Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville

Francisco de Paula Enrique de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville, Grandee of Spain (born 16 November 1943), is the current Duke of Seville and a distant relative of the Spanish royal family.[1] He is a businessman and has been involved in banking, real estate and other commercial activities.[2][3]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Borbón and the second or maternal family name is Escasany.

The Most Excellent The Duke of Seville Grandee of Spain
The Duke of Seville in 2015
Duke of Seville
Preceded by	Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville
Personal details
Born	(1943-11-16) 16 November 1943 Madrid, Spain
Spouse(s)	Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg (div.) Isabelle Karanitsch (div.) María de los Angeles de Vargas-Zuñiga
Children	Olivia de Borbón y Hardenberg Cristina de Borbón y Hardenberg Francisco de Borbón y Hardenberg
Parents	Francisco de Borbón y Borbón Enriqueta Escasany y Miguel

Early life

He was born in Madrid and is the eldest child of Francisco de Borbón y Borbón (1912–1995), who was the younger son of Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre and Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville.[1] His mother was Enriqueta Escasany y Miguel (1925–1962), the daughter of Ignacio Escasany y Ancell and Enriqueta de Miguel y Mas, 2nd Marquesa de Pobla de Claramunt.[1]

His paternal grandparents were first cousins, both being grandchildren of Infante Enrique of Spain.[1] The Duke of Seville is a member of the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon and is a relative of King Felipe VI of Spain, since both of them are male-line descendants of King Charles IV of Spain.

Duke of Seville

After the death of his grandmother, Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, he inherited the title of Duke of Seville.[4] His father had renounced his own rights to succeed to the title in 1968.[1]

Marriages and children

He was married on 7 July 1973 at Baden-Baden to Countess Beatrice Wilhelmine Paula von Hardenberg (28 June 1947 in Donaueschingen - 14 March 2020 in Marbella), daughter of Count Günther von Hardenberg and his wife, Princess Maria Josepha of Fürstenberg.[5] The couple had three children and divorced on 30 June 1989 in Madrid.[1]

They had two daughters and one son:[1]

• Olivia Enriqueta María Josefa de Borbón y Hardenberg (born 6 April 1974 in London), entrepreneur and PR for jewelry brands; married to Julián Porras Toledano; two children.
• Cristina Elena de Borbón y Hardenberg (2 September 1975 in Madrid – 13 February 2020 in Madrid), chef and catering service operator.
• Francisco de Paula Joaquín de Borbón y Hardenberg (born 21 January 1979 in Madrid), entrepreneur and also appeared on the first season of TLC's reality television series, Secret Princes.[6] In 2018, he was elected as 50th Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus (Malta-Paris obedience).[7]

He married for the second time on 19 October 1991 at Vienna to Isabelle Eugénie Karanitsch (born 23 November 1959 in Vienna), daughter of Franz M. Karanitsch and Tatjana Cimlov Karacevcev. They had no children and divorced on 17 June 1993 in Madrid.

He married for the third time on 2 September 2000 at Marbella to María de los Ángeles de Vargas-Zúñiga y Juanes (born 19 November 1954), daughter of Manuel de Vargas-Zúñiga y la Calzada and María de los Ángeles de Juanes y Lago. They have no children together.

The Order of Saint Lazarus

Coat of arms as Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus

The Duke of Seville was elected as 48th Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus (Malta obedience) on 5 October 1996 at Santa Maria della Passione in Milan, Italy. He succeeded his father, who had been Grand Master of the Order since 1956.

He retired from his position of Grand Master in 2008 and was succeeded by his cousin, Carlos Gereda y de Borbón, Marqués de Almazán. The Duke of Seville was then given the title of Grand Master Emeritus. In 2018, the Duke of Seville's son was elected as 50th Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus (Malta-Paris obedience), succeeding Carlos Gereda y de Borbón.[7]

French succession

Since he is a direct male-line descendant of King Louis XIV of France, he is in the legitimist line of succession to the French throne.

