Duchess Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria

Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria
Painting of Maria Anna Josepha by an unknown artist, ca. 1740
Margravine of Baden-Baden
Tenure	20 July 1755 – 22 October 1761
Spouse	Louis George of Baden-Baden
Issue
None
House	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Maria Amalia of Austria
Born	7 August 1734(1734-08-07) Nymphenburg Palace, Munich
Died	7 May 1776(1776-05-07) (aged 41) Nymphenburg Palace, Munich
Burial	Theatine Church, Munich
Religion	Roman Catholic

Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria (Maria Anna Josepha Augusta; 7 August 1734 – 7 May 1776) was a Duchess of Bavaria by birth and Margravine of Baden-Baden by marriage. She was nicknamed the savior of Bavaria. She is also known as Maria Josepha and is sometimes styled as a princess of Bavaria.^[1]

Biography

Maria Anna Josepha was born at the Nymphenburg Palace^[1] in 1734. She was the fifth child of Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria (later Holy Roman Emperor) and his wife Maria Amalia of Austria. She was baptised with the names Maria Anna Josepha Augusta.^[1] A member of the House of Wittelsbach, rulers of the Electorate of Bavaria, she was styled a Duchess of Bavaria.

She married Louis George of Baden-Baden, the ruling Margrave of Baden-Baden and son of the late Louis William of Baden-Baden and his wife Sibylle of Saxe-Lauenburg, the later was the regent of Baden-Baden for the infant Louis George. The couple were married at the Schloss Ettlingen in Baden on 20 July 1755; the bride was aged 20, the groom 53. The couple remained childless^[2] however Louis George did have one surviving daughter from his previous marriage, his daughter Elisabeth was however useless to the succession.

Her husband had been married previously to Maria Anna of Schwarzenberg^[2] by whom he had four children but only one survived infancy. Maria Anna was the only daughter of Prince Adam Franz Karl of Schwarzenberg and Eleonora of Lobkowicz.

Her husband died in 1761 and was succeeded by his brother Augustus George, Margrave of Baden-Baden. As such, his wife the Belgian born Maria Victoire d'Arenberg became the most important female at the court of Baden-Baden.

Maria Anna developed a great passion for diplomacy. She forged links with Frederick II of Prussia in order to protect the Bavarian throne as her brother, Maximilian III Joseph, was childless and feared for the succession.^[3]

As a widow, Maria Anna Josepha returned to her native Bavaria where she died at the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich.^[1] She was buried at the Theatine Church, Munich, traditional burial place of Bavarian royalty.

Ancestors

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 7 August 1734 – 20 July 1755 Her Serene Highness Maria Anna Josepha, Princess of Bavaria, Duchess of Bavaria
• 20 July 1755 – 22 October 1761 Her Serene Highness The Margravine of Baden-Baden
• 22 October 1761 – 7 May 1776 Her Serene Highness The Dowager Margravine of Baden-Baden

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} van de Pas, Leo. "Maria Anna Josepha, Herzogin von Bayern, Prinzessin von Bayern". Genealogics .org. http://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00036417&tree=LEO. Retrieved 2010-07-02. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Ludwig Georg von Baden-Baden". Baden State Museum. http://www.tuerkenbeute.de/kun/kun_bio/LudwigGeorgSimpert_de.php. Retrieved 2010-06-29. 
3. ^ Bavaria later went to Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria (1777), a cousin of the Sulzbach line of the House of Wittelsbach

External links

Media related to Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria at Wikimedia Commons

See also

Duchess Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria House of Wittelsbach Born: 7 August 1734 Died: 7 May 1776
Royal titles
Vacant Title last held by Maria Anna of Schwarzenberg	Margravine consort of Baden-Baden 20 July 1755–22 October 1761	Succeeded by Marie Victoire d'Arenberg

Persondata
Name	Maria Anna Josepha Of Bavaria, Duchess
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 August 1734
Place of birth	Nymphenburg Palace, Munich
Date of death	7 May 1776
Place of death	Nymphenburg Palace, Munich