- Maria Amalia of Saxony
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Maria Amalia of Saxony Maria Amalia wearing a Polish red jupeczka holding a portrait of her husband overlooking the crown of Naples, by an unknown artist Queen consort of Spain Tenure 10 August 1759 – 27 September 1760 Queen consort of Naples and Sicily Tenure 19 June 1738 – 10 August 1759 Spouse Charles III of Spain Issue Infanta Maria Josefa
Maria Luisa, Holy Roman Empress
Felipe, Duke of Calabria
Charles IV of Spain
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Infante Gabriel
Infante Antonio PascualFull name Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga House House of Bourbon
House of WettinFather Augustus III of Poland Mother Maria Josepha of Austria Born 24 November 1724
Dresden Castle, Dresden, GermanyDied 27 September 1760 (aged 35)
Buen Retiro Palace, Madrid, SpainBurial El Escorial, Spain Religion Roman Catholicism Maria Amalia of Saxony (Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga; 24 November 1724 – 27 September 1760) was a German princess from the House of Wettin and was the wife of Charles III of Spain; she was the Queen consort of Naples and Sicily from 1738 till 1759 and then Queen consort of Spain from 1759 until her death in 1760. A popular consort, she oversaw the construction of the Caserta Palace outside Naples as well as various other projects in her husbands domains. Moving to Spain in 1759, she then set about the improvements to the Royal Palace of Madrid but died before its completion. The mother of some thirteen children, she and her husband enjoyed a loving relationship/. She died of tuberculosis.
Contents
Biography
She was born at Dresden Castle in Dresden, the daughter of Augustus III of Poland, Elector of Saxony and Maria Josepha of Austria, herself daughter of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor. Her mother was the first cousin of Empress Maria Theresa. The infant was baptised with the names Maria Amalia Christina Franziska Xaveria Flora Walburga, but known as Maria Amalia. One of 15 children, she was the sister of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony, Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony wife of her cousin Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria; she was the older sister of Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony who was the mother of Louis XVI of France. Her youngest sister, Princess Kunigunde was a possible wife for the future Philippe Égalité.
Marriage
In 1737 Maria Amalia became engaged to the King of Naples and Sicily, the future Charles III of Spain. The marriage date was confirmed on 31 October 1737. In 1738, at the age of 14, Maria Amalia married Charles of Bourbon, then King of Naples and Sicily. Despite the fact that this was an arranged marriage, the couple was very close and had many children. Maria Amalia had a proxy ceremony at Dresden in May 1738 with her brother, Frederick Christian of Saxony representing Charles. This marriage was looked upon favourably by the Holy See and effectively meant the conclusion of the diplomatic disagreement Charles and the See had had.
The couple met for the first time on 19 June 1738 at Portella, a village on the frontier of the Kingdom near to Fondi.[1] At court, festivities lasted till 3 July when Charles created the Insigne e reale ordine di San Gennaro – the most prestigious order of Chivalry in the Kingdom. He later had the Order of Charles III created in Spain on 19 September 1771.
Maria Amalia was a very cultivated woman; she played an important role in the construction of the Caserta Palace for which she saw her husband lay the foundation stone for on his 26th birthday, 20 January 1752 amid much festivity; she also had much influence in the construction of the Palace of Portici (Reggia di Portici), the Teatro di San Carlo – constructed in just 270 days – the Palace of Capodimonte (Reggia di Capodimonte); her husband also had the Royal Palace of Naples renovated. Her apartments at Portici were home to the famous porcelain from the Capodimonte Porcelain Manufactory which she who introduced the production of Porcelain in Naples in 1743. She was also a heavy tobacco smoker. Maria Amalia was also a patron of the composer Gian Francesco Fortunati who was a favourite at the Neapolitan court.
At the end of 1758, Charles' half brother Ferdinand VI was displaying the same symptoms of depression that their father used to suffer from. Ferdinand lost his devoted wife, Infanta Barbara of Portugal in August 1758 and would fall into deep morning for her. He named Charles his heir on 10 December 1758 before leaving Madrid to stay at Villaviciosa de Odón where he died on 10 August 1759.
At that point Charles was proclaimed the King of Spain under the name of Charles III of Spain; in respect of the third Treaty of Vienna, which stated should he become King of Spain he would not be able to join them to the Neapolitan and Sicilian territories. He was later given the title of Lord of the Two Sicilies.
That same year they left Naples for Madrid, leaving two of their children behind in Caserta. Her third-surviving son became Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, while his elder brother Carlos was groomed in Spain to inherit the Spanish crown; their oldest brother, Infante Felipe, Duke of Calabria was mentally retarded and was thus taken out of the line of succession to any throne; he died quietly and forgotten in Portici where he had been born in 1747.
