Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (born 1610) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maria Anna of Austria |
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| Electress consort of Bavaria | |
| Tenure | 15 July 1635 – 27 September 1651 |
| Electress Palatine | |
| Tenure | 15 July 1635 – 24 October 1648 |
| Born | 13 January 1610 Graz, Duchy of Styria, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 25 September 1665 (aged 55) Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire |
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| House | Habsburg |
| Father | Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Mother | Maria Anna of Bavaria |
Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (born January 13, 1610 – died September 25, 1665) was an important royal figure in Germany. She became the Electress of Bavaria when she married Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria. After her husband passed away, she also served as a co-ruler for her young son, Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, from 1651 to 1654. This meant she helped govern the Electorate of Bavaria during his childhood.
Contents
Life of Maria Anna
Her Early Life
Maria Anna was born in Graz, a city in what is now Austria. She was the fifth child of Archduke Ferdinand of Inner Austria. Her mother was Maria Anna, who was a daughter of William V, Duke of Bavaria. Maria Anna was likely named after her mother, who sadly passed away in 1616.
She received a strict education from the Jesuits, a religious order. People thought she was very beautiful and had many good qualities. She was known for being wise, organized, and dignified. Besides her native German, she also spoke fluent Italian. Maria Anna also enjoyed hunting very much.
In 1619, her father became the Holy Roman Emperor and also the King of Bohemia and Hungary. This made Maria Anna's position in society much more important. A few years later, in 1622, her father married again to Eleonora. They did not have any children together.
Her Marriage
On July 15, 1635, Maria Anna married her uncle, Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria. The wedding took place at the Augustinian Church, Vienna. Maximilian's first wife had died just a few months before. The wedding ceremony was led by Franz von Dietrichstein, who was the Bishop of Olomouc.
When the marriage contract was signed, her father, Emperor Ferdinand II, made a special rule. Usually, Austrian Archduchesses would give up their rights to the Habsburg family's inheritance when they married foreign princes. But Maria Anna did not have to do this. Her father probably wanted to protect her rights in case he didn't have any more sons. As a wedding gift, Maria Anna received a large sum of money, 250,000 florins. She was also given Trausnitz Castle in Landshut to live in if she ever became a widow.
This marriage was important for Maximilian I. It gave him the chance to have children, as his first marriage had none. It also showed that Bavaria was allied with the Holy Roman Empire against France, as a war was expected soon.
Becoming Electress of Bavaria
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Maria Anna and Maximilian I had a very happy marriage. Maximilian truly loved and cared for his wife. When Maria Anna was expecting her first child, they went on a pilgrimage to Andechs to pray for a safe birth. On October 31, 1636, Maria Anna gave birth to their first son, Ferdinand Maria. He was named after his grandfather, Ferdinand II, who also became his godfather.
The birth was very difficult for Maria Anna. She became so weak that she temporarily lost her ability to speak. Her recovery was believed to be due to the help of relics from Saint Francis of Paola. Because of this, Maximilian I founded a monastery dedicated to the saint in Neunburg vorm Wald. Almost two years later, on September 30, 1638, Maria Anna gave birth to their second son, Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus.
Maria Anna was very involved in her husband's government work. She was interested in the politics of Bavaria and even attended meetings with the Council of Ministers. Even though she came from the Habsburg family (and kept in touch with her brother Ferdinand III and other relatives), she was completely loyal to Bavaria. She also had many discussions with important officials in Munich.
After the French army captured the Philipsburg fortress in 1644, Maria Anna urged her brother Leopold Wilhelm to start peace talks. He was the commander of the Imperial army at the time. Before Maximilian I died in 1650, he wrote a special document for Maria Anna. It was called a "Trust information" and gave her guidance for when she would become regent.
Leading Bavaria as Regent
When Maximilian I wrote his will in 1641, Maria Anna asked for a special right. She wanted to be able to co-sign laws related to the country if her son became ruler. However, some officials argued that, according to an old law called the Golden Bull, women could not govern. Without her husband knowing, she asked a group of experts for their opinion. They agreed that she had the right to be involved, and this was added to Maximilian I's will.
After Maximilian I died on September 27, 1651, his brother Albert VI, Duke of Bavaria officially became the regent for Ferdinand Maria. But Maria Anna took full control of the Department of Justice and other important administrative tasks. This meant she was practically the ruler of Bavaria. When her son became old enough to rule in 1654, Maria Anna continued to advise him closely.
In 1664, Maria Anna suggested that Bavaria should be placed under the protection of Saint Joseph. After her husband's death, she lived in a special part of the Munich Residenz called the "Widow's floor." She remained a member of the Privy Council, which was the highest government body, until her death. However, she did not have the right to vote in its decisions.
Maria Anna passed away in Munich at the age of 55. She was buried at St. Michael's Church. Her heart was placed in the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.
In literature
Maria Anna is a character in the novel 1634: The Bavarian Crisis by Eric Flint & Virginia DeMarce. In the story, she avoids marrying Maximilian and instead goes to her cousin, Don Fernando.
