Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga

Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga was born in Cadalso de los Vidrios on 22 May 1777, without any privileges or honours, in compliance with the pragmatic sanction imposed by King Carlos III to avoid problems of succession. He spent most of his childhood in Arenas de San Pedro, where he received an enlightened education from masters such as Estanislao de Lugo and Luigi Boccherini. After the death of his father, when he was 8 years old, he was sent to Toledo under the tutelage of Cardinal Lorenzana, where he was educated in all kinds of subjects. He received his first tonsure at the age of fifteen. He received his doctorate in canon and law from the University of Toledo and succeeded his father as Count of Chinchón. His religious vocation made him have ecclesiastical ambitions, and these were favored by the marriage of his sister to Manuel Godoy. In 1799 he was ordained a priest and became Archbishop of Seville, then Cardinal of Santa Maria de la Scala, Archbishop of Toledo, and other titles in both the religious and civil spheres. With the entry of the French into Spain in 1808, he moved to Toledo with his sister Maria Teresa, where he lived through a popular uprising in which his personal safety was endangered by his relationship with Godoy. The French continued to advance and this led him to move to Cádiz in 1810, where he swore allegiance to the Cortes. During the most difficult moments of the war, he retreated to Portugal and returned to Cádiz in 1812, recognizing the Spanish Constitution. All these facts made him win the sympathy of the liberal group and he was elected State Counsellor and President of the Regency. He signed repressive measures against the anti-constitutional clergy and prosecuted bishops and priests, which brought him into conflict with the most conservative clergy. In 1814 he was in charge of receiving Fernando VII, who returned to Spain after signing the Treaty of Valençay. The king restored the absolutist government, so Luis Maria lost his favor and was exiled to Toledo, where he had to renounce the Mitre of Seville and his position as Apostolic Visitor. In 1820, with the Liberals back in power, Luis María was elected president of the Provisional Consultative Council and later joined the Council of State until his death. Although he had important frictions with the liberal regime, his affinity for it cost him severe reprimands from Rome. In 1823, the Cardinal's health, already weak, deteriorated even more and he died on March 19 of that year, which saved him from the harsh repression that was soon unleashed against the liberals. He is buried in the vestry of Toledo Cathedral.