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| Maria Theresa of Austria | |||||
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 Queen Maria Theresa in 1837 | |||||
| Queen consort of the Two Sicilies | |||||
| Tenure | 27 January 1837 – 22 May 1859 | ||||
| Born | (1816-07-31)31 July 1816 Vienna,Austrian Empire | ||||
| Died | 8 August 1867(1867-08-08) (aged 51) Albano Laziale,Papal States | ||||
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| House | Habsburg-Lorraine | ||||
| Father | Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen | ||||
| Mother | Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg | ||||
Maria Theresa of Austria (31 July 1816 – 8 August 1867) was the second wife of KingFerdinand II of the Two Sicilies, making herQueen of the Two Sicilies. She was the eldest daughter ofArchduke Charles, Duke of Teschen andPrincess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg.
Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria was born on 31 July 1816 inVienna,Austria. She was the eldest child ofArchduke Charles, Duke of Teschen andPrincess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg. Maria Theresa spent her youth with her parents and siblings in the family home.[1]
Shortly before her marriage, Maria Theresa served as Princess-Abbess of theTheresian Institution of Noble Ladies inPrague Castle from 1834-1835.[2]
In 1836, KingFerdinand II of the Two Sicilies lost his first wife,Maria Cristina of Savoy in childbirth;[3] they had one son, the futureFrancis II,[4] last king of the Two Sicilies.
Maria Theresa had met her future husband in July 1837, when Ferdinand had traveled to Vienna to reassure the Austrian government of his support for the conservative cause.[1] Their engagement was kept a secret until December, and they married in January of the next year.[1]
Queen Maria Theresa was described as badly dressed and did not answer to the ideal image of a regal person.[citation needed] She disliked her public role and life at court, and preferred to confine herself in her private rooms dedicated to needlework and her children.[citation needed]
She had a good relationship with both her spouse and her stepsonFrancis: her stepson respected her and she used to demonstratively call him her son. Maria Theresa was interested in politics; she is known to have acted as the king's advisor and to have influenced him to be strict, and when she could not be present at the reception of officials and wished to hear the conversation, she listened to the talk behind the door.
She nursed Ferdinand on his deathbed.
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At the death of her spouse in 1859, she intended to continue her political activity by being the advisor to her stepson Francis, who was the new monarch. Francis was willing, and her authoritarian policy has been considered to contribute to the public discontent which led to the abolishment of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Francis' spouseDuchess Maria Sophia in Bavaria, however, disputed her influence and Francis had a difficult position in the conflict between his wife and stepmother, without being able to satisfy either. Maria Sophia informed Francis about a plot created by Maria Theresa with the attempt to put the biological son of Maria Theresa on the throne, but Francis chose to believe Maria Theresa when she swore her innocence. It was not until the revolts against the monarchy had already begun that Francis decided to listen to the advice of his wife rather than his stepmother.
It was first believed that Maria Theresa would take up exile in Vienna,[4] however, she was among the first to leave Naples during the revolt: first toGaeta with her children and advisors, and then to Rome. She resided in the same palace that Francis and Maria Sophia would use when they arrived. She died fromcholera, nursed by her stepson Francis, who mourned her greatly.
Maria Theresa gave birth to twelve children,[1] but only seven of them lived to mature adulthood:
| Children | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodovico, Count of Trani | 1 August 1838 | 8 June 1886 | MarriedMathilde Ludovika, Duchess in Bavaria, sister ofEmpress Elisabeth of Austria. Their only daughter,Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, marriedPrince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. |
| Alberto, Count of Castrogiovanni | 17 September 1839 | 12 July 1844 | Died in childhood. |
| Alfonso, Count of Caserta | 28 March 1841 | 26 May 1934 | Married his first cousinPrincess Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and had issue. The current lines of Bourbon-Two Sicilies descend from him. |
| Maria Annunciata of the Two Sicilies | 24 March 1843 | 4 May 1871 | MarriedArchduke Karl Ludwig of Austria. |
| Maria Immaculata of the Two Sicilies | 14 April 1844 | 18 February 1899 | MarriedArchduke Karl Salvator of Austria, Prince of Tuscany. |
| Gaetano, Count of Girgenti | 12 January 1846 | 26 November 1871 | In 1868, he marriedIsabel, Infanta of Spain (eldest daughter of QueenIsabella II of Spain) and was created Infante of Spain. |
| Giuseppe, Count of Lucera | 4 March 1848 | 28 September 1851 | Died in childhood. |
| Maria Pia of the Two Sicilies | 21 August 1849 | 29 September 1882 | MarriedRobert I, Duke of Parma. |
| Vincenzo, Count of Melazzo | 26 April 1851 | 13 October 1854 | Died in childhood. |
| Pasquale, Count of Bari | 15 September 1852 | 21 December 1904 | Married morganatically to Blanche Marconnay. |
| Maria Louisa of the Two Sicilies | 21 January 1855 | 23 August 1874 | MarriedPrince Henry of Bourbon-Parma, Count of Bardi. Died in adolescence, no issue. |
| Gennaro, Count of Caltagirone | 28 February 1857 | 13 August 1867 | Died in childhood. |
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Media related toMaria Theresa of Austria (1816–1867) at Wikimedia Commons.
Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of the Two Sicilies Born: 31 July 1816 Died: 8 August 1867 | ||
| Italian royalty | ||
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| Vacant Title last held by Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy | Queen consort of the Two Sicilies 27 January 1837 – 22 May 1859 | Succeeded by |
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