Maria II of Portugal

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Maria II
Queen of Portugal and the Algarves
Reign	May 28, 1826 – June 23, 1828 May 26, 1834 – 1853
Full name	Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Áustria e Bragança
Born	April 4, 1819(1819-04-04)
Birthplace	São Cristóvão Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	November 15, 1853 (aged 34)
Place of death	Necessidades Palace, Lisbon, Portugal
Buried	Braganza Pantheon, Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, Lisbon, Portugal
Predecessor	Peter IV
Successor	Peter V
Consort	Auguste de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg Ferdinand II (Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha)
Issue	Prince Pedro, Duke of Braganza (future Pedro V) Infante Luís, Duke of Portugal (future Luís I) Infanta Maria Infante João, Duke of Beja Infanta Maria Ana, Princess of Saxony Infanta Antónia, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen Infante Fernando Infante Augusto, Duke of Coimbra Infante Leopoldo Infanta Maria da Glória Infante Eugénio
Royal House	Braganza
Father	Peter IV
Mother	Maria Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria

Maria II (April 4, 1819 – November 15, 1853) was Queen of Portugal from 1826 to 1853. She was the second Queen regnant of Portugal and the Algarves, and the 29th or 30th Portuguese monarch.

Contents 1 Life 2 Ancestors 3 Marriages and descendants 4 See also

[edit] Life

Born Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Áustria e Bragança, Maria da Glória was the daughter of the future King of Portugal and first Emperor of Brazil, Peter IV and his first wife Maria Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria, herself a daughter of Emperor Francis II.

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, Michael, 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 favorite 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 Michael, 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 the King John VI during his stay in Rio de Janeiro from 1808 until 1820. Aware that his brother's supporters were ready to bring Michael 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 Michael, who should accept the liberal constitution and act as a regent until his niece was an adult.

Michael 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, Peter II), and from his base in the Azores he attacked Michael, forcing him to abdicate in 1834. Maria was thereupon restored to the throne, and obtained an annulment of her marriage.

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. He died after two months on 28 March 1835.

On 1 January 1836 she married the cultured and able Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who ruled with her as a co-monarch. He received the title of King 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 gave Maria a Golden Rose.

Maria's reign saw a revolutionary insurrection on May 16, 1846, but this was crushed by royalist troops on February 22, 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 informed Maria of the dangers of giving birth to nearly one child per year. She ignored the risks that had killed her mother, who died of miscarriage; "If I die, I die in my post", Maria said. Finally she died while giving birth to Prince Eugene in 1853.

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."

[edit] Ancestors

16. John V of Portugal

8. Peter III of Portugal

17. Mary Anne of Austria

4. John VI of Portugal

18. Joseph I of Portugal

9. Maria I of Portugal

19. Mariana Victoria of Spain

2. Pedro I of Brazil

20. Charles III of Spain

10. Charles IV of Spain

21. Maria Amalia of Saxony

5. Charlotte of Spain

22. Philip, Duke of Parma

11. Maria Luisa of Parma

23. Princess Louise-Élisabeth of France

1. Maria II of Portugal

24. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor

12. Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor

25. Maria Theresa of Austria

6. Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor

26. Charles III of Spain (= 20)

13. Maria Louisa of Spain

27. Maria Amalia of Saxony (= 21)

3. Maria Leopoldina of Austria

28. Charles III of Spain (= 20)

14. Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies

29. Maria Amalia of Saxony (= 21)

7. Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies

30. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (= 24)

15. Marie Caroline of Austria

31. Maria Theresa of Austria (= 25)

[edit] Marriages and descendants

Maria first married Auguste Charles, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg, son of Eugène de Beauharnais, grandson of Empress Josephine, who died soon arriving in Portugal. She married again to Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, son of Ferdinand August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Maria Antoniette Gabrielle of Kohari.

