Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Empress consort of Brazil
Queen consort of Portugal
Tenure1 December 1822 – 11 December 1826
Burial1954
Museu Paulista, São Paulo
SpousePeter I of Brazil
IssueMaria II of Portugal
Peter II of Brazil
Princess Francisca of Brazil
Januária Maria, Princess Imperial of Brazil
Names
Maria Leopoldina Josefa Carolina
HouseHouse of Habsburg-Lorraine
House of Braganza
FatherFrancis II, Holy Roman Emperor
MotherMaria Teresa of the Two Sicilies

Maria Leopoldina of Austria (Portuguese: Maria Leopoldina da Áustria; German: Erzherzogin Maria Leopoldine von Österreich) (22 January 1797 – 11 December 1826) was Empress consort of Brazil, and, for two months, simultaneously Queen consort of Portugal.

She was born in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, and his second wife, Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies. Among her many siblings were Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria and Archduchess Marie Louise, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Marriage to Pedro I

In 1817 she sailed to Brazil to marry the future crown prince of Portugal, Dom Pedro of Alcântara. The Portuguese royal family had been living there in exile for ten years, as a result of the Napoleonic Wars. Leopoldine was highly cultured, fluent in six languages, and very interested in the natural sciences. In the years that followed she brought several researchers and biologists to her new homeland, starting with Johann Baptist von Spix, Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, and Johann Natterer, who accompanied her in 1817.

When his father, King João VI, returned to Lisbon in 1821, Dom Pedro chose to remain in Brazil with Leopoldina and their children. In 1822, Dom Pedro headed Brazil's declaration of independence from Portugal, and was crowned as the country's Emperor.

Empress of Brazil

Maria Leopoldina acting as Empress Regent meets with the Council of Ministers in 1822

Maria Leopoldina became Brazil's first Empress consort. She also played an important role on the Declaration of Independence process. On 2 September 1822, a new decree with demands from Lisbon arrived in Rio de Janeiro, while Prince Pedro was in São Paulo. Leopoldina, advised by José Bonifácio, and using her power as Princess Regent, met on 2 September 1822 with the Council of Ministers. She decided to send her husband the news along with a letter advising him to declare Brazil's independence and warned him, "The fruit is ready, it's time to harvest." Prince Pedro declared the country's independence upon receiving the letter, on 7 September 1822.

When his father died, on 10 March 1826, Pedro inherited the Portuguese throne as King Pedro IV, while remaining Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. Maria Leopoldina thus became both Empress consort of Brazil and Queen consort of Portugal. However, two months later, Pedro was forced to give up the Portuguese throne to his seven-year-old daughter Maria.

Children

Maria Leopoldina and Pedro had seven children before she died in 1826 following a miscarriage:

Titles and styles

Maria Leopoldina of Austria House of Habsburg-LorraineBorn: 22 January 1797 Died: 11 December 1826 Regnal titles New titleEmpire of Brazil established Empress consort of Brazil 1822 – 1826 Served alongside: Emperor Pedro I VacantTitle next held byAmélia of Leuchtenberg Preceded byCharlotte of Spain Queen consort of Portugal 26 March – 28 May 1826 Served alongside: King Pedro IV(= Emperor Pedro I of Brazil) Succeeded byAuguste de Beauharnais
Generations are numbered by male-line descent from Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. Later generations are included although Austrian titles of nobility were abolished and outlawed in 1919.
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  • * also an infanta of Spain
  • ** also an infanta of Spain and Portugal
  • ^ also a princess of Tuscany
  • # also a princess of Modena
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