The right of succession to Naples and Sicily was reserved for her second son Prince Ferdinand of Naples and Sicily; Prince Ferdinand would stay in Italy while his parents were in Spain. In favour of that, Charles would abdicate on 6 October 1759, decreeing the final separation between the Spanish and Neapolitan crowns. Charles and his wife arrived in Barcelona on 7 October 1759.
In Spain her husband did much to improve the Spanish economy and helped give the country more of an identiy. Maria Amalia once again did much to improve the royal residences having them redecorated. She, along with her husband, helped with the founding of the luxury porcelain factory under the name Real Fábrica del Buen Retiro.
In September 1760, a year after arriving in Madrid, Maria Amalia died from tuberculosis at the Buen Retiro Palace outside the capital. She was buried at the Royal Crypt in El Escorial. She was joined by her devoted husband in 1788.
In 1761, Charles commissioned Giovanni Battista Tiepolo to paint frescoes for the Royal Palace in Madrid. In the Queen’s Antechamber, Tiepolo and his assistants painted the Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy. The frescos were painted from 1762–1766. Queen Maria Amalia appears surrounded by several of the gods of Greek mythology, including Apollo.[2]
Prince Ferdinand became King of Naples and Sicily, at only eight years old, under the name of Ferdinand IV of Naples and as Ferdinand III of Sicily; in order to consolidate the alliance with Austria, he was destined to marry an Archduchess of Austria. Charles left his son's education and care to a Regency Counsel which was composed of eight members. This counsel would govern the countries until the young king be 16 years old. The Archduchess came in the form of Maria Carolina of Austria. The two would have 18 children.
Her descendants include today's King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Archduke Otto of Austria, Prince Henri, Count of Paris along with The Prince Napoléon as well as the two pretenders to the throne of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro and the Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria.
Spanish Family of Maria Amalia in 1743 Issue
By Infante Carlos of Spain, Duke of Parma and Piacenza; King of Naples and Sicily; King of Spain (Real Alcázar de Madrid, Madrid, Kingdom of Spain, 20 January 1716 – Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Kingdom of Spain, 14 December 1788)
- Princess Maria Isabel (Portici, 6 September 1740 - Naples, 2 November 1742) died in childhood.
- Princess Maria Josefa (Portici, 20 January 1742 - Naples, 1 April 1742) died in childhood.
- Princess María Isabel Ana (Capodimonte, 30 April 1743 - Capodimonte, 5 March 1749) died in childhood.
- Princess María Josefa (Gaeta, 6 July 1744 - Madrid, 8 December 1801) remained unmarried.
- Princes Maria Luisa (Portici, 24 November 1745 - The Hofburg, 15 May 1792) married Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor and had issue.
- Prince Felipe, Duke of Calabria (Portici, 13 June 1747 - Portici, 19 September 1777) died unmarried.
- Charles IV of Spain (Portici, 11 November 1748 - Palazzo Barberini, 19 January 1819 married Maria Luisa of Parma and had issue.
- Princess Maria Teresa (Royal Palace of Naples, 2 December 1749 - Portici, 2 May 1750) died in childhood.
- Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (Naples, 12 January 1751 - Naples, 4 January 1825) married Maria Carolina of Austria and had issue
- Prince Gabriel (Portici, 11 May 1752 - Casita del Infante, 23 November 1788) married Infanta Mariana Vitória of Portugal and had issue.
- Princess Maria Ana (Portici, 3 July 1754 - Capodimonte, 11 May 1755) died in childhood.
- Prince Antonio Pascual (Caserta, 31 December 1755 - 20 April 1817 married Infanta Maria Amalia of Spain and had no issue.
- Prince Francisco (Caserta, 15 February 1757 - Aranjuez, 10 April 1771) died unmarried
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Styles of
Maria Amalia, Queen of Spain as consortReference style Her Majesty Spoken style Your Majesty Alternative style Ma'am Titles and styles
- 24 November 1724 – 17 January 1734 Her Highness Duchess Maria Amalia of Saxony
- 17 January 1734 – 19 June 1738 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Amalia of Saxony, Duchess in Saxony
- The change of style was due to her fathers accession as King of Poland thus making her a "princess" by rank but not by birth;
- 19 June 1738 – 10 August 1759 Her Majesty the Queen of Naples, Sicily and of Jerusalem, etc. Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and of Castro, etc.[3]
- 10 August 1759 – 27 September 1760 Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, the Queen of Naples, Sicily and of Jerusalem, etc. Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and of Castro, etc.
Ancestry
Ancestors of Maria Amalia of SaxonyReferences
- ^ Harold Acton, I Borboni di Napoli (1734–1825) , Florence, Giunti, 1997.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Liste des décrets sur le site du ministère de la Culture espagnole.
