Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain
Encyclopedia
Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain (María Teresa Antonia Rafaela; 11 June 1726 – 22 July 1746, Infanta of Spain, wife of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), son of Louis XV of France
. She died in childbirth aged 20, leaving no surviving descendants.
in Spain
, she was the second daughter of Philip V of Spain
and Elisabeth Farnese. Prior to her marriage, the Spanish and French royal courts had been on poor terms: the engagement between Louis XV and Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain
, elder sister of Maria Teresa, had been broken off in 1725. Louis XV had instead married Marie Leszczyńska and by her fathered the Dauphin, Louis. The marriage between María Teresa Rafaela and the Dauphin was announced in August 1739 after the marriage of Princess Louise Élisabeth of France
(sister of the dauphin) and Infante Felipe of Spain
(brother of María Teresa Rafaela) the same month. Both marriages were intended to improve relations between the cousin courts of France
and Spain
. Under the influence of her mother Elisabeth Farnese, María Teresa Rafaela was not to go to France till she reached a more mature age.
in Madrid
on 18 December 1744, departed Spain in January 1745, and arrived at Versailles
on 21 February 1745. The official marriage took place at the Palace of Versailles
on 23 February 1745 and was performed by the Cardinal de Rohan. On 24 February a ball, named the "Ball of the Clipped Yew", was held in honour of the newlyweds and attended by the royal family at the same time that Madame de Pompadour
arrived at Versailles. The marriage did not get off on a good start as it was not consummated on the first night,. Despite this embarrassment, she had a good relationship with the king and queen, and her husband soon fell in love with her.
In France she was known as Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle d'Espagne or de Bourbon. As the Dauphine of France, she was the highest ranking female in the kingdom after Queen Marie. She was the first dauphine since 1712 when Marie Adélaïde of Savoy died. She was styled Madame la Dauphine at court
.
Described as beautiful, dignified, pious and well educated, negative remarks were made because of her red hair. Her shy nature further isolated her from the court and she was openly hostile to the king for his affair with Madame de Pompadour. The Dauphin and Dauphine disliked the royal mistress for the way she drew attention away from Queen
Marie Leszczyńska. Finally the marriage was consummated in September 1745 thus ending court gossip. The couple became very close and devoted to each other spending most of their time together. On 19 July 1746, Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle gave birth to a daughter before dying herself on 22 July at Versailles. Louis XV had had to physically drag his son away from the death bed of his wife. The child was baptised Marie Thérèse and was styled as Madame Royale but died at Versailles in 1748.
Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle was buried at the Basilica of St Denis, the French royal necropolis outside Paris
on 6 August 1746. At her death, her half brother, Ferdinand VI of Spain
, proposed that the Dauphin
marry her sister the Infanta Maria Antonia Fernanda but Louis XV refused. The following year, her husband married again to Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony a daughter of Augustus III of Poland
and Maria Josepha of Austria
by whom he had some seven children, including the future Louis XVI. When the Dauphin died in 1765, he requested that his heart be placed beside the grave of Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle.
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...
. She died in childbirth aged 20, leaving no surviving descendants.
Courtship
Born at the Royal Alcazar of MadridRoyal Alcazar of Madrid
The Royal Alcázar of Madrid was a Muslim fortress built in the second half of the 9th century, at the site of today's Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. The structure was extended and enlarged over the centuries, particularly after the 16th century...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, she was the second daughter of 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...
and Elisabeth Farnese. Prior to her marriage, the Spanish and French royal courts had been on poor terms: the engagement between Louis XV and Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain
Mariana Victoria of Spain
Mariana Victoria of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and Queen consort of Portugal as wife of King Joseph I. The mother of Queen Maria I of Portugal, she also acted as Regent of Portugal during the last months of her husband's life and advisor to her daughter during her reign.-Background:Mariana...
