Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre

Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre (Spanish: Francisco de Paula de Borbón y La Torre; 16 January 1882 – 6 December 1952) was a Spanish aristocrat, military officer (Captaincy General) and member of parliament in Spain.
He was a cousin of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. As a military officer, he took part in the Spanish Civil War. He was by marriage the Duke of Seville.
Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre was authorised by his cousin King Alfonso XIII to accept the appointment as Grand Master (1935-1952) of the Order of Saint Lazarus, hence resurrecting the office that had been vacant since 1814 after the 43rd Grand Master, Louis Stanislas Xavier de France, became King Louis XVIII after the Bourbon restoration.

He was the elder son of Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Castellví (1853-1942) and his morganatic wife, Maria Luisa de la Torre (1856-1887). On 21 August 1907, he married his cousin Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade (1885-1967), 4th Duchess of Seville and daughter of Enrique de Borbón y Castellví, 2nd Duke of Seville (1848-1894). From this marriage, three children were born:

• Isabella de Borbón (1908-1974), who married Rinaldo Barucci (1900-1956)
• Enrique de Borbón (1909-1915)
• Francisco de Borbón y Borbón (1912-1995)

Arms as Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus

Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre was appointed Lieutenant-General of the Order of Saint Lazarus in 1930. Subsequently, on 12 December 1935, he was authorised by his cousin King Alfonso XIII to accept the appointment as Grand Master (1935-1952) of the Order of Saint Lazarus, hence resurrecting the office.

The symbolic value of this appointment was limited, however, by the fact that the Spanish Republic itself dissolved the royal orders in 1933. The Order of Saint Lazarus in Spain was subsequently officially accepted by the Spanish Republican Government by decree dated 9 May 1940.

• Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild (30 July 1940)
• Grand Cross of the Military Order of Merit (Spain) (29 September 1943)

• BOE Nr. 244 (30. Juli 1940)
• Nr. 274 (1. Oktober 1943)