MARIA CHRISTINA, kris-te'il (1806-78). Queen of Spain. She was a (laughter of Francis I.. King of the Two Sieilies. and was born in Naples. April 27. 1806. In 1829 she became the fourth wife of Ferdinand VII. of Spain. Lt 1830 Ferdinand restored the law by which, in default of male issue, the right of inheritance was given to females. in October of that year the Queen gave birth to a daughter. Isabella. Tln• Spanish Liberals gladly embraced the cause of the Queen. rejoicing to see Ferdinand's brother. the reac tionary Don Carlos (q.v.). further removed from the stieeesskn to the throne. Ferdinand died September 29, 1833. and by his testament his widow was appointed guardian of her the young Queen Isabella and the Infanta Louisa -and Regent until the Queen should attain the age of eighteen. A civil war at once broke out between the opposing parties known as Car lists and Cristinos. but the Queen mother seemed indifferent to everything except the company of Don Fernando Molloy., one of the royal body guard. whom she made her chamberlain. and with whom she was united in December. 1833, in a morganatic marriage. Her practice as Regent was to adopt the eoutse agreeable to the Minis ter of the ilay, and thus her Government despot ie under one Slinistry and liberal under an other. She contrived. however, upon many oc
casions to embrace the proceedings of her more liberal or constitutional Ministers; but when she sanctioned by her sigmature the law respecting the local liberties of the el i111111111W.. AvrxrA mu:Nil)). a popular eommotion ensued and she was compelled to resign the regency (1840), be ing sueceedcd by the Prime Minister Espartero. She retired to France. but continued to interfere in the affairs of Spain. After the fall of Espar tero (1843) she returned to Madrid, and in Octo ber, 1841. her marriage with Mitiloz. who was now made Duke of Rianzares. was publicly solem nized. Iler participation in the schemes of Louis Philippe in the matter of the marriage of her daughters, in 18 ill, and the continued exereise of all her influence in a manner unfavorable to con stitutional liberty. made her the object of great dislike to the whole Liberal Party in Spain. At length. in July, 1854. a revolution expelled her from the eountry, and she again took refuge in Franee. She returned to Spain in 1861. only to retire again in 1868. She died at Havre, August 22, 1878. See SPAIN.