, elder sister of Maria Teresa, had been broken off in 1725. Louis XV had instead married Marie Leszczyńska and by her fathered the Dauphin, Louis. The marriage between María Teresa Rafaela and the Dauphin was announced in August 1739 after the marriage of Princess Louise Élisabeth of France
Princess Louise Élisabeth of France
Louise Élisabeth de France was the eldest daughter of King Louis XV of France and his Queen consort, Maria Leszczyńska, and the elder twin sister of Anne Henriette de France. As the daughter of the king, she was a Daughter of France...
(sister of the dauphin) and Infante Felipe of Spain
Philip, Duke of Parma
Philip of Spain was Duke of Parma from 1748 to 1765. He founded the House of Bourbon-Parma , a cadet line of the Spanish branch of the dynasty...
(brother of María Teresa Rafaela) the same month. Both marriages were intended to improve relations between the cousin courts of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Under the influence of her mother Elisabeth Farnese, María Teresa Rafaela was not to go to France till she reached a more mature age.
Dauphine of France
She was married to the dauphin by proxyProxy marriage
A proxy wedding or is a wedding in which the bride or groom is not physically present, usually being represented instead by another person...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
on 18 December 1744, departed Spain in January 1745, and arrived at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on 21 February 1745. The official marriage took place at the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
on 23 February 1745 and was performed by the Cardinal de Rohan. On 24 February a ball, named the "Ball of the Clipped Yew", was held in honour of the newlyweds and attended by the royal family at the same time that Madame de Pompadour
Madame de Pompadour
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour was a member of the French court, and was the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to her death.-Biography:...
arrived at Versailles. The marriage did not get off on a good start as it was not consummated on the first night,. Despite this embarrassment, she had a good relationship with the king and queen, and her husband soon fell in love with her.
In France she was known as Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle d'Espagne or de Bourbon. As the Dauphine of France, she was the highest ranking female in the kingdom after Queen Marie. She was the first dauphine since 1712 when Marie Adélaïde of Savoy died. She was styled Madame la Dauphine at court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
.
Described as beautiful, dignified, pious and well educated, negative remarks were made because of her red hair. Her shy nature further isolated her from the court and she was openly hostile to the king for his affair with Madame de Pompadour. The Dauphin and Dauphine disliked the royal mistress for the way she drew attention away from Queen
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Marie Leszczyńska. Finally the marriage was consummated in September 1745 thus ending court gossip. The couple became very close and devoted to each other spending most of their time together. On 19 July 1746, Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle gave birth to a daughter before dying herself on 22 July at Versailles. Louis XV had had to physically drag his son away from the death bed of his wife. The child was baptised Marie Thérèse and was styled as Madame Royale but died at Versailles in 1748.
Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle was buried at the Basilica of St Denis, the French royal necropolis outside 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...
on 6 August 1746. At her death, her half brother, Ferdinand VI of Spain
Ferdinand VI of Spain
Ferdinand VI , called the Learnt, was King of Spain from 9 July 1746 until his death. He was the fourth son of the previous monarch Philip V and his first wife Maria Luisa of Savoy...
, proposed that the Dauphin
Dauphin
The Dauphin of France —strictly, The Dauphin of Viennois —was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830...
marry her sister the Infanta Maria Antonia Fernanda but Louis XV refused. The following year, her husband married again to Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony a daughter of Augustus III of Poland
Augustus III of Poland
Augustus III, known as the Saxon ; ; also Prince-elector Friedrich August II was the Elector of Saxony in 1733-1763, as Frederick Augustus II , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1734-1763.-Biography:Augustus was the only legitimate son of Augustus II the Strong, Imperial Prince-Elector...
and Maria Josepha of Austria
Maria Josepha of Austria
Maria Josepha of Austria was born an Archduchess of Austria, and from 1711 to 1713 was heiress presumptive to the Habsburg Empire...
by whom he had some seven children, including the future Louis XVI. When the Dauphin died in 1765, he requested that his heart be placed beside the grave of Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle.
Ancestors
Titles and styles
- 11 June 1726 – 23 February 1745 Her Royal Highness the Infanta Doña María Teresa Rafaela of Spain
- 23 February 1745 – 22 July 1746 Her Royal Highness the Dauphine of France