos had himself taken no open share in the insurrectionary movements of his partisans. He was heir to the throne, and it is probable he was anxious not to endanger his succession by a premature declaration. His hope of legal succession was however quickly dis pelled. Ferdinand had been three times married without having any children, but by his fourth wife, Christina, he had in October 1830 a daughter, Isabella, the present queen of Spain. By the ancient lawa of Spain females could inherit the crown in default of male issue ; hut the Salle law of France had been introduced with the Bourbons, and females continued to be excluded from the throne till 1789, when Carlos IV. abrogated the restriction, and restored the ancient rule of succession. In 1812 however the Cortes re-established the Salle law, and Don Carlos was therefore still the heir-presumptive to the throne. But Ferdinand now issued a decree which annulled the provision of the Cortes, and restored the order of succession in the female line. Don Carlos protested, but remained quiet. His partizans
however throughout the kingdom prepared for the struggle which the weak state of the ki?.g's health showed to be not very distant. Iu September 1833 Feldivand was believed by himself and those about him to be dying, and the feeble king, terrified at the mischiefs which he was assured would result from the measure which excluded his brother from the throne, and acting on the advice of his favourite minister Calomarde, signed a decree by which he restored the Salic law. [CaLomeanu.] Ferdinand however rallied, and was easily induced by his sister-in-law to destroy tho evidence of his recent reelieletien. Ile died e few days later, and his death was the signal for • petrel rising of the adherents of Don Carlos in opposition to Queen Isabella. a ho bad succeeded to the throne of her father. for fall eve years Spain was &rotated by a civil war, in its early lout one of the most atrociously cruel which has ever e4 a civilised country. Woe was supported by the great body of the priests, by a large portion of the esountry party, and by nearly the whole of the Inhabitants of the Basque provinces—the bravest and most denoted portion of the Spanish people. lied he been a man of more energy and ability, the great probability is that. he would have rooceseled. Bat he in full the hereditary bigotry, weakness, and obetinate folly of his race, and he more often marred, than followed up the sueneesee which his genera. achieved. Yet the energy and courage of his generals, Cabrera and Zurnalacarregui, maintained the balsam decidedly In his favour, till the rateable aid of the British legion under General Sir de Evans, and the death of Zama's'. carregul, turned the male. The defection of Maroto, and the surrender of hie army to Eepartero in August 1889, left Carlos no alternative but ftht, and he at once took refuge in France Louis Philippe assigned him • residence in the city of Bonrges, where be was earned by his family, and where for some years he main tained a mimic court, In which wee obsereed all the elaborate etiquette of the etpaniah monarchy. At length sick of hope deferred, be in le15 formally relinquished his claim to the Spanish crown in favour of his eldest son Don Carlos Louis Maria Fernando, Count de Monte moUrs. The abdication of Don Carlos was strongly' opposed by his wife, the Princes Maria Teresa (daughter of John V. of Portugal), and by his leading supporters, including General C.abrers. [Ceuntne.) In Spain it probably strengthened the hen& of the Queen ; and the subsequent rising in favour of the Count de Montornolin was easily suppremed. Deo Carloa was permitted in 1547 to remove to Trieste, where he remained in strict retirement to his death, March 10th, 1865.