Maria II of Portugal

"Maria II" redirects here. For other uses, see Mary II.

For other people of the same name, see Maria of Portugal.

Maria II
Queen of Portugal and the Algarves (first time)
Reign	28 May 1826 – 23 June 1828
Predecessor	Pedro IV
Successor	Miguel
Queen of Portugal and the Algarves (second time)
Reign	26 May 1834 – 1853
Predecessor	Miguel
Successor	Pedro V
Duchess of Braganza
Reign	24 September 1834— 28 May 1826
Predecessor	Miguel I
Successor	Pedro II
Spouse	Auguste, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg Ferdinand II of Portugal
among others... Issue
Pedro V of Portugal Luís of Portugal Infante João, Duke of Beja Infanta Maria Ana Infanta Antónia, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen Infante Ferdinand Infante Augusto, Duke of Coimbra
Full name
Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga
House	House of Braganza
Father	Peter IV of Portugal
Mother	Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Born	4 April 1819(1819-04-04) São Cristóvão Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	15 November 1853(1853-11-15) (aged 34) Necessidades Palace, Lisbon, Portugal
Burial	Braganza Pantheon, Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, Lisbon, Portugal
Religion	Roman Catholic

Maria II (Rio de Janeiro, 4 April 1819 – Lisbon, 15 November 1853) was Queen regnant of Portugal from 1826 to 1828 and later from 1834 to 1853. She was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves. She was a member of the House of Braganza.

Life

Maria as Queen

Born Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga, Maria da Glória was the daughter of the future King of Portugal and first Emperor of Brazil, Pedro IV and I and his first wife Maria Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria, herself a daughter of Emperor Francis II. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Maria is the only European monarch to have been born outside of Europe.

When Maria's grandfather King John VI died in March 1826, there was a succession crisis in Portugal. The king had a male heir, Peter, but Peter had proclaimed the independence of Brazil in 1822 and he was then Emperor Peter I of that country. The late king also had a younger son, Miguel, but he was exiled in Austria after leading a number of revolutions against his father and his liberal regime.

Before his death, the king had nominated his favourite daughter, Isabel Maria, to serve as regent until "the legitimate heir returned to the Kingdom" — but he had failed to specify which of his sons was the legitimate heir: Peter, the liberal Emperor of Brazil, or Miguel, the absolutist exiled prince?

Most people considered Peter to be the legitimate heir, but nobody wanted him to unite Portugal and Brazil's thrones again. The European country had been under Brazilian rule when both were part of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, established by King John VI during his stay in Rio de Janeiro from 1808 until 1820. Aware that his brother's supporters were ready to bring Miguel back and put him in the throne, Peter decided for a more consensual option; he abdicated the throne to his eldest daughter, Maria da Glória (who was only seven years old), and she should marry her uncle Miguel, who should accept the liberal constitution and act as a regent until his niece was an adult.

Maria II of Portugal.

Miguel pretended to accept, but when he arrived in Portugal he deposed Maria and proclaimed himself King, abrogating the liberal constitution in the process. During his reign of terror, Maria traveled to many European courts, including her grandfather's in Vienna, as well as London and Paris.

Peter abdicated the Brazilian throne in 1831 in favor of his son (and Maria's younger brother, Pedro II), and from his base in the Azores he attacked Miguel, forcing him to abdicate in 1834. Maria was thereupon restored to the throne, and obtained an annulment of her betrothal.

On 26 January 1835 she married, at the age of fifteen, Auguste, Duke of Leuchtenberg, son of Eugène de Beauharnais, and grandson of Empress Josephine. However, he died only two months later on 28 March 1835.

On 1 January 1836 Maria married the cultured and able Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He received the title of King consort in 1837, in accordance with Portuguese custom, upon the birth of their first child Peter, an heir to the throne.

In 1842, Pope Gregory XVI presented Maria with a Golden Rose.

Maria's reign saw a revolutionary insurrection on 16 May 1846, but this was crushed by royalist troops on 22 February 1847, and Portugal otherwise avoided the European upheavals of 1848. Maria's reign was also notable for a public health act aimed at curbing the spread of cholera throughout the country. She also pursued policies aimed at raising the levels of education throughout the country.

After constant pregnancies and births, doctors warned Maria of the dangers of giving birth nearly every year. However, she ignored the risks that had killed her mother, who had died of complications following a miscarriage after many births; "If I die, I die at my post", Maria said. In 1853 she died while giving birth to her eleventh child, Prince Eugene, who also died.

Maria II is remembered as a good mother and a kind person, who always acted according to her convictions in the attempt to help her country. She was later given the surname "The Good Mother."

Marriages and issue

Maria first married Auguste Charles, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg, son of Eugène de Beauharnais, grandson of Empress Josephine, who died soon after arriving in Portugal. She married again; her second husband was Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, son of Prince Ferdinand Georg August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Princess Maria Antonia Koháry de Csábrág.

Royal styles of Queen Maria II of Portugal
Reference style	Her Most Faithful Majesty
Spoken style	Your Most Faithful Majesty
Alternative style	Ma'am

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Auguste de Beauharnais			Married in 1835
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha			Married on 9 April 1836
Pedro V	16 December 1837	11 November 1861	Succeeded his mother as Peter V, the 31st (or, according to some, 32nd) King of Portugal.
Luís I	31 October 1838	19 October 1889	Succeeded his brother, Pedro, as the 32nd (or, according to some, 33rd) King of Portugal.
Infanta Maria	4 October 1840		Stillborn daughter.
Infante João	16 March 1842	27 December 1861	Duke of Beja
Infanta Maria Ana	21 August 1843	5 February 1884	Married King George of Saxony and was the mother of King Frederick August III of Saxony.
Infanta Antónia	17 February 1845	27 December 1913	Married Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern and was the mother of King Ferdinand I of Romania.
Infante Fernando of Portugal	23 July 1846	6 November 1861	Died of cholera at age 15.
Infante Augusto	4 November 1847	26 September 1889	Duke of Coimbra
Infante Leopoldo	7 May 1849		Stillborn son.
Infanta Maria da Glória	3 February 1851		Died some hours after her birth.
Infante Eugénio	15 November 1853		Died some hours after the death of his mother.

Ancestry

See also

• War of the Two Brothers

Maria II of Portugal House of Braganza Cadet branch of the House of Aviz Born: 4 April 1819 Died: 15 November 1853
Regnal titles
Preceded by Pedro IV	Queen of Portugal and the Algarves 1826 – 1828	Succeeded by Miguel (usurper)
Preceded by Miguel (usurper)	Queen of Portugal and the Algarves 1834 – 1853 with Ferdinand II (1836 - 1853)	Succeeded by Pedro V
Brazilian royalty
New title	Princess Imperial of Brazil 12 October 1822 – 2 December 1825	Succeeded by Prince Pedro
Preceded by Prince Pedro	Princess Imperial of Brazil 7 April 1831 – 30 October 1835	Succeeded by Januária Maria
New title	Princess of Grão-Pará 2 December 1825 – 2 May 1826	Vacant Title next held by Prince Pedro de Alcântara
Portuguese royalty
New title	Duchess of Porto 4 April 1833 – 31 October 1838	Succeeded by Luís

Persondata
Name	Maria 02 Of Portugal
Alternative names
Short description	Queen of Portugal
Date of birth	4 April 1819
Place of birth	São Cristóvão Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date of death	15 November 1853
Place of death	Necessidades Palace, Lisbon, Portugal