Princess Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies
Encyclopedia
Princess Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies (Maria Antonia Anna; 19 December 1814 – 7 November 1898) was Grand Duchess of Tuscany
from 1833 to 1859 as the consort of Leopold II
. As other women of her family, she was always called Maria Antonietta, a more common and graceful form of Maria Antonia, and she always signed with this name.
on 19 December 1814, daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
and his wife Maria Isabella of Spain
, she was baptised Maria Antonia in honor of Marie Antoinette
, deceased sister of her grandmother Maria Carolina of Austria
.
When she was born, the Neapolitan court had already moved to Sicily because Napoleonic troops have invaded the Continental part of the Reign. After few months the Royal Family could return to Naples
thanks to the Congress of Vienna
.
She was particularly close to her brother the future Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
who affectionately dubbed her Totò. She was also close to her sister in law, Maria Christina of Savoy
who came to the court in 1832.
, who was seventeen years older. They were first cousins because Francis I
, Maria Antonia's father, and Princess Luisa of Naples, Leopold's mother, were both children of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
and Maria Carolina of Austria
. Marie Antoinette and Leopold had ten children:
On 27 April, at four o'clock, in front of the enraged mob on Florence streets and of troops rebellion, Leopold II left Palazzo Pitti
by chariot, getting out through Boboli door, heading toward Bologna
. He had just refused to abdicate in favour of his son Ferdinand.
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Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
from 1833 to 1859 as the consort of Leopold II
Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Leopold II of Tuscany was the last reigning grand duke of Tuscany ....
. As other women of her family, she was always called Maria Antonietta, a more common and graceful form of Maria Antonia, and she always signed with this name.
Biography
Maria Antonia was born at the Royal Palace of PalermoPalazzo dei Normanni
The Palazzo dei Normanni or Royal Palace of Palermo is a palace in Palermo, Italy. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and served afterwards as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily...
on 19 December 1814, daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
and his wife Maria Isabella of Spain
Maria Isabella of Spain
María Isabella of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the Queen of the Two Sicilies. She was the second wife of Francis I and the youngest surviving daughter of the Spanish king Charles IV and his consort Maria Luisa of Parma...
, she was baptised Maria Antonia in honor of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, deceased sister of her grandmother Maria Carolina of Austria
Maria Carolina of Austria
Maria Carolina of Austria was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV & III. As de facto ruler of her husband's kingdoms, Maria Carolina oversaw the promulgation of many reforms, including the revocation of the ban on Freemasonry, the enlargement of the navy under her...
.
When she was born, the Neapolitan court had already moved to Sicily because Napoleonic troops have invaded the Continental part of the Reign. After few months the Royal Family could return to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
thanks to the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
.
She was particularly close to her brother the future Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
who affectionately dubbed her Totò. She was also close to her sister in law, Maria Christina of Savoy
Maria Christina of Savoy
Maria Cristina of Savoy was the first Queen consort of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies...
who came to the court in 1832.
Marriage and issue
In 1833, when she was eighteen, Maria Antonia married Leopold II, Grand Duke of TuscanyLeopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Leopold II of Tuscany was the last reigning grand duke of Tuscany ....
, who was seventeen years older. They were first cousins because Francis I
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
, Maria Antonia's father, and Princess Luisa of Naples, Leopold's mother, were both children of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I reigned variously over Naples, Sicily, and the Two Sicilies from 1759 until his death. He was the third son of King Charles III of Spain by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. On 10 August 1759, Charles succeeded his elder brother, Ferdinand VI, as King Charles III of Spain...
and Maria Carolina of Austria
Maria Carolina of Austria
Maria Carolina of Austria was Queen of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand IV & III. As de facto ruler of her husband's kingdoms, Maria Carolina oversaw the promulgation of many reforms, including the revocation of the ban on Freemasonry, the enlargement of the navy under her...
. Marie Antoinette and Leopold had ten children:
- Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria. Married her maternal uncle Prince Francis, Count of TrapaniPrince Francis, Count of TrapaniFrancis of the Two Sicilies, Count of Trapani was a member of the House of the Two Sicilies.-Family:...
, youngest son of Francis I of the Two SiciliesFrancis I of the Two Sicilies-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
and Maria Isabella of SpainMaria Isabella of SpainMaría Isabella of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the Queen of the Two Sicilies. She was the second wife of Francis I and the youngest surviving daughter of the Spanish king Charles IV and his consort Maria Luisa of Parma...
. - Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of TuscanyFerdinand IV, Grand Duke of TuscanyFerdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany was the last Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1859 to 1860. The House of Habsburg-Lorraine continued to hold the title as pretenders until the end of World War I.-Biography:...
(10 June 1835 – 17 January 1908). - Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (29 June 1836 – 5 August 1838).
- Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (5 February 1838 – 1 September 1849).
- Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria, Prince of TuscanyArchduke Karl Salvator of AustriaArchduke Karl Salvator of Austria, in Italian Carlo Salvatore Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Battista Filippo Jacopo Gennaro Lodovico Gonzaga Raniero, in German Karl Salvator Maria Joseph Johann Baptist Philipp Jakob Januarius Ludwig Gonzaga Ranier , was a member of the Tuscan branch of the House of...
(30 April 1839 – 18 January 1892). He married Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1844–1899)Princess Maria Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was fifth child and second-eldest daughter of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria...
, second daughter of Ferdinand II of the Two SiciliesFerdinand II of the Two SiciliesFerdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. - Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (9 June 1840 – 13 August 1841).
- Archduke Rainer of Austria, Prince of Tuscany (1 May 1842 – 14 August 1844).
- Archduchess Maria Louisa of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (31 October 1845 – 27 August 1917). Married Karl, Prince of Isenburg. Her husband was a grandson of Karl, last sovereign Prince of IsenburgIsenburgIsenburg was a region of Germany located in southern present-day Hesse, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau , which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern...
. - Archduke Louis Salvator of Austria, Prince of Tuscany (4 August 1847 – 12 October 1915).
- Archduke Johann Salvator of Austria, Prince of Tuscany (25 November 1852 – reported lost at sea in 1890). There was speculation of his survival under an alias (Johann Orth).
Honours
In her honour were baptised in Florence the Piazza Maria Antonia – today Piazza dell'Indipendeza (Independence Square), the railway line Maria Antonia and the homonym station, now called Firenze Santa Maria Novella.The Revolution
On April 1859, before the Franco-Piedmont war against Austria, Leopold II proclaimed neutrality, but the Grand Ducal government was already near the end: people used vulgar insults towards the Grand Duchess and the troops gave signs of insubordination.On 27 April, at four o'clock, in front of the enraged mob on Florence streets and of troops rebellion, Leopold II left Palazzo Pitti
Palazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio...
by chariot, getting out through Boboli door, heading toward Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. He had just refused to abdicate in favour of his son Ferdinand.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 19 December 1814 – 12 December 1816 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily
- 12 December 1816 – 7 June 1833 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Antonia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
- 7 June 1833 – 21 July 1859 Her Imperial and Royal Highness the Most Serene Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Archduchess of Austria, etc.
- 21 July 1859 – 7 November 1898 Her Imperial and Royal Highness the Most Serene Dowager Grand Duchess of Tuscany
External links
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