Maria Leopoldina of Austria
- For the Holy Roman Empress, see Maria Leopoldine of Austria.
| Maria Leopoldina of Austria | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empress consort of Brazil Queen consort of Portugal Archduchess of Austria | |||||
 | |||||
| Tenure | 12 October 1822 – 11 December 1826 | ||||
| Born | 22 January 1797 Vienna | ||||
| Died | 11 December 1826 (aged 29) Paço de São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro | ||||
| Burial | 1954 | ||||
| Spouse | Pedro I of Brazil | ||||
| Issue among others... | Maria II of Portugal Pedro II of Brazil Princess Francisca of Brazil Januária Maria, Princess Imperial of Brazil | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Habsburg-Lorraine House of Braganza | ||||
| Father | Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor | ||||
| Mother | Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies | ||||
Maria Leopoldina of Austria (Portuguese: Maria Leopoldina de Áustria; German: Maria Leopoldine von Österreich) (Maria Leopoldina Josefa Carolina;[1] 22 January 1797 – 11 December 1826) was archduchess of Austria, Empress consort of Brazil, and, for two months, simultaneously queen consort of Portugal.
She was born in Vienna, Austria, as archduchess of Austria. The daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, and his second wife, Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies. Among her many siblings were Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria and Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Marriage to Pedro I
In 1817 she sailed to Brazil to marry the crown prince of Portugal, Dom Pedro de Alcântara. The Portuguese royal family had been living there in exile for ten years, as a result of the Napoleonic Wars. Leopoldina was highly cultured, fluent in six languages, and very interested in the natural sciences. In the years that followed she brought several researchers and biologists to her new homeland, starting with Johann Baptist von Spix, Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, and Johann Natterer, who accompanied her in 1817.
When his father, king Dom João VI, returned to Lisbon in 1821, Dom Pedro chose to remain in Brazil with Leopoldina and their children. In 1822, Dom Pedro headed Brazil's declaration of independence from Portugal, and was crowned as the country's Emperor.
Empress of Brazil
Maria Leopoldina became Brazil's first Empress consort. She also played an important role on the Declaration of Independence process. On 2 September 1822, a new decree with demands from Lisbon arrived in Rio de Janeiro, while Prince Pedro was in São Paulo. Leopoldina, advised by José Bonifácio, and using her power as Princess Regent, met on 2 September 1822 with the Council of Ministers. She decided to send her husband the news along with a letter advising him to declare Brazil's independence and warned him, "The fruit is ready, it's time to harvest." Prince Pedro declared the country's independence upon receiving the letter, on 7 September 1822.
When his father died, on 10 March 1826, Pedro inherited the Portuguese throne as King Pedro IV, while remaining Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. Maria Leopoldina thus became both Empress consort of Brazil and Queen consort of Portugal. However, two months later, Pedro was forced to give up the Portuguese throne to his seven-year-old daughter Maria.
Children
Maria Leopoldina and Pedro had seven children before she died in 1826 following a miscarriage:
- Maria II of Portugal (1819–1853), following Pedro's devotion to Our Lady of Glória
- Miguel, Prince of Beira (1820).
- João Carlos, Prince of Beira (1821–1822).
- Januária Maria, Princess Imperial of Brazil (1822–1901), named after the city of Rio de Janeiro, married Prince Louis, Count of Aquila (1824–1897), son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies.
- Princess Paula Mariana of Brazil (1823–1833).
- Princess Francisca of Brazil (1824–1898) married François, Prince of Joinville (1818–1900), son of Louis-Philippe King of the French.
- Pedro II of Brazil (1825–1891), married Princess Teresa of the Two Sicilies (1822–1889), the youngest daughter of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies.
- Miscarriage (11 December 1826).
It is quite likely, though not proven beyond reasonable doubt, that the miscarriage and demise of the empress where caused by a marital quarrel with her spouse, who violently kicked her in her belly.
Titles and styles
- 22 January 1797 – 11 August 1804 Her Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria
- 11 August 1804 – 6 November 1817 Her Imperial & Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria
- 6 November 1817 – 12 October 1822 Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, Duchess of Braganza
- 12 October 1822 – 10 March 1826 Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Brazil
- 10 March 1826 – 28 May 1826 Her Imperial & Most Faithful Majesty the Empress of Brazil, Queen of Portugal
- 28 May 1826 – 11 December 1826 Her Imperial Majesty The Empress of Brazil
Ancestry
Bibliography
Footnotes
- ^ Rodrigues (v.4), p.13
References
- Rodrigues, José Honório. Independência: revolução e contra-revolução (5 v.). Rio de Janeiro: F. Alves, 1975.
External links
- Article by Princess Michael of Kent about Leopoldine Retrieved 26 January 2006