Princess Maria Theresa of Braganza
Encyclopedia
Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal (24 August 1855 – 12 February 1944) was a Princess of the House of Braganza
. She became by marriage an Archduchess of Austria and the sister-in-law
of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
.
, Kingdom of Bavaria
the second daughter of Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. Her father became king of Portugal in 1828 after deposing his niece Queen Maria II. He reigned until 1834 when Maria II of Portugal was restored and Miguel was forced into exile.
Described as one of the most beautiful women in Europe, Maria Theresa married as his third wife Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria
, a younger brother of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
, at Kleinheubach
on 23 July 1873. Despite providing him with two daughters Archduchess Maria Annunziata of Austria (1876–1961) and Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria
(1878–1960), the marriage was an unhappy one due to her husband's bullying and tormenting of her. In addition to their daughters she also became the step mother to his children by his second wife, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
, Archduke Otto Franz of Austria, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria
and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria
.
Maria Theresa managed to obtain considerable influence at the Austrian court when Empress Elisabeth
effectively withdrew from the social scene in Vienna
after the mysterious death
of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, in January 1889. Maria Theresa stood in for the Empress and carried out honours at the Hofburg Imperial Palace
with the Emperor until the death of her husband in 1896 when court etiquette ruled she had to go into retirement.
.
She offered encouragement and support to her stepson Franz Ferdinand in his determination to marry Countess Sophie Chotek against his family's will. She traveled to a convent in Prague
herself to fetch Sophie and took her into her own house, even pleading on Sophie's behalf with the Emperor Franz Joseph. After the union was finally permitted, Maria Theresa made all the arrangements for the wedding, insisting that it take place in her own private chapel.
She remained close to Franz Ferdinand and Sophie until their assassination
in Sarajevo
on 28 June 1914. It was she who broke the news of the couple's death to their children Sophie
, Maximilian
and Ernst. She also managed to ensure the children's financial security after telling the Emperor that if he did not grant them a yearly income, she would resign the allowance which she drew as a widow in their favour. (The majority of Franz Ferdinand's property went to his nephew the Archduke Charles).
On 21 November 1916, her brother-in-law Emperor Franz Joseph died, and Archduke Karl of Austria
the son of Archduke Otto Franz of Austria
and nephew of Franz Ferdinand became the new Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. He would reign until November 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed following its defeat in the First World War. After his abdication, Maria Theresa accompanied Karl and his wife Zita into exile in Madeira
, but eventually returned to Vienna where she spent the rest of her life.
In 1929, following a decline in her finances, Maria Theresa engaged two agents to sell the Napoleon Diamond Necklace
, a piece inherited from her husband, in the United States. After a series of botched sales attempts, the pair finally sold the necklace for $60,000 with the aid of the grand-nephew of Maria Theresa, the Archduke Leopold of Austria, but claimed nearly 90% of the sale price as "expenses". Maria Theresa appealed to the United States courts, ultimately resulting in the recovery of the necklace, the imprisonment of her grand-nephew, and the absconding of the two agents.
Maria Theresa died in Vienna during World War II
. She survived her husband by 48 years.
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
. She became by marriage an Archduchess of Austria and the sister-in-law
Sister-in-law
A sister-in-law is the sister of one's spouse, the wife of one's sibling, or sometimes the wife of one's spouse's sibling...
of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
.
Early life
Maria Teresa was born in KleinheubachKleinheubach
Kleinheubach is a market community in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the like-named Verwaltungsgemeinschaft .- Location :...
, Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
the second daughter of Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. Her father became king of Portugal in 1828 after deposing his niece Queen Maria II. He reigned until 1834 when Maria II of Portugal was restored and Miguel was forced into exile.
Described as one of the most beautiful women in Europe, Maria Theresa married as his third wife Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria
Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria
Archduke Karl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria was the younger brother of Franz Joseph I of Austria and the father of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria , whose assassination ignited the start of World War I.-Biography:He was born at Schönbrunn in Vienna, the son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria ...
, a younger brother of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
, at Kleinheubach
Kleinheubach
Kleinheubach is a market community in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the like-named Verwaltungsgemeinschaft .- Location :...
on 23 July 1873. Despite providing him with two daughters Archduchess Maria Annunziata of Austria (1876–1961) and Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria
Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria
Prince Aloys renounced his rights to the succession on 26 February 1923, in favor of their son Franz Joseph II. Elisabeth thus was always known with the style Princess Aloys of Liechtenstein. On 25 July 1938, Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein died, passing the throne on to their eldest son. Prince...
(1878–1960), the marriage was an unhappy one due to her husband's bullying and tormenting of her. In addition to their daughters she also became the step mother to his children by his second wife, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, Archduke Otto Franz of Austria, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria
Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria
Ferdinand Karl of Austria He was the third son of Archduke Archduke Charles Louis of Austria and Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies...
and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria
Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria
Archduchess Margarete Sophie Marie Annunciata Theresia Caroline Luise Josephe Johanna of Austria, full German name: Margarete Sophie Marie Annunciata Theresia Caroline Luise Josephe Johanna, Erzherzogin von Österreich was a member of...
.
