Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maria Beatrice d'Este |
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| Duchess of Massa Archduchess of Austria-Este |
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Portrait by Anton von Maron, 1772
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| Born | 7 April 1750 Ducal Palace, Modena |
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| Died | 14 November 1829 (aged 79) Vienna, Austria |
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| Burial | Imperial Crypt, Vienna | ||||
| Spouse |
Ferdinand Karl, Archduke of Austria-Este
(m. 1771) |
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| Issue Detail |
Maria Teresa, Queen of Sardinia Maria Leopoldina, Electress of Bavaria Francis IV, Duke of Modena Archduke Maximilian Joseph Archduke Karl, Archbishop of Esztergom Maria Ludovika, Empress of Austria |
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| House | Este | ||||
| Father | Ercole III, Duke of Modena | ||||
| Mother | Maria Teresa, Duchess of Massa | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Maria Beatrice d’Este (born April 7, 1750 – died November 14, 1829) was an important royal figure. She was the only child of two rulers. This made her the heiress (someone who inherits) to the lands of Modena and Reggio. She also became the sovereign (ruler) of Massa and Carrara. She ruled Massa and Carrara from 1790 to 1796, and again from 1815 until her death in 1829.
Contents
Maria Beatrice's Early Life
Maria Beatrice was born in Modena, a city in Italy. Her parents were Ercole III, the Duke of Modena, and Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina. Her mother was the Duchess of Massa and Princess of Carrara.
Her parents did not have a happy marriage and lived apart. They had two children: Maria Beatrice and a son named Rinaldo Francesco. Sadly, Rinaldo died when he was only four months old. This meant Maria Beatrice became the only child and the main heiress to her parents' lands.
Her family tree included many famous people. Some of her ancestors were Louis XIII of France, a French regent named Philippe d'Orléans, and even Mary, Queen of Scots.
Marriage and Royal Connections
Maria Beatrice was an attractive choice for marriage because she was set to inherit four different states: Modena, Reggio, Massa, and Carrara. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria wanted Maria Beatrice to marry her son, Archduke Leopold. However, this marriage did not happen.
Instead, Maria Beatrice married Leopold's brother, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria. This marriage was important for Austria. It helped them gain more power and influence in Italy.
Maria Beatrice and Ferdinand Karl were engaged in 1754 when they were very young. They finally married in 1771 in a ceremony held in Milan. To celebrate their wedding, two operas were performed: Ascanio in Alba by Mozart and Il Ruggiero by Johann Adolph Hasse.
Life as a Duchess
After their marriage, Maria Beatrice and Ferdinand Karl lived in both Modena and Milan. They often stayed at the Royal Palace in Milan.
The rules in the Duchy of Modena did not allow a woman to become the ruler. So, when Maria Beatrice's father died, her rights to the throne of Modena and Reggio passed to her son. However, when her mother died in 1790, Maria Beatrice became the Duchess of Massa and Carrara.
Later, French armies took control of Northern Italy. Because of this, Maria Beatrice spent most of her life in Austria. She left the actual ruling of her lands to other officials. Through her marriage, a new royal family line was created, called the House of Austria-Este. This family ruled Modena from 1814 to 1859. After Maria Beatrice d'Este passed away in Vienna in 1829, the lands of Massa and Carrara were added to the Duchy of Modena.
Maria Beatrice's Children
| Name | Portrait | Lifespan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archduke Josef Franz |
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1772 |
Died as a baby |
| Archduchess Maria Theresa Queen of Sardinia |
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1773– 1832 |
Married Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia and had children |
| Archduchess Josepha |
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1775– 1777 |
Died as a young child |
| Archduchess Maria Leopoldine Electress of Bavaria |
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1776– 1848 |
Married Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria (no children); later married Ludwig Count of Arco and had children |
| Francis IV Duke of Modena |
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1779– 1846 |
Married Maria Beatrice of Savoy and had children |
| Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian army |
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1781– 1850 |
Did not marry |
| Archduke Maximilian Joseph Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights |
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1782– 1863 |
Did not marry |
| Archduchess Maria Antonia |
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1784– 1786 |
Died as a young child |
| Archduke Karl Ambrosius Archbishop of Esztergom |
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1785– 1809 |
Did not marry |
| Archduchess Maria Ludovika Empress of Austria |
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1787– 1816 |
Married her cousin Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (no children) |
Images for kids
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Archduke Ferdinand of Austria with his wife Maria Beatrice d'Este and their children.
See also
In Spanish: María Beatriz de Este para niños
