Princess María de las Mercedes of Bavaria, Infanta of Spain (3 October 1911 – 11 September 1953) was a German-Spanish princess. She was the third wife of Georgian Prince Irakli Bagration of Mukhrani. Through her father, Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria, she was a member of the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. Through her mother, Infanta María Teresa of Spain, she was a granddaughter of Alfonso XII and niece of Alfonso XIII.Bagration Genealogy (Retrieved 4 June 2016)
Early life Princess María de las Mercedes of Bavaria, Infanta of Spain, was born on 3 October 1911 at the Palace of the Cuesta de la Vega, Madrid, to Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria and Infanta María Teresa of Spain. Her parents were first cousins, both grandchildren of Isabella II of Spain. Prior to her birth, her uncle, King Alfonso XIII, declared that any children born of her parents' marriage would be Infantes or Infantas of Spain. She was christened María de las Mercedes Teresa María de la Paz Fernanda Adalberta Cristina Antonia Isidra Raimunda Josefa Jesusa Fausta Francisca de Borja y Todos los Santos on 11 October 1911 at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Her godparents were Infanta María de la Paz of Spain (her paternal grandmother) and Prince Adalbert of Bavaria (her paternal uncle, for whom Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies stood proxy). She had two elder brothers, Luis Alfonso (1906–1983) and José Eugenio (1909–1966), and one younger sister, María del Pilar (1912–1918). Her mother died in 1912. Her father remarried her late mother's lady-in-waiting, Doña María Luisa de Silva y Fernandez de Henestrosa, Duchess of Talavera de la Reina.
Following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family fled to Germany.
Marriage and issue On 29 August 1946, Infanta María de las Mercedes married Prince Irakli Bagration of Mukhrani at the Miramar Palace in San Sebastián.Wittelsbach Genealogy (Retrieved 4 June 2016)
On the advice of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia, Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, head of the Spanish royal family in exile, recognised the union as dynastic. Consequently, her children were in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. In 1948, Irakli's sister Leonida married Grand Duke Vladimir.1946 Decree of the Head of the Russian Imperial House
They had two children: Princess Mariam Bagration of Mukhrani (born 27 June 1947)Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Baviera y de Borbon, Infanta d'España (Retrieved 4 June 2016) Prince Bagrat Bagration of Mukhrani (12 January 1949 – 20 March 2017)
Princess María de las Mercedes died on 11 September 1953 in Madrid from a pre-existing heart condition. She is buried in the Pantheon of the Princes at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Honours Dame of Honor and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of MaltaMaría de las Mercedes de Baviera (Retrieved 4 June 2016)
Arms
Ancestors
References
External links "HA FALLECIDO LA INFANTA DOÑA MARIA MERCEDES DE BAVIERA" (abc.es, 12 September 1953)