Maria Theresa managed to obtain considerable influence at the Austrian court when Empress Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
effectively withdrew from the social scene in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
after the mysterious death
Mayerling Incident
The Mayerling Incident refers to the series of events leading to the apparent murder-suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera. Rudolf was the only son of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria and Empress Elisabeth, and heir to the throne of the combined...
of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, in January 1889. Maria Theresa stood in for the Empress and carried out honours at the Hofburg Imperial Palace
Hofburg Imperial Palace
Hofburg Palace is a palace located in Vienna, Austria, that has housed some of the most powerful people in Austrian history, including the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It currently serves as the official residence of the President of Austria...
with the Emperor until the death of her husband in 1896 when court etiquette ruled she had to go into retirement.
Widowhood
She remained such an influential figure behind the scenes at court after the death of her husband that when rumors spread that she was to marry the master of her household, Count Cavriani, no one dared to say a word against her. In the end the rumors turned out to be false. During her widowhood she spent the winter months living in Vienna and the summer months at Reichstadt castle in BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
She offered encouragement and support to her stepson Franz Ferdinand in his determination to marry Countess Sophie Chotek against his family's will. She traveled to a convent in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
herself to fetch Sophie and took her into her own house, even pleading on Sophie's behalf with the Emperor Franz Joseph. After the union was finally permitted, Maria Theresa made all the arrangements for the wedding, insisting that it take place in her own private chapel.
She remained close to Franz Ferdinand and Sophie until their assassination
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead in Sarajevo, by Gavrilo Princip, one of a group of six Bosnian Serb assassins coordinated by Danilo Ilić...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
on 28 June 1914. It was she who broke the news of the couple's death to their children Sophie
Princess Sophie von Hohenberg
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg was the only daughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg....
, Maximilian
Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg
Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg was the eldest son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg...
and Ernst. She also managed to ensure the children's financial security after telling the Emperor that if he did not grant them a yearly income, she would resign the allowance which she drew as a widow in their favour. (The majority of Franz Ferdinand's property went to his nephew the Archduke Charles).
On 21 November 1916, her brother-in-law Emperor Franz Joseph died, and Archduke Karl of Austria
Karl I of Austria
Charles I of Austria or Charles IV of Hungary was the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the last Emperor of Austria, the last King of Hungary, the last King of Bohemia and Croatia and the last King of Galicia and Lodomeria and the last monarch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine...
the son of Archduke Otto Franz of Austria
Archduke Otto Franz of Austria
-Marriage and issue:On October 2, 1886, he married Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony, daughter of King George of Saxony. They had two sons:* Archduke Karl Franz of Austria , who became the last Emperor of Austria and had issue....
and nephew of Franz Ferdinand became the new Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. He would reign until November 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed following its defeat in the First World War. After his abdication, Maria Theresa accompanied Karl and his wife Zita into exile in Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, but eventually returned to Vienna where she spent the rest of her life.
In 1929, following a decline in her finances, Maria Theresa engaged two agents to sell the Napoleon Diamond Necklace
Napoleon Diamond Necklace
The Napoleon Diamond Necklace is a diamond necklace commissioned by Napoleon I of France c. 1811–1812. It is currently on display in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., United States.-Description:...
, a piece inherited from her husband, in the United States. After a series of botched sales attempts, the pair finally sold the necklace for $60,000 with the aid of the grand-nephew of Maria Theresa, the Archduke Leopold of Austria, but claimed nearly 90% of the sale price as "expenses". Maria Theresa appealed to the United States courts, ultimately resulting in the recovery of the necklace, the imprisonment of her grand-nephew, and the absconding of the two agents.
Maria Theresa died in Vienna during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She survived her husband by 48 years.
Issue
| Name | |Death | Archduke Karl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria Archduke Karl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria was the younger brother of Franz Joseph I of Austria and the father of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria , whose assassination ignited the start of World War I.-Biography:He was born at Schönbrunn in Vienna, the son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria ... (30 July 1833–19 May 1896; married on 23 July 1873 in Kleinheubach Kleinheubach Kleinheubach is a market community in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the like-named Verwaltungsgemeinschaft .- Location :... ) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archduchess Maria Annunciata of Austria | 13 July 1876 in Reichenau, Austria-Hungary Reichenau an der Rax Reichenau an der Rax is a market town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, situated at the foot of the Rax mountain range on the Schwarza river, a headstream of the Leitha.-History:Reichenau castle was first mentioned in a 1256 deed... |
8 April 1961 in Vaduz Vaduz Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.... , Principality of Liechtenstein |
Abbess of the Theresia Convent in the Hradschin, Prague Prague Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million... , died unmarried |
| Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria Prince Aloys renounced his rights to the succession on 26 February 1923, in favor of their son Franz Joseph II. Elisabeth thus was always known with the style Princess Aloys of Liechtenstein. On 25 July 1938, Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein died, passing the throne on to their eldest son. Prince... |
7 July 1878 in Reichenau, Austria-Hungary Reichenau an der Rax Reichenau an der Rax is a market town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, situated at the foot of the Rax mountain range on the Schwarza river, a headstream of the Leitha.-History:Reichenau castle was first mentioned in a 1256 deed... |
16 March 1955 in Vaduz Vaduz Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.... , Principality of Liechtenstein |
married, 1903, Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein was the son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein and Princess Henriette of Liechtenstein , daughter of Alois II of Liechtenstein... ; had issue |
Titles and styles
- 24 August 1855 – 23 July 1873: Her Royal Highness Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal, Princess of Braganza
- 23 July 1873 – 12 February 1944: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess and Princess Imperial Maria Theresa of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary and Bohemia