Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (governor)

Austrian royal

For other people called Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, see Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria.

Archduchess Maria Anna

Portrait by Johann Gottfried Auerbach, c. 1744

Born| (1718-09-18)18 September 1718
Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died| 16 December 1744(1744-12-16) (aged 26)
Brussels, Duchy of Brabant, Holy Roman Empire
Burial|

Imperial Crypt, Vienna, Austria

Spouse|

Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine

(m. 1744)​

| Names

Maria Anna Eleanor Wilhelmina Josepha of Austria
House| Habsburg
Father| Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother| Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick

Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (Maria Anna Eleonore Wilhelmine Josepha; 18 September 1718 – 16 December 1744) was a member of the House of Habsburg who governed the Austrian Netherlands in the name of her elder sister, Empress Maria Theresa.

## Life

[edit]

Maria Anna was born at the Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna. Her birth was not well received by her father. She and her sister Maria Theresa were the only children of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick to survive into adulthood. The two sisters were raised in the Imperial Court (Kaiserhof) in Vienna. During her youth she met her future brother in law, Francis Stephen of Lorraine and his younger brother Charles Alexander of Lorraine. The two princes were staying in Austria for their education; their mother Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans was in France.

Maria Anna with Archducal coronet by Frans van Stampart, c. 1725

In 1725, negotiations with the Queen of Spain, Elisabeth Farnese had Maria Anna as a possible wife of Philip, Duke of Parma, who was just five. This match was supposed to smooth over relations with Spain. An alliance of Spain and Austria was signed on 30 April 1725 and thus guaranteed the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, allowing Maria Theresa right of her father's lands being his eldest daughter. Based on the terms of the treaty, the Habsburg monarchy relinquished all claims to the Spanish throne. It also agreed that Spain would invade Gibraltar with the help of the Austrians. Despite this, the Anglo-Spanish War stopped the ambitions of Elisabeth of Parma and with the signing of the Treaty of Seville (9 November 1729) saw the abandonment of the Austro-Spanish marriage plans.

She fell in love with Charles Alexander of Lorraine, the younger brother of Maria Theresa's husband, Francis Stephen. There was considerable resistance to their marriage, not least the wish of her father for a politically more important son-in-law.

Maria Anna's husband-to-be was a half-second-cousin-once-removed, being a third generation descendant of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, through two of Ferdinand III's children, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and his half-sister Eleonora Maria of Austria.

### Governor of the Austrian Netherlands

[edit]

It was only after their father's death that Empress Elisabeth Christine gave the approval for the marriage, which was concluded in the Augustinian Church, Vienna on 7 January 1744. The marriage was recognised by letters patent signed on 8 January.

Archduchess Maria Anna in 1729,[1] by Andreas Møller. The flowers which she carries in the uplifted folds of her dress represent her fertility and expectations to bear children in adulthood.[2]

Weeks after the marriage, the couple was appointed governors of the Austrian Netherlands in succession of their aunt Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria, who had died in 1741. The couple left Vienna on 3 February and arrived in Wuustwezel, a town in the Austrian Netherlands, on 24 March where they were met by Count Karl Ferdinand von Königsegg-Erps. Karl Ferdinand was a member of the Supreme council of the Netherlands and had to receive Prince Charles and Maria Anna due to etiquette. Their arrival was greeted with much celebration. A ceremony had been organised for their arrival; this included a Te Deum and a collection of balls and banquets.

The couple only had two months of time together in the Netherlands, as Charles had to leave to participate in the war against Prussia, while Maria Anna, pregnant with their first child, remained in Brussels. Charles left officially on 4 May.

While alone in Brussels, Maria Anna was assisted in governing by the Austrian statesman Count Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg.

### Death

[edit]

On 9 October 1744 Maria Anna went into labour and gave birth to a stillborn daughter; she never recovered and died 16 December 1744 as after-effect to the difficult childbirth. She and her daughter were buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna. Charles Alexander never remarried, and would remain the governor until his death in 1780. He was a very popular governor and died in Brussels like his wife.

## Ancestry

[edit]

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Ancestors of Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (governor)[3]

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16\. Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor

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| 8\. Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|

|  |  |
| 17\. Maria Anna of Bavaria

| 4\. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|

|  |  |  |  |
| 18\. Philip III of Spain

| 9\. Maria Anna of Austria|

|  |  |
| 19\. Margaret of Austria

| 2\. Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 20\. Wolfgang William, Count Palatine of Neuburg

| 10\. Philip William, Elector Palatine|

|  |  |
| 21\. Magdalene of Bavaria

| 5\. Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg|

|  |  |  |  |
| 22\. George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

| 11\. Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt|

|  |  |
| 23\. Sophia Eleonore of Saxony

| 1\. Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 24\. Augustus II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

| 12\. Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|

|  |  |
| 25\. Dorothea of Anhalt-Zerbst

| 6\. Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|

|  |  |  |  |
| 26\. Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg

| 13\. Elisabeth Juliana of Holstein-Norburg|

|  |  |
| 27\. Eleanor of Anhalt-Zerbst

| 3\. Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 28\. Joachim Ernest, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen

| 14\. Albert Ernest I, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen|

|  |  |
| 29\. Anna Dorothea of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein

| 7\. Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen|

|  |  |  |  |
| 30\. Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg

| 15\. Christine Friederike of Württemberg|

|  |  |
| 31\. Anna Katherina of Salm-Kyrburg

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Iby, Elfriede: Maria Theresa, Biography of a Monarch Schönbrunn Palace 2009 ISBN 3-901568-57-3, p. 11.
2. ^ Levy, Allison Mary: Widowhood and visual culture in early modern Europe, Issue 7630 Ashgate Publishing Ltd. 2003 ISBN 0-7546-0731-3, p. 122.
3. ^ Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 3.

Political offices

Preceded by

Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau

|  Governor of the Austrian Netherlands
1744
Served alongside: Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine | Succeeded by

Charles Alexander of Lorraine

* v
* t
* e

House of Habsburg

Ferdinand II

| Spouse(s)|

* Maria Anna of Bavaria
* Eleonora Gonzaga

|

Children|

* Archduchess Christine
* Archduke Charles
* Archduke John Charles
* Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
* Archduchess Maria Anna
* Cecilia Renata, Queen of Poland
* Archduke Leopold Wilhelm

Armorial of the
Holy Roman Empire

Ferdinand III

| Spouse(s)|

* Infanta Maria Anna of Spain
* Archduchess Maria Leopoldine of Austria
* Eleonora Gonzaga

|

Children|

* Ferdinand IV, King of the Romans
* Mariana, Queen of Spain
* Archduke Philip August
* Archduke Maximilian Thomas
* Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
* Archduke Charles Joseph
* Archduchess Theresia Maria Josefa
* Eleonora Maria Josefa, Queen of Poland, Duchess of Lorraine
* Maria Anna Josepha, Electress Palatine
* Archduke Ferdinand Josef

Leopold I

| Spouse(s)|

* Infanta Margaret Theresa of Spain
* Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria
* Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg

|

Children|

* Archduke Ferdinand Wenze
* Maria Antonia, Electress of Bavaria
* Archduke Johann Leopold
* Archduchess aria Anna Antonia
* Archduchess Anna Maria Sophia
* Archduchess Maria Josepha
* Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
* Archduchess Christina
* Archduchess Maria Elisabeth
* Archduke Leopold Joseph
* Maria Anna, Queen of Portugal
* Archduchess Maria Theresia
* Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
* Achduchess Maria Josepha
* Archduchess Maria Magdalena
* Archduchess Maria Margaretha

Joseph I

| Spouse(s)|

* Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick

|

Children|

* Maria Josepha, Queen of Poland, Electress of Saxony
* Archduke Leopold Joseph
* Maria Amalia, Holy Roman Empress

Charles VI

| Spouse(s)|

* HH Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

|

Children|

* Archduke Leopold Johann
* Maria Theresa of Austria
* Archduchess Maria Anna, Princess Charles Alexander of Lorraine
* Archduchess Maria Amalia

Grandchildren|

* Archduchess Maria Elisabeth
* Archduchess Maria Anna, Abbess of Imperial and Royal Convent for Noble Ladies
* Archduchess Maria Karolina
* Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
* Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen
* Archduchess Maria Elisabeth
* Archduke Charles Joseph
* Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma
* Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
* Archduchess Maria Carolina Archduchess Maria Johanna Gabriela
* Archduchess Maria Josepha
* Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples and Sicily
* Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria-Este
* Maria Antoinia, Queen of France
* Archduke Maximilian Franz

* v
* t
* e

Austrian archduchesses by descent

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.

1st generation|

* Kunigunde, Duchess of Bavaria

2nd generation|

* Margaret, Duchess of Savoy

3rd generation|

* Eleanor, Queen of Portugal and France*
* Isabella, Queen of Denmark and Norway*
* Maria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia*
* Catherine, Queen of Portugal*

4th generation|

* Maria, Holy Roman Empress*
* Joanna, Princess of Portugal*
* Elisabeth, Queen of Poland
* Anna, Duchess of Bavaria
* Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
* Magdalena
* Catherine, Queen of Poland
* Eleanor, Duchess of Mantua
* Margaret
* Barbara, Duchess of Ferrara
* Helena
* Joanna, Grand Duchess of Tuscany

