Maria Anna of Austria

Not to be confused with Maria Anna of Spain.
Maria Anna of Austria
Queen consort of Portugal
Tenure 27 October 1708 – 31 July 1750
Born (1683-09-07)7 September 1683
Linz, Austria
Died 14 August 1754(1754-08-14) (aged 70)
Ribeira Palace, Lisbon, Portugal
Spouse João V of Portugal
Issue Bárbara, Queen of Spain
Pedro, Prince of Brazil
José I
Pedro III
Full name
Maria Anna Josepha
House Habsburg
Father Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg
Signature

Maria Anna of Austria (Maria Anna Josepha; 7 September 1683 – 14 August 1754) was an Archduchess of Austria and Queen consort of Portugal. She was also Regent of Portugal from 1742 until 1750 during the illness of her husband King John V of Portugal.

Family

The Arrival of Maria Anna of Austria in Lisbon; Gottfried Stein, c. 1708.

Born Maria Anna Josepha, she was a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg. Maria Anna was a sister of Holy Roman Emperors Joseph I and Charles VI. Through her brother Charles, she was an aunt of Maria Theresa, Austria's first queen regnant.

Queen Consort of Portugal

On 27 October 1708 Maria Anna of Austria married John V, King of Portugal. She would cease to be the Queen Consort of Portugal on 31 July 1750, when her husband died. During her time as Queen Consort of Portugal, she acted as regent during times of her husband's illness.

Once she was head of her household, Maria Anna reformed her court and its customs to follow the traditions and costumes of the traditional Queens of Portugal.[1] Her greatest influence on the court, and Portuguese nobility as a whole, was the increase of segregation between men and women, as well as between servants and masters. Like John, Maria Anna had an exubrant taste, and this was best shown in her famous parties. Often lasting several days, she would invite the nobility from all over the country and hold a magnificent festival, often in concurrence with a saintly holiday, though religion played a small part in her parties.[2]

Regency

In 1742 Maria Anna took over power as regent after her husband suffered a stroke, which left him partially paralyzed. When John V died on 31 July 1750 she gave up power to their eldest son Joseph I of Portugal.

She died while in residence in the Palace of Belém in 1754.[3] After her death, she was buried in Lisbon, but her heart was brought to Vienna and buried there in the imperial crypt.

Marriage and children

On 27 October 1708 she married her maternal first cousin John V of Portugal to become Queen consort of Portugal. She was the mother of six children:

In Culture

Maria Anna, along with her husband and children, is a central character in José Saramago's novel Baltasar and Blimunda (1987).

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

See also

Maria Anna of Austria
Born: 7 September 1683 Died: 14 August 1754
Portuguese royalty
Preceded by
Maria Sofia of the Palatinate		 Queen consort of Portugal
27 October 1708 – 31 July 1750 		Succeeded by
Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain

References

  1. ↑ Nizza da Silva, p. 33.
  2. ↑ Nizza da Silva, p. 34.
  3. ↑ Vale, Teresa; Gomes, Carlos (1994). SIPA, ed. "Palácio Nacional de Belém" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico. Retrieved 18 July 2011.

Bibliography

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