Maria Leopoldina Josepha Caroline of Habsburg, archduchess of Austria,was born in 1797 in Vienna, Austria. She was the daughter of Francis II,Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Bourbon-TwoSicilies. Among her many siblings were Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria andMarie Louise, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
In 1817 she married Peter, heir to the throne of Portugal. Leopoldine wasvery cultured, and she took many researchers and biologists (includingJohann Natterer) with her to Brazil, where the Portuguese Court lived inexile during the Napoleonic Wars.
Leopoldine gave Peter 7 children:
Queen Maria II da Glória of Portugal, following Peter's devotion to OurLady of Glória
Michael (1820)
John Charles (1821-1822)
Januária (1822-1901), named after the city of Rio de Janeiro, marriedPrince Louis of Two Sicilies (b.1824-d.1897), son of King Francis I ofthe Two Sicilies.
Paula Mariana (1823-1833)
Frances Caroline (1824-1898) married François d'Orleans, prince ofJoinville (1818-1900), son of Louis-Philippe King of the French.
Emperor Pedro II of Brazil (1825-1891), marriedPrincess Teresa of the TwoSicilies(b.1822-d.1889), the youngest daughter of King Francis I of theTwo Sicilies.
She died in 1826, after a miscarriage.
The biggest railway station in Rio de Janeiro, is named ImperatrizLeopoldina after her.
Leopoldine Caroline Habsburg |
Date of Import: Aug 2, 2004