5th generation|

* Isabella Clara Eugenia, Co-sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands**
* Catalina Micaela, Duchess of Savoy**
* Anna, Queen of Spain
* Elisabeth, Queen of France
* Margaret (1567–1633)
* Maria (1584–1649)
* Anna, Holy Roman Empress
* Anna, Queen of Poland
* Maria Christina, Princess of Transylvania
* Catherine Renata
* Gregoria Maximiliana
* Eleanor (1582–1620)
* Margaret, Queen of Spain
* Constance, Queen of Poland
* Maria Maddalena, Grand Duchess of Tuscany

6th generation|

* Anna, Queen of France**
* María**
* Maria Anna, Holy Roman Empress**
* Margarita**
* Maria Anna, Electress of Bavaria
* Cecilia Renata, Queen of Poland
* Isabella Clara, Duchess of Mantua
* Maria Leopoldine, Holy Roman Empress

7th generation|

* Maria Theresa, Queen of France**
* Margarita Teresa, Holy Roman Empress*
* Maria Anna, Queen of Spain
* Eleanor, Queen of Poland, Duchess of Lorraine
* Maria Anna Josepha, Electoral Princess of the Palatinate
* Claudia Felicitas, Holy Roman Empress

8th generation|

* Maria Antonia, Electress of Bavaria
* Maria Elisabeth
* Maria Anna, Queen of Portugal
* Maria Theresa
* Maria Josepha
* Maria Magdalena

9th generation|

* Maria Josepha, Queen of Poland
* Maria Amalia, Holy Roman Empress
* Maria Theresa
* Princess Maria Anna of Lorraine

10th generation|

* Maria Elisabeth^
* Maria Anna^
* Maria Carolina^
* Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen^
* Maria Elisabeth^
* Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma^
* Johanna^
* Maria Josepha^
* Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples^
* Maria Antonia, Queen of France^

11th generation|

* Maria Theresa
* Maria Theresia, Queen of Saxony^
* Maria Anna^
* Maria Clementina, Duchess of Calabria^
* Maria Amalia^
* Maria Theresa, Queen of Sardinia#
* Maria Leopoldine, Electress of Bavaria#
* Maria Ludovika, Empress of Austria#

12th generation|

* Marie Louise, Empress of the French
* Maria Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil
* Clementina, Princess of Salerno
* Marie Caroline, Crown Princess of Saxony
* Maria Anna
* Maria Luisa^
* Maria Theresa, Queen of Sardinia^
* Maria Theresa, Queen of the Two Sicilies
* Maria Caroline
* Hermine
* Elisabeth Franziska
* Marie Henriette, Queen of the Belgians
* Adelaide, Queen of Sardinia
* Maria Theresa, Countess of Chambord#
* Maria Beatrix, Countess of Montizón#

13th generation|

* Maria Anna
* Princess Auguste Ferdinande of Bavaria^
* Maria Isabella, Countess of Trapani^
* Maria Luisa, Princess of Isenburg-Büdingen^
* Mathilda
* Maria Christina, Queen of Spain
* Maria Dorothea, Duchess of Orléans
* Margaretha Klementine, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
* Maria Theresa, Queen of Bavaria#

14th generation|

* Sophie
* Princess Gisela of Bavaria
* Marie Valerie
* Margarete Sophie, Duchess of Württemberg
* Maria Annunciata
* Princess Elisabeth of Liechtenstein
* Maria Antonietta^
* Luise, Crown Princess of Saxony^
* Maria Theresa^
* Princess Karoline Marie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha^
* Princess Maria Christina of Salm-Salm
* Princess Maria Anna of Bourbon Parma
* Maria Henrietta, Princess of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst
* Princess Isabella of Bavaria
* Eleonora
* Renata, Princess Radziwill
* Mechthildis, Princess Czartoryski

15th generation|

* Elisabeth Marie, Princess of Windisch-Graetz
* Helena, Duchess of Württemberg^
* Rosa, Duchess of Württemberg^
* Dolores^
* Maria Inmaculata^
* Margarita, Marchioness Taliani di Marchio^
* Princess Maria Antonia^
* Assunta^
* Elisabeth, Countess of Waldburg-Zeil^
* Hedwig, Countess of Stolberg-Stolberg^
* Margaret, Princess of Monteleone
* Ilona, Duchess of Mecklenburg

16th generation|

* Adelheid
* Charlotte, Duchess of Mecklenburg
* Princess Elisabeth of Liechtenstein

17th generation|

* Gabriela
* Walburga, Countess Douglas
* Maria-Anna, Princess Piotr Galitzine
* Sophie, Princess of Windisch-Graetz

18th generation|

* Eleonore

* * also an infanta of Spain
* ** also an infanta of Spain and Portugal
* ^ also a princess of Tuscany
* # also a princess of Modena

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* France
* BnF data
* Poland

People|

* Deutsche Biographie
* DDB

Other|

* RISM

*[c.]: circa
*[m.]: married
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