Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
Encyclopedia
Charles Emmanuel III was the Duke of Savoy
and King of Sardinia from 1730 until his death.
to Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and his first wife the French Anne Marie d'Orléans. His maternal grandparents were Prince Philippe of France
and his first wife Princess Henrietta Anne, the youngest daughter of King
Charles I of England
and Henrietta Maria of France
. Charles Emmanuel was the oldest surviving brother of Princess Maria Adelaide of Savoy - the mother of Louis XV of France
; he was also the brother of Maria Luisa of Savoy
, Queen of Spain as wife of his maternal second cousin Philip V of Spain
. From his birth he was styled as the Duke of Aosta.
At the time of his birth, Charles Emmanuel was not the heir to the Duchy of Savoy; his older brother Prince Victor Amadeus John Philip
, Prince of Piedmont, was the heir apparent
. Charles Emmanuel was the second of three males that would be born to his parents. His older brother died in 1715 and Charles Emmanuel then became heir apparent.
As a result of his aid in the War of the Spanish Succession, Victor Amadeus II was made King of Sicily in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht which ended the war. Victor Amadeus was forced to exchange Sicily for the less important kingdom of Sardinia in 1720 after objections from an alliance of four nations
, including several of his former allies. Yet he retained his new title of King. The rule was that there were no kings within the Empire, but if a ruler subject to the Emperor also possessed a large territory outside the Empire he might claim this title as the Elector of Brandenburg had done, styling himself King in Prussia
based on his sovereignty over the Duchy of Prussia.
However, Victor Amadeus in his late year was dominated by shyness and sadness, probably under the effect of some mental illness. In the end, on 3 September 1730, he abdicated, leaving the throne to Charles (nicknamed "Carlino" for his gracile and unpleasant building). He was not loved by Victor Amadeus, and consequently received an incomplete education. He however acquired noteworthy knowledge in the military field along his father.
After some time spent at his residence in Chambéry
, however, Victor Amadeus started again to intervene in Charles' government, although this did not impede Charles from reintroducing the feasts and the general gay atmosphere that had been abolished from Turin in former years. In summer, 1731, after having recovered from a potentially fatal illness, Victor Amadeus returned to the throne. He accused his son of incompetence and established himself in Moncalieri
; however, Charles Emmanuel managed to have Victor Amadeus arrested by the Crown's Council, in order to prevent him from attacking Milan
and probably causing an invasion of Piedmont. The old king was confined to the Castle of Rivoli
, where he later died without any further harm to Charles.
Charles Emmanuel sided with the French- backed king Stanislaw I. After the treaty of alliance signed in Turin, on 28 October 1733 he marched on Milan and occupied Lombardy without significant losses. However, when France tried to convince Philip V of Spain
to join the coalition, he asked to receive Milan
and Mantua
in exchange. This was not acceptable for Charles Emmanuel, as it would recreate a Spanish domination in Italy as it had been in the previous centuries. While negotiations continued about the matter, the Savoy-French-Spanish troops attacked Mantua under the supreme command of Charles Emmanuel himself.
Sure that in the end Mantua would be assigned to Spain, he voluntarily thwarted the expedition. The Franco-Piedmontese army was victorious in two battles at Crocetta
and Guastalla
. In the end, when Austria
and France signed a peace, Charles was forced to leave Lombardy. In exchange, he was given some territories, including Langhe
, Tortona
and Novara
.
Charles Emmanuel was involved in the War of the Austrian Succession
, in which he sided with Maria Theresa of Austria
, with financial and naval support from England. After noteworthy but inconclusive initial successes, he had to face the French-Spanish invasion of Savoy and, after a failed allied attempt to conquer the Kingdom of Naples
, the county of Nizza. When the enemy army invaded Piedmont, in 1744 he personally defended Cuneo against the Spanish-French besiegers. The following year, with some 20,000 men, he was facing an invasion of two armies with a total of some 60,000 troops. The important strongholds of Alessandria
, Asti
and Casale
fell. In 1746, after receiving reinforcements from Austria, he was able to recapture Alessandria and Asti. In 1747 he obtained a crushing victory over the French at the battle of Assietta
, and his territories were saved when the main battleground moved northwards to the Netherlands
.
