Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily

Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa in 1790
Holy Roman Empress; Queen consort of the Romans
Tenure	1 March 1792 – 2 March 1807
Spouse	Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Detail Issue
Marie Louise, Empress of the French Ferdinand I of Austria Maria Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil Clementina, Princess of Salerno Archduke Joseph Franz Leopold Marie Caroline, Crown Princess of Saxony Archduke Franz Karl Archduchess Maria Anna Archduke Johann Nepomuk
Full name
Italian: Maria Teresa Carolina Giuseppina
House	House of Bourbon Two Sicilies House of Habsburg-Lorraine
Father	Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Mother	Maria Carolina of Austria
Born	6 June 1772(1772-06-06) Naples, Kingdom of Naples and Sicily
Died	13 April 1807(1807-04-13) (aged 34) Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria
Burial	Imperial Crypt, Vienna, Austria
Religion	Roman Catholic

Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily (6 June 1772 – 13 April 1807) was the eldest daughter of Ferdinand IV & III of Naples and Sicily (later Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies) (1751–1825) and his wife, Marie Caroline of Austria (1752–1814). She was the last Holy Roman Empress and the first Empress of Austria.

Biography

Born Maria Teresa, and named after her maternal grandmother Maria Theresa of Austria, she was the eldest of 17 children born to her parents, the King and Queen of Naples and Sicily. Her father was a son of Charles III of Spain and Princess Maria Amalia of Saxony. Through her mother she was a niece of Marie Antoinette; through her father she was a niece of Maria Luisa of Spain, Empress of Austria and Charles IV of Spain. She was her mother's favourite child from birth until she left the Neapolitan court to marry.

Her brothers included the future King Francis and Leopold, Prince of Salerno. Another, Carlo, Duke of Calabria died in 1778 aged 3 of smallpox.

Her sisters included Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Her younger sister Princess Maria Cristina, was the wife of the future Charles Felix of Sardinia as Queen of Sardinia. Maria Cristina's twin Princess Maria Cristina Amelia died in 1783 of smallpox. Another sister was the Queen of the French and the youngest was the future Princess of Asturias.

Maria Theresa with her husband and children.

On 15 September 1790 she married her double first cousin Archduke Francis of Austria, who would later become Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, and then Emperor Francis I of Austria. The marriage is described as a happy one, despite differences in personality.

Maria Theresa was described as easy-going with a sensuous appearance. She loved masquerades and carnivals, and participated in every ball even while she was pregnant.

Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp described the view of Maria Theresa and the relationship between the couple in her famous diary during her visit to Vienna in 1798–99:

The Empress is reputed to be so jealous that she does not allow him to take part in social life or meet other women. Vicious tongues accuse her of being so passionate that she exhausts her consort and never leaves him alone even for a moment. Although the people of Vienna cannot deny that she is gifted, charitable and carries herself beautifully, she is disliked for her intolerance and for forcing the Emperor to live isolated from everyone. She is also accused of interesting herself in unimportant matters and socializing exclusively with her lady-companions. With them she spends her evenings singing, acting out comedies and being applauded.

^[1] I February 1799, her seeming indifference to the revolution against her parents in Naples attracted some disfavour in Vienna.^[2] Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte also recounts a scene described to her by a foreigner, who bribed his way into the private park at Laxenburg and came to witness a scene between the couple:

"He saw the Emperor sitting on a bench, alone in his thoughts. Immediately, the Empress came to fetch him, and he exlaimed: "Can't you ever leave me alone, so that I may breathe for one moment? For God's sake, don't follow me around all the time."

.^[3]

She did have some political influence, as she was interested in politics. She gave her husband advice and is believed to have been partially responsible for the dismissal of Johann Baptist Freiherr von Schloissnigg and Graf Franz Colloredo; she was also critical of Napoleon and encouraged her husband in the wars against him.

An important patron of Viennese music, she commissioned many compositions for official and private use. Joseph Haydn wrote his Te Deum for chorus and orchestra at her request. He also composed numerous masses to celebrate her reign. Her favourite composers included Paul Wranitzky and Joseph Leopold Eybler, a composer of sacred music).

Issue

Issue

Name Portrait Lifespan Notes Archduchess Marie Louise Empress of the French Duchess of Parma 1791– 1847 married first Napoleon Bonaparte, had issue, Married second Adam Albert von Neipperg, had issue, married third to Charles, Count of Bombelles, no issue Ferdinand I of Austria Emperor of Austria 1793– 1875 Married Maria Anna of Savoy, no issue Archduchess Marie Caroline 1794– 1795 Died in childhood Archduchess Caroline Ludovika 1795– 1797 Died in childhood Archduchess Maria Leopoldina Empress of Brazil 1797– 1826 Married Pedro I of Brazil and had issue Archduchess Clementina Princess of Salerno 1798– 1881 Married her maternal uncle Leopold, Prince of Salerno, had issue Archduke Joseph Franz 1799– 1807 Died some weeks after his mother in childhood Archduchess Marie Caroline 1801– 1832 Married Crown Prince (later King) Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, no issue Archduke Franz Karl 1802– 1878 Married Princess Sophie of Bavaria, had issue Archduchess Maria Anna 1804– 1858 Died unmarried Archduke Johann Nepomuk 1805– 1809 Died in childhood Archduchess Amalie Theresa 1807– 1807 Died in childhood

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 6 June 1772 – 15 September 1790 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Teresa of Naples and Sicily, Infanta of Spain
• 15 September 1790 – 1 March 1792 Her Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria
• 1 March 1792 – 11 August 1806 Her Imperial and Royal Majesty the Holy Roman Empress
• 11 August 1804 – 13 April 1807 Her Imperial and Royal Majesty the Empress of Austria

References

1. ^ Cecilia af Klercker (1927). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok VI 1797-1799 (The diaries of Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte VI 1797-1799). P.A. Norstedt & Söners förlag Stockholm. pp. 160–61. ISBN 270693. 
2. ^ Cecilia af Klercker (1927). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok VI 1797-1799 (The diaries of Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte VI 1797-1799). P.A. Norstedt & Söners förlag Stockholm. pp. 171–72. ISBN 270693. 
3. ^ Cecilia af Klercker (1927). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok VI 1797-1799 (The diaries of Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte VI 1797-1799). P.A. Norstedt & Söners förlag Stockholm. pp. 171–72. ISBN 270693. 

• This article is based on its equivalent on German Wikipedia

Literature

• Richard Reifenscheid, Die Habsburger in Lebensbildern, Piper 2006
• John A. Rice, Empress Marie Therese and Music at the Viennese Court, 1792–1807, Cambridge 2003

External links

• http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/gotha.htm

Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Cadet branch of the House of Bourbon Born: 6 June 1772 Died: 13 April 1807
German royalty
Preceded by Maria Luisa of Spain	Holy Roman Empress 1792–1806	Holy Roman Empire dissolved
	German Queen 1792–1806	Vacant Title next held by Augusta of Saxe-Weimar as German Empress
	Archduchess consort of Austria 1792–1807	Succeeded by Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este
	Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia 1792–1807
New title Creation of Austrian Empire	Empress consort of Austria 1804–1807

Persondata
Name	Maria Theresa Of Naples And Sicily
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 June 1772
Place of birth	Naples, Kingdom of Naples and Sicily
Date of death	13 April 1807
Place of death	Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria