His claim was contested by liberal forces loyal to the dead king's infant daughter, resulting in the First Carlist War (1833–1840).

Carlos, however, was known for his firm belief in the divine right of kings to govern absolutely, the rigid orthodoxy of his religious opinions, and his personal piety.

In April 1833, Ferdinand called upon Carlos to take an oath of allegiance to Isabella as Princess of Asturias, the title traditionally used by the first in line to the throne.

On these occasions, he was often carried over difficult places on the back of a stout guide commonly known as the "royal jackass" (burro real).

[1] While some of his adherents supported him because they believed in his hereditary rights to the throne, others were more concerned about preserving home rule in the Basque districts.

His first wife having died in Britain in 1834, Carlos married her elder sister, his own niece Maria Teresa of Portugal, Princess of Beira in Biscay in October 1837.

Having crossed to France Carlos and his family initially stopped in Bordeaux, where for few days they remained in sort of a house arrest.

The present-day historian speculates that it was the prime minister, marshal Soult, who decided upon the Cher department, located in central France some 500 km from the Spanish frontier.

In late September 1839 Carlos settled there with his family and the court of some 30 people, including advisers, secretaries, chamberlains, confessors, a doctor, a pharmacist, preceptors for children, servants, cooks, grooms, a picketman, a coachman and a confectioner.

[3] The infant was supposed not to leave Bourges unless agreed with administration and not to engage in any political activity; he remained under supervision of governmental agents.

Some scholars claim their life was marked by some puritan traits, especially that Carlos started to consider his war defeat in terms of divine punishment for his sins, while María Teresa had to do with company of 2-3 dames d'honneur and developed some depression.

Some are mostly personal: the 57-year-old claimant was increasing tired and tending to melancholy; his wife, diagnosed with serious respiratory and nervous problems, was heavily recommended to undergo treatment in Italian resorts, the trip the French government did not agree to unless the claim is renounced.

There were serious plans developed and advanced in Spain to mend the dynastic feud; they consisted of marrying Carlos Luis with Isabella, and abdication was thought a step towards facilitating this marriage.

It is possible that the plan was supported by Metternich; Marqués de Villafranca for few years has been acting as intermediary between Carlos and the Austrian chancellor, who kept suggesting abdication against longtime demurrals of the claimant.

The French prime minister Guizot was neither averse to the project, though in case of France what mattered more was the position of king Louis Philippe, who found it highly inconvenient to be forced to keep his relative in house arrest.

[7] Last but not least, also the pope Gregory XVI recommended abdication; in his case a number of motives, related to position of the Catholic church in Spain, might have been in play.

[9] In early 1847 the couple visited the Duchy of Modena to attend the wedding of their middle son Juan with Maria Beatrix of Austria-Este, sister of the ruling Duke of Modena, Francis V. In the autumn of 1847 they arrived in Venice, in the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, and were hosted in Palazzo Rezzonico, the property of the Austria-Estes.

[10] The revolution and the anti-Habsburg rising of March 1848 forced them to flee Venice; they were leaving together with the Duchess of Berry towards her residence in Trieste.

[13] Some historians write that though merely Conde de Molina, he "behaved like he were the king of Spain",[14] but visitors were unimpressed by "povero palazzo"[15] and some note his absent-minded gaze.