Maria Francisca of Savoy

Maria Francisca of Savoy
Queen of Portugal
Consort	1666–1668 1683
Spouse	Afonso VI Peter II
Issue
Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira
Father	Charles Amédée, Duke of Nemours
Mother	Élisabeth de Bourbon
Born	21 June 1646(1646-06-21) Hôtel de Nemours, Paris, France
Died	27 December 1683(1683-12-27) (aged 37) Palhavã, Lisbon, Portugal

Maria Francisca of Savoy (Marie Françoise Élisabeth; 21 June 1646 – 27 December 1683) was a Princess of Savoy and the Queen of Portugal. She was the younger daughter of Charles Amadeus, Duke of Nemours, and Élisabeth de Bourbon. Marie Françoise was the consort of two Portuguese kings. She first became Queen of Portugal at the age of 20, on the day of her marriage to Afonso VI of Portugal. Her husband was paralysed on his left side and mentally unstable. The marriage was never consummated, and she divorced him. On 28 March 1668, she married Afonso's brother, Infante Pedro, Duke of Beja, who was appointed prince regent the same year due to Afonso's perceived incompetence. The king was exiled for seven years and died in 1683 shortly after returning to Portugal. Maria Francisca became Queen of Portugal for the second time when Peter succeeded his brother as Peter II in 1683. She died later that year.

Her only child, Infanta Isabel Luísa, died unmarried, aged 22. Peter remarried to Maria Sofia of the Palatinate, who produced the much-needed heir, the future John V.

Family

Marie Françoise Élisabeth de Savoie was a great-granddaughter of Henry IV of France and his mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées. Her only surviving sibling was Marie Jeanne of Savoy. Prior to marriage she was styled as Mademoiselle d'Aumale derived from the duchy of Aumale which was a property of her father.

First marriage

In need of support from Portugal against their mutual enemy Spain, the King of France, Louis XIV, arranged a marriage between Marie Françoise, an important member of the French nobility, and the recently crowned Portuguese king, Afonso VI, an ill young man who was paralysed on his left side and mentally unstable.

Marie Françoise departed from La Rochelle aboard the Vendôme. When in Lisbon she was deeply disappointed by her fate. Notwithstanding, the wedding took place on 2 August 1666. She was known in Portugal as Maria Francisca Isabel de Sabóia. She fomented a palace coup that ended the government of Luís de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 3rd Count of Castelo Melhor.

In Portugal she was known as Maria Francisca Isabella. As the Portuguese Restoration War continued, the incapable King Afonso VI's rule was influenced by ambitious members of the nobility. Queen Marie Françoise jointly with his younger brother Infante Peter conducted a revolt forcing the King to abdicate his powers and consent to a practical exile in Terceira in the Azores. She was revolted at her impotent and fat husband King Afonso, and after sixteen months of an unconsummated marriage, had it annulled.

Second marriage

Months afterward she married Prince Peter, now the Prince Regent. In 1669 she gave birth to a daughter, Isabel Luísa Josefa of Portugal, Princess of Beira. The Braganza dynasty was at the brink of extinction, and Peter needed heirs, yet Marie Françoise was unable to produce further issue.

When Afonso died in 1683, Peter succeeded him as Peter II of Portugal and Marie Françoise became Queen again — and died in December of the same year.

She was first buried at the Convent of the Francesinhas, and then moved in 1912 to the Braganza's (or National) Pantheon at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora.

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 21 June 1646 – 2 August 1666 Her Highness Mademoiselle d'Aumale
• 2 August 1666 – 21 December 1668 Her Majesty the Queen of Portugal and the Algarves
• 21 December 1668 – 2 April 1668 Dona Maria Francisca de Bragança
• 2 April 1668 – 12 September 1683 Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Beja
• 12 September 1683 – 27 December 1683 Her Majesty the Queen of Portugal and the Algarves

Preceded by Luisa of Medina-Sidonia	Queen Consort of Portugal 1666–1668	Succeeded by herself in her second marriage
Preceded by herself in her first marriage	Queen Consort of Portugal 12 September – 27 December 1683	Succeeded by Maria Sofia of the Palatinate

Persondata
Name	Nemours, Maria Francisca of
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	21 June 1646
Place of birth	Paris
Date of death	27 December 1683
Place of death	Lisbon