The outcome of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
showed his qualities as negotiator also, as he was returned the lost provinces of Nice
and Savoy
, and obtained Vigevano
as well as other lands in the Pianura Padana. Ties with Spain were reestablished with the marriage of his son Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy to the Infanta Maria Antonietta of Spain
in 1750.
He declined to participate in the Seven Years' War
(1756–63), preferring to concentrate on administrative reforms, to maintain a well-disciplined army and to strengthen his fortresses. In an attempt to improve the poor condition of the newly acquired Sardinia, he also restored the Universities of Sassari
and Cagliari
.
Charles Emmanuel died in Turin in 1773. He was buried in the Basilica of Superga
.
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
and King of Sardinia from 1730 until his death.
Biography
He was born a Prince of Savoy in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
to Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and his first wife the French Anne Marie d'Orléans. His maternal grandparents were Prince Philippe of France
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
and his first wife Princess Henrietta Anne, the youngest daughter of King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
. Charles Emmanuel was the oldest surviving brother of Princess Maria Adelaide of Savoy - the mother of Louis XV of France
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
; he was also the brother of Maria Luisa of Savoy
Maria Luisa of Savoy
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a Savoyard princess and the first wife of Philip V of Spain. She acted as Regent of Spain and had great influence over her husband...
, Queen of Spain as wife of his maternal second cousin Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
. From his birth he was styled as the Duke of Aosta.
At the time of his birth, Charles Emmanuel was not the heir to the Duchy of Savoy; his older brother Prince Victor Amadeus John Philip
Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont
Victor Amadeus of Savoy was the eldest son of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy and his French wife Anne Marie d'Orléans. He was the Heir apparent of Savoy from his birth and as such was styled as the Prince of Piedmont. He acted as Regent of Savoy from September 1713 till September 1714 in the...
, Prince of Piedmont, was the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
. Charles Emmanuel was the second of three males that would be born to his parents. His older brother died in 1715 and Charles Emmanuel then became heir apparent.
As a result of his aid in the War of the Spanish Succession, Victor Amadeus II was made King of Sicily in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht which ended the war. Victor Amadeus was forced to exchange Sicily for the less important kingdom of Sardinia in 1720 after objections from an alliance of four nations
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance was a result of the ambitions of King Philip V of Spain, his wife, Elisabeth Farnese, and his chief minister Giulio Alberoni to retake territories in Italy and to claim the French throne. It saw the defeat of Spain by an alliance of Britain, France, Austria , and...
, including several of his former allies. Yet he retained his new title of King. The rule was that there were no kings within the Empire, but if a ruler subject to the Emperor also possessed a large territory outside the Empire he might claim this title as the Elector of Brandenburg had done, styling himself King in Prussia
King in Prussia
King in Prussia was a title used by the Electors of Brandenburg from 1701 to 1772. Subsequently they used the title King of Prussia....
based on his sovereignty over the Duchy of Prussia.
However, Victor Amadeus in his late year was dominated by shyness and sadness, probably under the effect of some mental illness. In the end, on 3 September 1730, he abdicated, leaving the throne to Charles (nicknamed "Carlino" for his gracile and unpleasant building). He was not loved by Victor Amadeus, and consequently received an incomplete education. He however acquired noteworthy knowledge in the military field along his father.
After some time spent at his residence in Chambéry
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
, however, Victor Amadeus started again to intervene in Charles' government, although this did not impede Charles from reintroducing the feasts and the general gay atmosphere that had been abolished from Turin in former years. In summer, 1731, after having recovered from a potentially fatal illness, Victor Amadeus returned to the throne. He accused his son of incompetence and established himself in Moncalieri
Castle of Moncalieri
The Castle of Moncalieri is a palace in Moncalieri , Piedmont, in northern Italy. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1997.-History:...
; however, Charles Emmanuel managed to have Victor Amadeus arrested by the Crown's Council, in order to prevent him from attacking Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and probably causing an invasion of Piedmont. The old king was confined to the Castle of Rivoli
Castle of Rivoli
thumb|300px|The unifinished façade by [[Filippo Juvarra]].thumb|300px|Remains of the connection between Juvarra's section and the Manica Lunga.The Castle of Rivoli is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli...
, where he later died without any further harm to Charles.
