Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, Queen of Sardinia

Not to be confused with Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Sardinia.

For other people named Maria Theresa of Austria, see Maria Theresa of Austria (disambiguation).

Maria Theresa of Austria-Este
Queen consort of Sardinia
Tenure	4 June 1802 – 12 March 1821
Born	(1773-11-01)1 November 1773 Royal Palace of Milan, Milan
Died	Geneva, Switzerland
Burial	Basilica of Superga, Turin
Spouse	Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Issue among others...	Maria Beatrice, Duchess of Modena Maria Teresa, Duchess of Parma Maria Anna, Empress of Austria Maria Cristina, Queen of the Two Sicilies
Full name Maria Theresia Josefa Johanna
House	House of Austria-Este (by birth) House of Savoy (by marriage)
Father	Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
Mother	Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (Maria Theresia Josefa Johanna; 1 November 1773 – 29 March 1832) was born an Archduchess of Austria and a Princess of Modena. She was later Queen of Sardinia as consort of Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia.

Family and infancy

She was born at the Royal Palace of Milan, a daughter of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, governor of Milan and son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria after whom she was named. Her mother was Maria Beatrice d'Este, heiress to the Duchy of Modena.

Marriage

Maria Theresa married on 25 April 1789 at the age of 15 with the 29-year-old Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta future King Victor Emmanuel I. Their relationship was a happy one.
She was a good friend of Marie Clotilde of France, the childless consort of Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont. She was also close to the Duchess of Chablais. At the time of her marriage, her spouse was the Duke of Aosta as such she was styled as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Aosta till she became Queen. The couple had six daughters and one son, who died young. Upon the invasion of Savoy by Napoleon in 1798, she left with her family first to Tuscany and then to Sardinia.

After the abdication of Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia in 1802, Maria Theresa became queen consort, but she had to wait on the island of Sardinia for the end of the war in 1814 to return to the capital Turin. Maria Theresa was initially enthusiastically welcomed in Turin, but she soon aroused great discontent among the public. She was accused of wishing to undermine and abolish so much as possible of the reforms initiated during the French occupation, and was additionally said to treat all whom cooperated with the French with contempt. Her conduct has been suggested as one of the reasons behind the discontent which led to the rebellions of 1821 which led to her consort's abdication. After the outbreak of a liberal revolution in 1821, her husband Victor Emmanuel abdicated in favor of his brother, Charles Felix. During the riots, she declared herself willing to assume regency if necessary. Instead, she followed her abdicated spouse to Nice.

Maria Theresa survived Victor Emmanuel by eight years. She was accused of having tried to convince her childless brother-in-law Charles Felix to assign Francis IV, duke of Modena (her brother and the husband of her eldest daughter Maria Beatrice), as heir to the throne. Due to the hostility directed toward her, she was not allowed to return to Turin until 1831. She was buried in the Basilica of Superga.

Issue

Maria Theresa with her husband and their daughters Maria Anna, Maria Teresa and Maria Cristina.

1. Princess Maria Beatrice Victoria Josepha of Savoy (Maria Beatrice Vittoria Giuseppina; 6 December 1792 – 15 September 1840), married Francis IV, Duke of Modena, had issue.
2. Princess Maria Adelaide of Savoy (Maria Adelaide Clothilde Xaveria Borbonia; 1 October 1794 – 9 March 1802) died in infancy.
3. Prince Charles Emmanuel of Savoy (Carlo Emanuele; 3 September 1796 – 9 August 1799) died of smallpox.
4. A daughter (November 1800 – 10 January 1801) died in infancy.
5. Maria Teresa of Savoy (Maria Teresa Fernanda Felicitas Gaetana Pia; 19 September 1803 – 16 July 1879) married Charles II, Duke of Parma, had issue.
6. Princess Maria Anna of Savoy (Maria Anna Ricarda Carlotta Margherita Pia; 19 September 1803 – 4 May 1884) married Ferdinand I of Austria, no issue.
7. Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy (Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppina Gaetana Elise; 14 November 1812 – 21 January 1836) married Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, had issue.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Maria Theresa of Austria-Este

16. Charles V, Duke of Lorraine               8. Leopold, Duke of Lorraine                       17. Eleonora Maria of Austria               4. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor                             18. Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans               9. Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans                       19. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate               2. Archduke Ferdinand of Austria                                   20. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor               10. Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor                       21. Eleonore-Magdalena of Neuburg               5. Maria Theresa of Austria                             22. Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               11. Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel                       23. Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen               1. Maria Teresa of Austria-Este                                         24. Rinaldo d'Este, Duke of Modena               12. Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena                       25. Charlotte of Brunswick-Lüneburg               6. Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena                             26. Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans               13. Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans                       27. Françoise Marie de Bourbon, Legitimée de France               3. Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa                                   28. Carlo II Cibo-Malsapina, Duke of Massa               14. Alderano I Cibo-Malsapina, Duke of Massa                       29. Teresa Pamfili               7. Maria Teresa Cibo-Malsapina, Duchess of Massa                             30. Camillo III Gonzaga, Count of Novellara               15. Ricciardia Gonzaga                       31. Matilde d'Este

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 1 November 1773 - 25 April 1789 - Her Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este
• 25 April 1789 - 4 June 1802 - Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Aosta
• 4 June 1802 - 12 March 1821 - Her Majesty The Queen of Sardinia
• 12 March 1821 - 29 March 1832 - Her Majesty Queen Maria Theresa of Sardinia
  • Jacobite: 6 October 1819 - 10 January 1824 - Her Majesty The Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland
  • Jacobite: 10 January 1824 - 29 March 1832 - Her Majesty The Queen Dowager of England, Scotland and Ireland

Since the Empire of Austria was established in 1804, many years after Maria Theresa's marriage, she was never styled as an "Imperial and Royal Highness". Prior to 1804, members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine (previously Habsburg) were only entitled to "Royal Highness" as Archdukes or Archduchesses of Austria.

Further reading

• Festorazzi, Roberto. La regina infelice: Lettere d'amore segrete di Maria Teresa di Savoia. Milano: Mursia, 2002. ISBN 88-425-3060-3.
• Brigitte Hamann: Die Habsburger. Ein biographisches Lexikon. Verlag Carl Ueberreuter, Wien 1988, S. 345f.

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

See also

Maria Theresa of Austria-Este House of Austria-Este Born: 1 November 1773 Died: 29 March 1832
Italian royalty
Vacant Title last held by Marie Clotilde of France	Queen consort of Sardinia 4 June 1802 – 12 March 1821	Succeeded by Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily
Preceded by Louise of Stolberg-Gedern	— TITULAR — Queen consort of England Queen consort of Ireland Queen consort of Scotland 1819–1824 Reason for succession failure: Glorious Revolution	Vacant Title next held by Francis IV, Duke of Modena as Prince consort