Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria (1689–1743)

For the earlier archduchess, see Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589–1631).

Maria Magdalena
Archduchess of Austria
Born	26 March 1689 Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austrian Empire
Died	Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austrian Empire
Burial	Imperial Crypt, Vienna
Father	Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Eleonore Magdalene of the Palatinate

Maria Magdalena, Archduchess of Austria (Maria Magdalena Josefa; 26 March 1689 – 1 May 1743) was a daughter of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife Eleonore Magdalene of the Palatinate. She died unmarried.

Biography

Born at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna she was the ninth child of Emperor Leopold I and Eleonore Magdalene of the Palatinate. Shortly before the War of the Spanish Succession, there was the question of the new king of Spain, Philip V, marrying the archduchess, but Louis XIV was opposed to this match for political reasons, and the official reason given was that none of the archduchesses offered pleased his grandson. In 1708, her older sister Archduchess Maria Anna married John V of Portugal; plans for a second union between Austria and Portugal were discussed when Maria Magdalena was proposed as a bride for Infante Francis, Duke of Beja, brother of John V. Negotiations failed in the early stages and, as such, both candidates died unmarried. Again after the war the question of her becoming queen of Spain to replace the now deceased Luisa Maria of Savoy was floated. However, again it came to naught and Philip married Elisabeth Farnese instead.

After the failed marriage, she lived a life of seclusion and remained unmarried and died without issue. She had a close relationship to her niece Maria Theresa, the daughter of her brother Emperor Charles VI and future Empress and also with her sister Archduchess Maria Anna. She died of pneumonia at the age of 54. She was buried at the Imperial Crypts in Vienna.

Ancestors

Family of Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria (1689–1743)

16. Charles II of Austria               8. Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor                       17. Maria Anna of Bavaria               4. Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor                             18. William V, Duke of Bavaria               9. Maria Anna of Bavaria                       19. Renata of Lorraine               2. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor                                   20. Philip II of Spain               10. Philip III of Spain                       21. Anna of Austria               5. Maria Anna of Spain                             22. Charles II of Austria (= 16)               11. Margaret of Austria                       23. Maria Anna of Bavaria (= 17)               1. Maria Magdalena of Austria                                         24. Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuburg               12. Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg                       25. Anna of Jülich-Cleves-Berg               6. Philipp Wilhelm, Elector Palatine                             26. William V, Duke of Bavaria (= 18)               13. Magdalene of Bavaria                       27. Renata of Lorraine (= 19)               3. Eleonore Magdalena of the Palatinate                                   28. Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt               14. George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                       29. Magdalene of Brandenburg               7. Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt                             30. John George I, Elector of Saxony               15. Sophia Eleonore of Saxony                       31. Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 26 March 1689 – 1 May 1743 Her Imperial & Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria