Doña Carlota Joaquina Teresa Cayetana of Spain (born April 25, 1775 – died January 7, 1830) was the Queen of Portugal and Brazil. She was married to King Dom John VI. Carlota Joaquina was the daughter of King Don Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma.

Many people at the Portuguese court did not like Carlota Joaquina. She was even called "the Shrew of Queluz". People thought she tried to make her husband favor Spain. When the Portuguese royal family moved to Brazil, she started to plot against her husband. She claimed he was not fit to rule. She also wanted to take over the Spanish crown from Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte.

After her son Pedro married Leopoldina of Austria in 1817, the royal family returned to Portugal in 1821. Carlota Joaquina was kept at the Royal Palace of Queluz. She died there on January 7, 1830.

Early Life and Royal Marriage
Life in Brazil
Becoming Queen
Children of Carlota Joaquina
Carlota in Movies and TV
See also

Early Life and Royal Marriage

Growing Up in Spain

Infanta Carlota Joaquina, by Anton Raphael Mengs, c. 1775–76.

Carlota Joaquina was born at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez in Spain on April 25, 1775. She was the second child, but the oldest to survive, of Charles, Prince of Asturias, and his wife Maria Luisa of Parma. Her full name was Carlota Joaquina Teresa Cayetana. She was usually called Carlota, a name that honored her father and her grandfather, King Charles III of Spain. Carlota was her grandfather's favorite grandchild.

She had a very strict and religious education. She studied religion, geography, painting, and riding. Riding was her favorite activity. The Spanish royal family had very strict rules for behavior and manners. Her mother, Maria Luisa, enjoyed organizing fancy parties at court.

Arranged Marriage to a Prince

Infanta Carlota Joaquina at the time of her betrothal, by Mariano Salvador Maella, 1785.

Carlota Joaquina's marriage was planned when she was very young. King Charles III of Spain and his sister Mariana Victoria, the Dowager Queen of Portugal, arranged it. Carlota Joaquina was to marry Infante John, who was the Duke of Beja. He was Mariana Victoria's youngest grandson.

Before the wedding, Carlota had to take public tests in front of the Spanish court and Portuguese ambassadors. They wanted to see if she was a good match for the Portuguese prince. In October 1785, a newspaper reported that she was very smart and talented for her age.

Her marriage to Infante John of Portugal happened by proxy on May 8, 1785. This means someone stood in for the groom. Three days later, 10-year-old Carlota Joaquina left Spain for Lisbon. The official wedding ceremony took place on June 9, 1785. She was only 10 years old, and her husband was 18.

Life in Portugal

Carlota Joaquina, Duchess of Beja, by Giuseppe Troni, 1787.

Life at the Portuguese court was very different from Spain. In Portugal, the Catholic Church had a strong influence. Many fun activities like plays, dances, and parties were not allowed. Queen Maria I's reign was very serious and religious. Carlota Joaquina found this environment very different from the lively court she was used to. However, she had a good relationship with her mother-in-law, Queen Maria I. Carlota's cheerful nature helped the Queen relax sometimes.

Carlota Joaquina had more modern habits than other women at the Portuguese court. She was more public and involved in politics, which was unusual for women then. This led to some people at court spreading rumors about her.

Becoming Princess of Brazil

Portrait today held at Ajuda Palace.

In 1788, Infante John's older brother, Joseph, died. This made John the next in line to the throne. He became the Prince of Brazil and Duke of Braganza. From 1788 to 1816, Carlota Joaquina was known as the Princess of Brazil. Some historians believe she did not like Brazil.

Carlota Joaquina and John had nine children together. Their personalities were very different; John was very religious, which bored Carlota.

After Queen Maria I became ill in 1792, Prince John took over the government. He officially became Prince Regent in 1799. This change suited Carlota Joaquina's ambitious nature. She often tried to influence her husband's decisions in state matters. This made the Portuguese nobles and people unhappy.

Because she was often left out of government decisions, Carlota Joaquina planned to take power from the Prince Regent. She wanted to arrest him and declare him unable to rule. However, this plot was discovered in 1805. To avoid a public scandal, her husband did not arrest her. Instead, he confined her to Queluz Palace and Ramalhão Palace. He moved to Mafra Palace, separating from her.

Life in Brazil

In 1807, the Portuguese royal family had to leave Portugal for Brazil. This was because Napoleon's army invaded Portugal.

While in Brazil, Carlota Joaquina tried to gain control of the Spanish lands in Hispanic America. This plan was called Carlotism. Spain was controlled by Napoleon, and her father and brother, King Ferdinand, were held captive in France. Carlota Joaquina believed she was the rightful heir to her family's lands. She planned to send armies to take over parts of South America. However, the Portuguese-Brazilian forces only managed to take over the eastern banks of the Rio de la Plata. This area later became Uruguay in 1828.

Becoming Queen

Queen Carlota Joaquina equestrian portrait in display at the Imperial Museum of Brazil

The Portuguese royal family returned to Portugal in 1821 after 14 years in Brazil. Portugal had changed a lot. In 1820, a revolution started in Porto, and Portugal got its first constitution in 1821. Carlota Joaquina had very traditional views and wanted Portugal to go back to its old ways. Her husband, King John VI, did not want to break his promise to uphold the constitution.

Carlota Joaquina teamed up with her youngest son, Miguel, who shared her traditional ideas. In 1824, they took power, and the king became a prisoner in the palace. Carlota tried to make him give up his throne to Miguel. But the king got help from the United Kingdom and regained power. He then forced Miguel to leave the country. Carlota Joaquina also had to go into exile for a short time.

King John VI lived in Bemposta Palace, and Queen Carlota Joaquina lived in Queluz. She lived there quietly but became quite unusual in her clothes and behavior. Meanwhile, their oldest son, Pedro, who had stayed in Brazil, declared Brazil independent in 1822. He became its first Emperor. King John VI did not accept this at first. But he was convinced by the British to sign a treaty in 1825. This treaty gave him and Carlota Joaquina the honorary title of Emperors of Brazil.

King John VI died in March 1826. Carlota Joaquina claimed she was too ill to visit him. She also started a rumor that he had been poisoned.

Pedro, now Emperor of Brazil, also became King of Portugal. But he knew he could not rule both countries. So, Pedro gave up the Portuguese throne to his oldest daughter, Maria. He also arranged for her to marry his younger brother, Miguel. Carlota Joaquina's daughter, Infanta Isabel Maria, became the regent of Portugal. Carlota Joaquina would normally have been regent as the Queen Dowager. About two years later, young Queen Maria set off for Portugal. But when she arrived, she found that her uncle and fiancé, Miguel, had removed the regent and declared himself King of Portugal.

Queen Carlota Joaquina died at the Queluz Royal Palace, near Sintra, Portugal.

Children of Carlota Joaquina

Carlota Joaquina married King João VI of Portugal in 1785. They had nine children together.

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Infanta Maria Teresa	29 April 1793	17 January 1874	Married her cousin Pedro Carlos de Borbón y Bragança. Later married Carlos, Infante of Spain.
Francisco António, Prince of Beira	21 March 1795	11 June 1801	Died at age 6. His younger brother, Pedro, became the next heir to the Portuguese throne.
Infanta Maria Isabel	19 May 1797	26 December 1818	Married Ferdinand VII, King of Spain.
Peter IV of Portugal, I of Brazil	12 October 1798	24 September 1834	Stayed in Brazil after the Napoleonic Wars. Declared Brazil independent in 1822 and became its first Emperor. He was also King of Portugal in 1826.
Infanta Maria Francisca	22 April 1800	4 September 1834	Married Carlos, Infante of Spain.
Infanta Isabel Maria	4 July 1801	22 April 1876	Served as regent of Portugal from 1826 to 1828. She never married.
Miguel of Braganza	26 October 1802	14 November 1866	Was King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834. He was forced to give up his throne after the Liberal Wars.
Infanta Maria da Assunção	25 June 1805	7 January 1834	She never married.
Infanta Ana de Jesus Maria, Marquesa de Loulé	23 October 1806	22 June 1857	Married Nuno José Severo de Mendoça Rolim de Moura Barreto, who became the Duke of Loulé. They had children.

Carlota in Movies and TV

After her death, Carlota Joaquina became a well-known historical figure, especially in Brazil. She has been featured in many books, movies, and TV shows.

Carlota Joaquina, Princess of Brazil (1994) – This movie, directed by Carla Camurati, tells a story of the Princess's life. Marieta Severo plays the adult Carlota, and Ludmila Dayer plays her as a child.
O Quinto dos Infernos (2003) – Betty Lago plays Carlota in this TV miniseries. It shows how the Portuguese Royal Family escaped to Brazil.
Liberdade, Liberdade (2016) - Susana Ribeiro plays Carlota in this TV show. It also features the Portuguese Royal family going to Brazil.
Novo Mundo (2017) - Débora Olivieri plays Carlota in this TV show set in Brazil in 1817.

Carlota Joaquina of Spain facts for kids

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