This episode explores the dark history behind the 'cursed' ring of King Alfonso XII- diving into the folklore, related deaths, and eerie events that shaped the legend. Learn about how this cursed object wove a trail of destruction and devastation through Spain's royal family in the 1800's.
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⚖️ Usage Notes & Licensing
Some images and historical documents in this episode are public domain, Creative Commons licensed, or used under U.S. Fair Use for educational analysis, historical commentary, and transformative storytelling.
Full list of images and licensing links are included below.
🏆 Episode Credits
All research, writing, editing, narration, and production by:
Jessica M. Lathrop, M.A. (Ancient & Classical History)
Larry Lathrop, M.S. (Data Science + MBA)
NOTE: All content in this episode was created by Jess & Larry- from research and writing, to narration and production. Learn more about us and our passion for dark history here.
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🖼️ Image Attributions
• El anillo de Alfonso XII © Museo de la Catedral de la Almudena de Madrid. Source: Vanity Fair España (2024).
https://www.revistavanityfair.es/articulos/el-anillo-maldito-de-alfonso-xii-que-presuntamente-custodia-la-virgen-de-la-almudena
• El anillo de Alfonso XII (museum post) © Museo de la Catedral de la Almudena de Madrid. Source: Museo de la Almudena (X/Twitter).
https://x.com/museoalmudena/status/879291161499848705
• Alfonso XII and María de las Mercedes engagement announcement (1878) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hottinger_Volksblatt_1878_036_Bild1.jpg
• King Alfonso XII (young portrait) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfonso_XII_King.JPG
• Isabel II of Spain (Queen, mother of Alfonso XII) – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Isabel_de_Borb%C3%B3n_y_Borb%C3%B3n-Dos_Sicilias.jpg
• María de las Mercedes, Queen of Spain – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes,_Queen_of_Spain.jpg
• La reina María de las Mercedes de Orleans – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_reina_Mar%C3%ADa_de_las_Mercedes_de_Orleans_(Museo_de_Historia_de_Madrid).jpg
• Illustration of the wedding of Alfonso XII and María de las Mercedes (1878) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Le_mariage_du_roi_Alphonse_XII_et_de_la_princesse_Merc%C3%A9d%C3%A9s_dans_la_cath%C3%A9drale_d%27Atocha,_de_Vierge.jpg
• Chicago Sunday Tribune article (1898), cropped – Public Domain.
https://archive.org/details/per_chicago-daily-tribune_1898-10-09_57_277/page/4/mode/2up?q=Opal
• “The Death of the Young Queen of Spain” newspaper article (1878) – Public Domain.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3147553
• Maria Christina, Queen and Regent of Spain (later years) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maria_Christina,_Queen_and_Regent_of_Spain_in_her_final_years.jpg
• Contessa di Castiglione – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Contessa_di_Castiglione.jpg
• Countess Virginia di Castiglione – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Countess_Virginia_di_Castiglione26.jpg
• Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione (Pierre-Louis Pierson) – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pierson_castiglione.jpg
• Princess Christine d’Orléans – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Princess_Christine_d%27Orl%C3%A9ans.jpg
• Infanta Pilar of Spain – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Infanta_Pilar_of_Spain.jpg
• Pilar, Infanta of Spain (alternate portrait) – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pilar,_Infanta_of_Spain.jpg
• Death announcement of Infanta María del Pilar – Gaceta de Madrid (1879) – Public Domain.
https://www.boe.es/gazeta/dias/1879/01/12/pdfs/GMD-1879-12.pdf
• Death announcement of Infanta Cristina – Gaceta de Madrid (1879) – Public Domain.
https://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE//1879/119/A00300-00300.pdf
• Alfonso XII with his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfonso_XII_with_his_second_wife.jpg
• King Alfonso XII (later portrait) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfons_XII_(cropped).JPG
• Queen Maria Christina of Austria (Franzen portrait) – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Maria_Christina_of_Spain_Franzen.jpg
• “Muerte de Alfonso XII o el Último Beso” (Death of Alfonso XII) – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Muerte_de_Alfonso_XII_o_el_%C3%9Altimo_Beso.jpg
• Infanta Eulalia of Spain – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eulalia_of_Bourbon,_Infanta_of_Spain.jpg
• Infanta Isabel Fernanda de Borbón – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Infanta_Isabel_Fernanda_de_Borb%C3%B3n_por_Carlos_Luis_de_Ribera_y_Fieve.jpg
• Infanta Paz de Borbón – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_infanta_Paz_de_Borb%C3%B3n_(Lenbach).jpg
• Isabel II with her daughter Isabel, Princess of Asturias (Winterhalter, 1855) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Franz_Xaver_Winterhalter_-_Isabel_II_con_su_hija_Isabel,_princesa_de_Asturias_(Palacio_Real,_Madrid,_1855._%C3%93leo_sobre_lienzo,_275_x_176_cm).jpg
• King Francisco de Asís of Spain – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El_rey_Francisco_de_As%C3%ADs,_con_uniforme_de_capit%C3%A1n_general_(Museo_del_Prado).jpg
• María Cristina de Habsburgo-Lorena, Queen of Spain – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mar%C3%ADa_Cristina_de_Habsburgo-Lorena,_reina_de_Espa%C3%B1a_(Museo_del_Prado).jpg
• Funeral bier of Queen María de las Mercedes (1878) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1878-07-15,_La_Academia,_F%C3%A9retro_de_la_reina_Mercedes,_Mu%C3%B1oz,_Vela.jpg
• King Alfonso XII (formal portrait) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Alfonso_XII.jpg
• Recumbent head sculpture of Alfonso XII – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cabeza_yaciente_de_Alfonso_XII.jpg
• Catedral de la Almudena, Madrid – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:[email protected]
• María Cristina of the Two Sicilies, Queen of Spain – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mar%C3%ADa_Cristina_de_Borb%C3%B3n-Dos_Sicilias,_reina_de_Espa%C3%B1a.jpg
• La Reine Marie-Christine (Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Reine_Marie-Christine_(Maria_Christina_of_the_Two_Sicilies).jpg
• The late Princess Christina de Montpensier – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_late_Princess_Christina_de_Montpensier.png
• Infanta María de Pilar – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Infanta_Maria_de_Pilar.png
• Prince Impérial, London (1878), BnF Gallica – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_Imp%C3%A9rial,_1878,_Londres,_BNF_Gallica.jpg
😅 Whew!
You’ve reached the end of the details for this episode.
Thank you for being a part of the Cursed Voices community. We believe that history is most haunting when it’s handled with care, and your support allows us to keep digging for the truth behind these legendary tales. We sincerely appreciate every view, every like, every follower, and every donation.
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Stay curious, question everything, and we’ll meet you in the next episode. - Jess & Larry