in Pau, France), unmarried and without issue In 1881 Alfonso refused to sanction a law by which the ministers were to remain in office for a fixed term of 18 months. Upon the consequent resignation of Cánovas del Castillo, he summoned Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, the Liberal leader, to form a new cabinet. Death and impact In November 1885, Alfonso died, just short of his 28th birthday, at the Royal Palace of El Pardo near Madrid. He had been suffering from tuberculosis, but the immediate cause of his death was a recurrence of dysentery. In 1902, his widow Maria Cristina initiated a national contest to build a monument in memory of Alfonso. The winning design, by José Grases Riera, was constructed in an artificial lake in Madrid's Parque del Buen Retiro in 1922. Coming to the throne at such an early age Alfonso had served no apprenticeship in the art of ruling. Benevolent and sympathetic in disposition, he won the affection of his people by fearlessly visiting districts ravaged by cholera or devastated by 1884 Andalusian earthquake. His capacity for dealing with men was considerable, and he never allowed himself to become the instrument of any particular party. During his short reign, peace was established both at home and abroad, finances were well regulated, and the various administrative services were placed on a basis that afterwards enabled Spain to pass through the disastrous war with the United States without the threat of a revolution. Honours Spain: Knight of the Golden Fleece, 1857 : Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword, 1861 French Empire: Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, March 1863 : Knight of St. Hubert, 1865 : Grand Cross of St. Charles, 7 September 1865 : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (civil), 20 February 1866 : Grand Cross of St. Stephen, 1875 : Grand Cross of the White Falcon, 1875 Kingdom of Prussia: Knight of the Black Eagle, 13 June 1875 Sweden-Norway: Knight of the Seraphim, 23 October 1877 : Knight of the Elephant, 8 January 1878 : Knight of the Annunciation, 4 February 1878 : Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, 11 September 1879 : Stranger Knight of the Garter, 24 October 1881 : Knight of the Rue Crown, 1883 Ancestry See also Monument to Alfonso XII Explanatory notes References External links Historiaantiqua. Alfonso XII; (Spanish) (2008) 1857 births 1885 deaths 19th-century Spanish monarchs