Maria Amalia of SaxonyBorn: 24 November 1724 Died: 27 September 1760Italian royalty Preceded by
Vacant
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-WolfenbüttelQueen Consort of Naples and Sicily
May 1738 – 10 August 1759Succeeded by
Vacant
Archduchess Maria Carolina of AustriaSpanish royalty Preceded by
Vacant
Infanta Barbara of PortugalQueen Consort of Spain
10 August 1759 – 27 September 1760Succeeded by
Vacant
Princess Maria Luisa of ParmaPrincesses of Saxony, duchesses in Saxony by birth The generations are numbered from the ascension of Frederick I as Elector of Saxony in 1423.1st generation Princess Katharina • Anna, Landgravine of Hesse • Katharina, Electress of Brandenburg2nd generation Amalia, Duchess of Bavaria-Landshut • Anna, Electress of Brandenburg • Margarete, Princess-Abbess of Seusslitz • Margaret, Electress of Brandenburg • Margarete, Countess of Glatz • Hedwig, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg3rd generation Christina, Queen of the Kalmar Union • Katharina, Archduchess of Further Austria • Margarete, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg • Princess Anna4th generation Princess Anna • Princess Agnes • Christine, Landgravine of Hesse • Magdalena, Electoral Princess of Brandeburg • Princess Margarete • Sibylle, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg • Marie, Duchess of Pomerania-Wolgast • Emilie, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach • Sidonie, Duchess of Brunswick-Kalenberg • Princess Margarete5th generation Anna, Princess of Orange • Princess Eleonore • Elisabeth, Countess Palatine Johann Casimir of Simmern • Princess Marie • Dorothea, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel • Princess Amalie • Anna, Duchess of Saxe-Eisenach6th generation Princess Anna Sabine • Sophie, Duchess of Pomerania • Princess Elisabeth • Dorothea, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg7th generation 8th generation Princess Sibylle Marie • Erdmuthe Sophie, Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth9th generation none10th generation none11th generation Maria Amalia, Queen of Spain* • Princess Maria Margaretha* • Maria Anna Sophia, Electress of Bavaria* • Maria Josepha, Dauphine of France* • Maria Christina, Abbess of Remiremont* • Princess Maria Elisabeth* • Maria Kunigunde, Abbess of Essen*12th generation Maria Amalia, Duchess of Zweibrücken • Princess Maria Anna • Princess Maria Theresia • Maria Christina, Princess of Carignan13th generation Princess Maria Augusta, "Infanta of Poland" • Princess Amalie • Princess Maria Ludovika • Maria Ferdinanda, Grand Duchess of Tuscany • Princess Maria Johanna • Princess Maria Theresia • Maria Anna, Grand Duchess of Tuscany • Maria Josepha, Queen of Spain14th generation Princess Maria • Elisabeth, Duchess of Genoa • Princess Sidonia • Anna, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Tuscany • Margaretha, Archduchess Charles Louis of Austria • Sophie, Duchess Karl Theodor in Bavaria15th generation Princess Maria • Princess Elisabeth • Princess Mathilde • Maria Josepha, Archduchess Otto Francis of Austria16th generation Princess Maria • Margarete Karola, Princess of Hohenzollern • Maria Alix, Princess of Hohenzollern-Emden • Anna, Archduchess Joseph Francis of Austria17th generation Princess Maria Josepha • Anna de Afif, Princess of Gessaphe • Mathilde, Princess John Henry of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha18th generation Princess Iris,19th generation none20th generation none* princes royal of Poland and LithuaniaInfantas of Spain by marriage 1st generation 2nd generation none3rd generation 4th generation none5th generation none6th generation none7th generation Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans · Infanta Barbara of Portugal · Princess Maria Amalia of Saxony · Princess Louise Élisabeth of France8th generation Princess Maria Luisa of Parma · Infanta Mariana Victoria of Portugal · Infanta Maria Amalia of Spain* · Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria9th generation Princess Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily · Infanta Maria Francisca of Portugal · Infanta Teresa of Portugal, Princess of Beira · Princess Luisa Carlotta of Naples and Sicily10th generation Princess Maria Carolina of the Two Sicilies · Archduchess Maria Beatrix of Austria-Este · Isabella II of Spain* · Infanta Maria Cristina of Spain* · Princess Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies · Princess Maria Teresa of Savoy11th generation Infanta Eulalia of Spain* · Princess Margherita of Parma · Princess Louise Marie Thérèse of France · Berthe de Rohan · Infanta Maria das Neves of Portugal12th generation Princess Louise of Orléans · Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies · Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal13th generation Princess Mercedes of the Two Sicilies · Princess Alicia of Parma14th generation 15th generation *also an Infanta in her own right
**did not have a royal or noble title by birth but was admitted as InfantaCategories:- Royal consorts of Naples
- Royal consorts of Sicily
- Spanish royal consorts
- House of Wettin
- People from Dresden
- 1724 births
- 1760 deaths
- Deaths from tuberculosis
- Infectious disease deaths in Spain
- House of Bourbon (Spain)
- Polish princesses
- Smallpox survivors
- Burials in the Pantheon of Kings at El Escorial
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