The War of Polish Succession
In the War of the Polish SuccessionWar of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
Charles Emmanuel sided with the French- backed king Stanislaw I. After the treaty of alliance signed in Turin, on 28 October 1733 he marched on Milan and occupied Lombardy without significant losses. However, when France tried to convince Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
to join the coalition, he asked to receive Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
and Mantua
Duchy of Mantua
The Duchy of Mantua was a duchy in Lombardy, Northern Italy, subject to the Holy Roman Empire.-History:After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Mantua was invaded by Byzantines, Longobards and Franks. In the 11th century it became a possession of Boniface of Canossa, marquis of Toscana...
in exchange. This was not acceptable for Charles Emmanuel, as it would recreate a Spanish domination in Italy as it had been in the previous centuries. While negotiations continued about the matter, the Savoy-French-Spanish troops attacked Mantua under the supreme command of Charles Emmanuel himself.
Sure that in the end Mantua would be assigned to Spain, he voluntarily thwarted the expedition. The Franco-Piedmontese army was victorious in two battles at Crocetta
Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro, also known as the Battle of Crocetta or the Battle of Parma was a battle fought on June 29, 1734, between troops of France and Sardinia on one side, and Habsburg Austrian troops on the other, as part of the War of Polish Succession, between the village of La Crocetta and...
and Guastalla
Battle of Guastalla
The Battle of Guastalla or Battle of Luzzara was a battle fought on September 19, 1734, between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian troops as part of the War of Polish Succession.-Background:...
. In the end, when Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and France signed a peace, Charles was forced to leave Lombardy. In exchange, he was given some territories, including Langhe
Langhe
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy....
, Tortona
Tortona
Tortona is a comune of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.-History:...
and Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
.
War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, in which he sided with Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
, with financial and naval support from England. After noteworthy but inconclusive initial successes, he had to face the French-Spanish invasion of Savoy and, after a failed allied attempt to conquer the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, the county of Nizza. When the enemy army invaded Piedmont, in 1744 he personally defended Cuneo against the Spanish-French besiegers. The following year, with some 20,000 men, he was facing an invasion of two armies with a total of some 60,000 troops. The important strongholds of Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
, Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
and Casale
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato, population 36,058, is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the...
fell. In 1746, after receiving reinforcements from Austria, he was able to recapture Alessandria and Asti. In 1747 he obtained a crushing victory over the French at the battle of Assietta
Battle of Assietta
The Battle of Assietta was fought in the Italian campaign of the War of the Austrian Succession on July 19, 1747. It resulted in a defeat for France against the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia.-Background:...
, and his territories were saved when the main battleground moved northwards to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
The outcome of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
showed his qualities as negotiator also, as he was returned the lost provinces of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
and Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, and obtained Vigevano
Vigevano
Vigevano is a town and comune in the province of Pavia, Lombardy, northern Italy, which possesses many artistic treasures and runs a huge industrial business. It is at the center of a district called Lomellina, a great rice-growing agricultural centre...
as well as other lands in the Pianura Padana. Ties with Spain were reestablished with the marriage of his son Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy to the Infanta Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the youngest daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. She was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia whom she married in 1750...
in 1750.
He declined to participate in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
(1756–63), preferring to concentrate on administrative reforms, to maintain a well-disciplined army and to strengthen his fortresses. In an attempt to improve the poor condition of the newly acquired Sardinia, he also restored the Universities of Sassari
Sassari
Sassari is an Italian city. It is the second-largest city of Sardinia in terms of population with about 130,000 inhabitants, or about 300,000 including the greater metropolitan area...
and Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
.
Charles Emmanuel died in Turin in 1773. He was buried in the Basilica of Superga
Basilica of Superga
The Basilica of Superga is a church in the vicinity of Turin.It was built from 1717 to 1731 for Victor Amadeus II of Savoy by Filippo Juvarra, at the top of the hill of Superga, to fulfill a vow the duke had made during the Battle of Turin...
.
