Today is the 232nd anniversary of the birth of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies. Born in Naples on August 14, 1777, he became Crown Prince and Duke of Calabria in 1778. His Majesty married Maria Clementina, Archduchess of Austria, daughter of Emperor Leopold II, in 1797 and after her death he married Maria Isabella of Spain, daughter of King Charles IV of Bourbon, in 1801. Francis I was 48 years old when he ascended the throne in 1825. Due to the long reign of King Ferdinand I, Francis I ruled for only five years. He died on November 8, 1830 in Naples. Viva 'o Rre!
