Elise Hensler
Encyclopedia
Elise Hensler, countess d’Edla (Elise Friedericke; 22 May 1836 – 21 May 1929), was a Swiss-born actress and singer and the morganatic
second wife of the former King Ferdinand II of Portugal
.
, in the Neuchâtel Canton, Switzerland
, the daughter of Johann Friederich Conrad Hensler and his wife Louise Josephe Hechelbacher. Her family was Swiss-German. When she was twelve, her family moved to Boston
in the United States
, where she was given a remarkable education, with the arts and languages playing an important role. She finished her studies in Paris
and as an adult could easily speak seven languages.
with an easygoing life. In 1855, when she was nineteen, she had a daughter, Alice Hensler, from an unknown father. The father was certainly a member of the Milanese nobility, of whom she was a lover. Alice Hensler later married a Portuguese military, Manuel de Azevedo Gomes (1847-1907).
On 2 February 1860, Elise arrived in Portugal
and sang at the Teatro Nacional São João in Oporto and then at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
in Lisbon
, where she performed in Giuseppe Verdi
’s opera Un ballo in maschera
. On 15 April 1860, King Ferdinand II of Portugal
, widower of Queen Maria II, watched the play and was seduced by Elise’s voice and beauty, who was then 24 years old. Their relationship was rapidly deepened once the singer has, as well as the king, a passion for sculpture, ceramics, painting, architecture and gardening.
, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
. Just before the ceremony, the duke Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a cousin of Ferdinand and the Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg, granted to Elise the title of Countess d’Edla. The marriage was childless.
In Portugal, the couple lived a discrete life in Sintra
, where the former king held the Palácio da Pena. As a hobby, both Ferdinand and Elise were passioned by botanica
, and in the middle of their park, Elise built a marvelous cottage which she designed herself, inspired by the rural houses of the United States
and Swiss Chalets.
As a cultivated wife, Elise and Ferdinand supported several artists, including the painter Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro
and the pianist José Viana da Mota.
left all his households to his second wife, including the Castelo dos Mouros and the Palácio da Pena. In order for the Countess to keep these estates, King Charles I had to pay her the amount of 410 millions escudo
s.
As a widow, Elise abandoned Sintra
and settled with her daughter Alice and her daughter's husband, Manuel de Azevedo Gomes. She died of uremia
on 21 May 1929 in Lisbon
, Portugal
. At her funeral, the dowager queen Amélie of Orléans and the ex-king Manuel II of Portugal
were represented by the Viscount of Asseca.
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
second wife of the former King Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , named Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, was King of Portugal as husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal from the birth of their son in 1837 to her death in 1853.In keeping with Portuguese law, only after the birth of his son in...
.
Early life
Elise Friedericke Hensler (in Portuguese, Elisa) was born on 22 May 1836 at La Chaux-de-FondsLa Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss city of the district of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura mountains at an altitude of 1000 m, a few kilometres from the French border. After Geneva and Lausanne, it is the third largest city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of...
, in the Neuchâtel Canton, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the daughter of Johann Friederich Conrad Hensler and his wife Louise Josephe Hechelbacher. Her family was Swiss-German. When she was twelve, her family moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she was given a remarkable education, with the arts and languages playing an important role. She finished her studies in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and as an adult could easily speak seven languages.
Theatrical career
Following her studies, Elise joined the Teatro alla Scala of MilanMilan
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 ,...
with an easygoing life. In 1855, when she was nineteen, she had a daughter, Alice Hensler, from an unknown father. The father was certainly a member of the Milanese nobility, of whom she was a lover. Alice Hensler later married a Portuguese military, Manuel de Azevedo Gomes (1847-1907).
On 2 February 1860, Elise arrived in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and sang at the Teatro Nacional São João in Oporto and then at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos is an opera house in Lisbon, Portugal. It was opened on July 30, 1793 by Queen Maria I as a replacement for the Tejo Opera House, which was destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake...
in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, where she performed in Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
’s opera Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
. On 15 April 1860, King Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , named Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, was King of Portugal as husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal from the birth of their son in 1837 to her death in 1853.In keeping with Portuguese law, only after the birth of his son in...
, widower of Queen Maria II, watched the play and was seduced by Elise’s voice and beauty, who was then 24 years old. Their relationship was rapidly deepened once the singer has, as well as the king, a passion for sculpture, ceramics, painting, architecture and gardening.
Marriage with Ferdinand II
On 10 June 1869, Elise married morganatically, in Benfica (Lisbon), the former king Ferdinand II of PortugalFerdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , named Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, was King of Portugal as husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal from the birth of their son in 1837 to her death in 1853.In keeping with Portuguese law, only after the birth of his son in...
, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
. Just before the ceremony, the duke Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a cousin of Ferdinand and the Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg, granted to Elise the title of Countess d’Edla. The marriage was childless.
In Portugal, the couple lived a discrete life in Sintra
Sintra
Sintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to...
, where the former king held the Palácio da Pena. As a hobby, both Ferdinand and Elise were passioned by botanica
Botánica
A botánica is a retail store that sells folk medicine, religious candles and statuary, amulets, and other products regarded as magical or as alternative medicine...
, and in the middle of their park, Elise built a marvelous cottage which she designed herself, inspired by the rural houses of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Swiss Chalets.
As a cultivated wife, Elise and Ferdinand supported several artists, including the painter Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro
Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro
Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro , who is usually referred to as Columbano, was a Portuguese Realist painter...
and the pianist José Viana da Mota.
Later years
In 1885, king Ferdinand II died and in his willWill (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
left all his households to his second wife, including the Castelo dos Mouros and the Palácio da Pena. In order for the Countess to keep these estates, King Charles I had to pay her the amount of 410 millions escudo
Portuguese escudo
The escudo was the currency of Portugal prior to the introduction of the Euro on 1 January 1999 and its removal from circulation on 28 February 2002. The escudo was subdivided into 100 centavos....
s.
As a widow, Elise abandoned Sintra
Sintra
Sintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to...
and settled with her daughter Alice and her daughter's husband, Manuel de Azevedo Gomes. She died of uremia
Uremia
Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....
on 21 May 1929 in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. At her funeral, the dowager queen Amélie of Orléans and the ex-king Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
were represented by the Viscount of Asseca.