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Auguste, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg (December 9, 1810-March 28, 1835; married in 1835)
By Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg- and Gotha (October 29, 1816-December 15, 1885; married on April 9, 1836)
Peter V	September 16, 1837	November 11, 1861	Who succeeded his mother as Peter V, the 31st (or according to some historians 32nd) King of Portugal.
Luís I	October 31, 1838	October 19, 1889	Who succeeded his brother Peter as the 32nd (or according to some historians 33rd) King of Portugal.
Infanta Maria	October 4, 1840	October 4, 1840
Infante João	March 16, 1842	December 27, 1861	Duke of Beja
Infanta Maria Ana	August 21, 1843	February 5, 1884	Married King George of Saxony and was mother of King Frederick August III of Saxony.
Infanta Antónia	February 17, 1845	December 27, 1913	Married Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern and was the mother of King Ferdinand I of Romania.
Infante Fernando	July 23, 1846	November 6, 1861	Died of cholera in 1861.
Infante Augusto	November 4, 1847	September 26, 1889	Duke of Coimbra.
Infante Leopoldo	May 7, 1849	May 7, 1849
Infanta Maria da Glória	February 3, 1851	February 3, 1851
Infante Eugénio	November 15, 1853	November 15, 1853

See also: List of Portuguese monarchs

[edit] 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 Peter IV	Queen of Portugal and the Algarves 1826 – 1828	Usurped by Michael
Reclaimed from Michael	Queen of Portugal and the Algarves 1834 – 1853 Ferdinand II (1836 - 1853)	Succeeded by Peter V

v • d • e Monarchs of Portugal House of Burgundy Afonso I • Sancho I • Afonso II • Sancho II • Afonso III • Denis • Afonso IV • Peter I • Ferdinand I • Beatrice (disputed) House of Aviz John I • Edward • Afonso V • John II • Afonso V • John II House of Aviz-Beja Manuel I • John III • Sebastian • Henry • Anthony House of Habsburg Philip I • Philip II • Philip III House of Braganza John IV • Afonso VI • Peter II • John V • Joseph I • Maria I with Peter III • John VI • Pedro IV • Maria II • Miguel • Maria II with Ferdinand II House of Braganza-Wettin Pedro V • Luís I • Carlos I • Manuel II

v • d • e The Brazilian Imperial Family Main Line Forefathers - John VI of Portugal  · Queen Charlotte (née Infanta of Spain) First generation - Emperor Pedro I  · Empress Leopoldina (née Archduchess of Austria)  · Empress Amélie (née Princess of Leuchtenberg) Second Generation - Emperor Pedro II  · Empress Teresa Cristina (née Princess of the Two Sicilies)  · Maria II of Portugal  · Januária, Princess Imperial of Brazil  · Princess Francisca of Brazil, Princess of Joinville Third generation - Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil  · Prince Gaston of Orléans, Count of Eu  · Princess Leopoldina of Brazil, Princess of Koháry Fourth generation - Prince Pedro de Alcantara of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Elisabeth of Orléans-Braganza (née Countess Dobrzensky)  · Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Maria Pia of Orléans-Braganza (née Princess of the Two Sicilies)  · Prince Antônio Gastão of Orléans-Braganza The Vassouras Branch Fifth generation - Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Maria Elisabeth of Orléans-Braganza (née Princess of Bavaria) Sixth generation - Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza  · Prince Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza  · Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Christine of Orléans-Braganza (née Princess of Ligne) Seventh generation - Prince Pedro Luís of Orléans-Braganza  · Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Amélia of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Maria Gabriela Fernanda of Orléans-Braganza The Petrópolis Branch Fifth generation - Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Isabel of Orléans-Braganza, Countess of Paris  · Princess Francisca of Orléans-Braganza  · Prince João of Orléans-Braganza Sixth generation - Prince Pedro Carlos of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Braganza  · Princess Cristina of Orléans-Braganza Seventh generation - Prince Pedro Thiago of Orléans-Braganza  · Prince Filipe of Orléans-Braganza