Maria Beatrice of Savoy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maria Beatrice of Savoy |
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Portrait by Adeodata Malatesta
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| Duchess consort of Modena and Reggio | |||||
| Tenure | 14 July 1814 – 15 September 1840 | ||||
| Born | 6 December 1792 Turin, Piedmont-Sardinia |
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| Died | 15 September 1840 (aged 47) Castello del Catajo, Lombardy-Venetia |
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| Spouse |
Francis IV, Duke of Modena
(m. 1812) |
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| House | Savoy | ||||
| Father | Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia | ||||
| Mother | Maria Theresa of Austria-Este | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Maria Beatrice of Savoy (born Maria Beatrice Vittoria Giuseppina; 6 December 1792 – 15 September 1840) was a princess who became the Duchess of Modena. She gained this title when she married Francis IV, Duke of Modena. She was an important figure in Italian history during a time of big changes in Europe.
Contents
Life of Maria Beatrice
Early Years and Family Background
Maria Beatrice was born in Turin on December 6, 1792. She was the oldest daughter of Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta. Her mother was Maria Teresa of Austria-Este.
Her father later became the King of Sardinia in 1802. This happened when his brother, Charles Emmanuel IV, decided to step down from the throne.
Maria Beatrice's family had to leave Turin in December 1798. They were escaping the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. They moved to different cities like Parma and Florence. Finally, they settled in Sardinia, which was the last part of their kingdom. Maria Beatrice lived in Cagliari for about thirteen years.
Her Marriage and New Role
On June 20, 1812, Maria Beatrice married her uncle, Francis, Archduke of Austria-Este. Because they were closely related, they needed special permission from Pope Pius VII to marry.
After their wedding, they traveled from Sardinia. They sailed to Trieste and then went by land to Vienna.
In 1814, Maria Beatrice's husband became Francis IV, the Duke of Modena. This made Maria Beatrice the Duchess of Modena. This was on July 14, 1814.
Challenges as Duchess
Life as a Duchess was not always easy. When Joachim Murat invaded during a time called The Hundred Days, Maria Beatrice and her husband had to leave Modena. They returned on May 15, 1815.
Later, in 1831, a revolution broke out. Maria Beatrice and her family had to flee Modena again on February 5. But with help from the Austrian military, they were able to come back within a year.
Maria Beatrice passed away on September 15, 1840. She died from a heart condition at Castello del Catajo. Her body was laid to rest in the Chiesa di San Vincenzo in Modena.
The Jacobite Claim
Through her father, Maria Beatrice inherited a special claim. This was the Jacobite claim to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This claim meant she could have been seen as the rightful queen by some people.
However, like others who had this claim but were not from the Stuart family, she never tried to take the throne. If she had become queen, she would have been known as Mary III & II.
Her Children
Maria Beatrice and her husband had four children:
- Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born July 14, 1817 – died March 25, 1886). She married Henri, Count of Chambord.
- Francis V, Duke of Modena (born June 1, 1819 – died November 20, 1875). He married Princess Adelgunde of Bavaria.
- Ferdinand Karl Viktor, Archduke of Austria-Este (born July 20, 1821 – died December 15, 1849). He married Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria.
- Archduchess Maria Beatrix of Austria-Este (born February 13, 1824 – died March 18, 1906). She married Juan, Count of Montizón.