Ancestry
Marriages and issue
He married three times, but his three wives all died before their 30th birthday. There were plans for him to marry Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans but his mother declined the offer. Amalia d'Este was also a candidate, daughter of Rinaldo d'Este, Duke of Modena.- Countess Palatine Anne Christine of Sulzbach (1704–1723), daughter of Theodore Eustace of SulzbachTheodore Eustace, Count Palatine of SulzbachTheodore Eustace was the Count Palatine of Sulzbach from 1708 until 1732.-Life:Theodore Eustace was born in Sulzbach in 1659 as the only surviving son of Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach and Amalie of Nassau-Siegen...
and Maria Eleonore of Hesse-Rotenburg. She died a few days later after giving birth to a son:
- Prince Vittorio Amedeo Theodore of Savoy (1723–1725) died in infancy;
- Landgravine Polyxena of Hesse-Rotenburg (1706–1735) She was the daughter of Ernest Leopold, Landgrave of Hesse-RotenburgErnest Leopold, Landgrave of Hesse-RotenburgErnst Leopold of Hesse-Rotenburg was landgrave of Hessen-Rheinfels-Rotenburg between 1725 and 1749.Born in Langenschwalbach, he was a son of landgrave William of Hesse-Rotenburg and Maria Anna of Löwenstein-Wertheim .He died in Rotenburg in 1749.-Marriage and issue:He married his first cousin...
and his wife Maria Anna of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort. Polyxena was the aunt of the famous princesse de LamballePrincess Marie Louise of SavoyMaria Luisa of Savoy was a member of the House of Savoy. She was married at the age of 16 to Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Prince de Lamballe, the heir to the greatest fortune in France. After her marriage, which lasted a year, she went to court and became the confidante of Queen Marie Antoinette...
. The couple married on 20 August 1724 in ThornTorunToruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. Polyxena bore him six children:
- Victor Amadeus III of SardiniaVictor Amadeus III of SardiniaVictor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia from 1773 until his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until declaring war on revolutionary France in 1792...
(1726–1796); married Infanta Maria Antonietta of SpainMaria Antonietta of SpainMaria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the youngest daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. She was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia whom she married in 1750...
and had issue. They were the ancestors of Henri, Count of ChambordHenri, comte de ChambordHenri, comte de Chambord was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830 as Henry V, although he was never officially proclaimed as such...
; - Princess Eleonora Maria Teresa of SavoyPrincess Eleonora of SavoyEleonora of Savoy was a Savoyard princess, the eldest daughter of Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia and his second wife Polyxena of Hesse-Rotenburg...
(1728–1781), unmarried. - Princess Maria Luisa Gabriella of SavoyPrincess Maria Luisa of Savoy (1729–1767)Maria Luisa of Savoy was a princess of Savoy. A religious woman, she died unmarried.-Biography:...
(1729-d.1767), a nun. - Princess Maria Felicita of SavoyPrincess Maria Felicita of SavoyMaria Felicita of Savoy was ) a princess of the house of Savoy, the third daughter of Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia and his second wife Polyxena of Hesse-Rotenburg...
(1730–1801), unmarried. - Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Duke of Aosta (1731–1735) died in infancy;
- Prince Carlo Francesco Romualdo of Savoy, Duke of Chablais (1733-1733) died in infancy;
- Princess Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine (1711–1741) daughter of Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans (niece of Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
) and Leopold, Duke of LorraineLeopold, Duke of LorraineLeopold , surnamed the Good, was Duke of Lorraine and Bar from 1690 to his death.-Early life:Leopold Joseph Charles Dominique Agapet Hyacinthe was the son of Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife Eleonora Maria Josefa of Austria, a half-sister of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.At the time of...
. The couple married in 1737. Elisabeth Therese was a younger sister of Holy Roman Emperor Francis IFrancis I, Holy Roman EmperorFrancis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
, Elisabeth Therese bore him three children:
- Princess Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine (1711–1741) daughter of Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans (niece of Louis XIV of France
- Prince Carlo Francesco Maria Augusto of Savoy, Duke of Aosta (1738–1745) died in infancy;
- Princess Maria Vittoria Margherita of Savoy (1740–1742) died in infancy;
- Prince Benedetto Maria Maurizio of SavoyBenedetto, Duke of ChablaisBenedetto of Savoy was a prince of Savoy and Duke of Chablais. He was born in the reign of his father Charles Emmanuel III, King of Sardinia. He has no descendants but had a distinguished military career...
(1741–1808), Duke of Chablais (-1796) and Marquis of Ivrea (1796–1808). He married his niece Maria Anna, Princess of SavoyPrincess Maria Ana of SavoyMaria Anna of Savoy was a Princess of Savoy by birth and was the Duchess of Chablais by marriage.-Biography:...
(1757–1824), daughter of his older half-brother Victor Amadeus III, no issue.