Distinctions

Titles and styles

• 16 November 1943 – 22 October 1968: Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany
• 22 October 1968 – present: The Most Excellent The Duke of Seville[4]

Honours

• 48th Grand Master (1996–2008) of the Order of Saint Lazarus (Malta Obedience)
• Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Elephant of Godenu, 2017[8]
• Knight of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ
• Consejero Magistral (President) of the Corps of the Nobility of the Principality of Asturias[9][10]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville

16. Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville 8. Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Castellví 17. Elena María de Castellví y Shelly 4. Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre 18. José María de la Torre y Armenteros 9. María Luisa de la Torre y Bassave 19. MarÍa de los Dolores de Bassave y Ziburu 2. Francisco de Borbón y Borbón 20. Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville (= 16) 10. Enrique de Borbón y Castellví, 2nd Duke of Seville 21. Elena María de Castellví y Shelly (= 17) 5. Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville 22. Jean Parade 11. Joséphine Parade 23. Geneviève Sibié 1. Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville 6. Ignacio Escasany y Ancell 3. Enriqueta Escasany y Miguel 14. Antonio de Miguel y Costas, Marqués de Pobla de Claramunt 7. Enriqueta de Miguel, Marquesa de Pobla de Claramunt 15. Balbina Mas y Santacana

Patrilineal descent

His patriline is the line from which he is descended from father to son. Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations, which means that he is a member of the House of Bourbon. House of Bourbon Robert of Hesbaye, c. 765–807 Robert III of Worms, 800–834 Robert the Strong, 820–866 Robert I of France, 866–923 Hugh the Great, 898–956 Hugh Capet, c. 939–996 Robert II of France, 972–1031 Henry I of France, 1008–1060 Philip I of France, 1052–1108 Louis VI of France, 1081–1137 Philip II of France, 1165–1223 Louis VIII of France, 1187–1226 Louis IX of France, 1214–1270 Robert, Count of Clermont, 1256–1317 Louis I, Duke of Bourbon, 1279–1342 James I, Count of La Marche, 1319–1362 John I, Count of La Marche, 1344–1393 Louis, Count of Vendôme, 1376–1446 John VIII, Count of Vendôme, 1426–1478 Francis, Count of Vendôme, 1470–1495 Charles, Duke of Vendôme, 1489–1537 Antoine of Navarre, Duke of Vendôme, 1518–1562 Henry IV of France, 1553–1610 Louis XIII of France, 1601–1643 Louis XIV of France, 1638–1715 Louis, Grand Dauphin of France, 1661–1711 Philip V of Spain, 1683–1746 Charles III of Spain, 1716–1788 Charles IV of Spain, 1748–1819 Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain, 1794–1865 Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville, 1823–1870 Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Castellví, 1853–1942 Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre, 1882–1952 Francisco de Borbón y Borbón, 1912–1995 Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville, b. 1943

Notes and sources

• Profile, thePeerage.com; accessed 18 February 2015.
• The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: II 97

References

1. Enache, Nicolas. La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 550-554. (French). ISBN 2-908003-04-X
2. Bloomberg profile
3. "Official website of Crédit des Alpes". Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
4. "Carta de Sucesión en el título de Duque de Sevilla, con Grandeza de España, a favor de don Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Escasany" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
5. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Gräfliche Häuser, Band V. "Hardenberg". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1967, pp. 175-176.
6. TLC television show info
7. "The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem – Grand Master". St-lazarus.net. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
8. Royal Order of the Elephant of Godenu – Royal House of Godenu.
9. Cuerpo de la Nobleza del Principado de Asturias
10. Consejero Magistral – el Duque de Sevilla, Francisco de Borbón

External links

Spanish nobility
Preceded by Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade	Duke of Seville 1968–present	Incumbent Heir: Olivia de Borbón y Hardenberg
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Felipe VI	Legitimist line of succession to the French throne 7th position	Succeeded by Francisco de Borbón y Hardenberg