Maria Josepha of Austria

Queen of Poland from 1733 to 1757

Maria Josepha

Portrait by Louis de Silvestre, 1733

* Queen consort of Poland
* Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania

Tenure| 5 October 1733 –17 November 1757
Coronation| 17 January 1734
Wawel Cathedral, Kraków
Electress consort of Saxony
Tenure| 1 February 1733 –17 November 1757

Born| (1699-12-08)8 December 1699
Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died| 17 November 1757(1757-11-17) (aged 57)
Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Burial|

Catholic Court Church, Dresden

Spouse|

Augustus III of Poland

(m. 1719)​

Issue
...among others|

* Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony
* Maria Amalia, Queen of Spain
* Maria Anna, Electress of Bavaria
* Franz Xavier, Prince Regent
* Maria Josepha, Dauphine of France
* Karl, Duke of Courland
* Maria Christina, Abbess of Remiremont
* Princess Maria Elisabeth
* Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen
* Clemens Wenceslaus, Archbishop of Trier
* Maria Kunigunde, Abbess of Essen

House| Habsburg
Father| Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother| Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick
Religion| Roman Catholicism

Maria Josepha of Austria (Maria Josepha Benedikta Antonia Theresia Xaveria Philippine, Polish: Maria Józefa; 8 December 1699 – 17 November 1757)[1] was the Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony by marriage to Augustus III. From 1711 to 1717, she was heir presumptive to the Habsburg monarchy. Her sister Maria Amalia became Electress of Bavaria.

## Family[edit]

Archduchess Maria Josepha (painting c. 1710)

Maria Josepha was born in Vienna, an Archduchess of Austria, the eldest child of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor and Princess Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg. She was named for her father. During the reign of her grandfather, Maria Josepha's father and uncle signed the Mutual Pact of Succession of 1703, which was issued by her grandfather, Emperor Leopold I, and effectively made Maria Josepha the heir presumptive to her uncle, Emperor Charles VI;[2] However, Charles VI's Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 annulled the earlier agreement and made his daughter Maria Theresa his successor instead of Maria Josepha.

### Marriage[edit]

A marriage between Maria Josepha and Frederick Augustus II, Elector of Saxony (1696–1763) had been suggested by Frederick's father, August II the Strong, since 1704. The fact that Maria Josepha was not allowed to marry a non-Catholic, however, prevented the marriage. When Augustus converted to Catholicism in 1712, the negotiations became serious.

Emperor Charles VI forbade Maria Josepha and her sister from marrying until they renounced their positions in the line of succession, securing the succession for Charles's future daughter Maria Theresa. Maria Josepha renounced her claim on 10 August 1719. Ten days later, Maria Josepha and Frederick Augustus married. Through this marriage between the Houses of Wettin and Habsburg, Frederick Augustus II's father hoped to place Saxony in a better position should there arise a war of succession to the Austrian territories.[3] The couple's eldest surviving son, Frederick Christian, eventually succeeded his father as Elector of Saxony. In Saxony, the couple lived at Dresden Castle. The marriage has been described as a happy one, and Augustus was apparently never unfaithful.

## Queen and electress[edit]

In 1733, Frederick Augustus was elected King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as August III the Saxon.[3] Maria Josepha was crowned 20 January 1734. Queen Maria Josepha was described as ambitious, intelligent and religious. She founded many churches and convents and gave her strong support to the Polish Jesuits.

As queen of Poland and electress of Saxony, she divided her time between the two nations. Though Saxony was her main residence, she enjoyed her stays in Poland because it was a Catholic nation where she could exercise her faith openly. Between November 1734 to February 1736, she and Frederick Augustus made their longest visit to Poland, prolonged because of the War of the Polish Succession. They continued to make frequent trips, lasting from between five and eight months each, plus several shorter trips lasting a couple of months less. She learned to speak Polish and was often present during the assemblies of the Polish Sejm. During her absences from home, she frequently corresponded with her children in French, having a somewhat closer relationship to them than usual for her class. She gave them pet names and encouraged them to write to her in an informal way.[4] She shared an interest in music, art and hunting with her spouse, and they usually spent their autumns at the Palace of Hubertusburg for the hunting season.

She was devoted to Catholicism and especially venerated Saint Francis Xavier and was actively involved in the building of the Catholic Hofkirche in Dresden.[4] Her personal confessor, the Jesuit Fr. Anton Hermann, criticized her for being too religious from what was proper for someone not a Catholic religious order member. She attended mass twice and eventually four times a day and kept more devotions than was normal for a nun or a monk. Fr. Anton Hermann eventually lectured her that she was more fervent than could be regarded as modest for a lay person.[4] Maria Josepha did not persecute non-Catholics, and once stressed to the heir to the throne that he should not persecute them but allow them all freedom while being guided by the Catholic faith. She also gave alms to both Catholic and Protestant poor.[4] Despite her personal strict moral code, she was reportedly not a prude and got along well with her spouse's illegitimate half siblings.[4]

Queen Maria Josepha was politically active and, though not formally proclaimed regent during the absence of her spouse, she informally acted as his representative.[4] It was known and acknowledged by the court that she participated in the affairs of state, and the ministers and ambassadors duly reported to her.[4] She also managed a large diplomatic correspondence.[4] She was rivalled in her influence over her spouse by Heinrich von Brühl. Maria Josepha was reportedly not on good terms with her eldest son Frederick Christian. She wished for her younger son Francis Xavier to be elected king of Poland rather than having Frederick Christian succeed his father on both thrones, and she prevented Frederick Christian and his spouse from visiting Poland, thus preventing them from making connections there. She undermined any attempts of Frederick Christian to found a power base of his own before the death of his father, and among other things prevented a meeting between him and his spouse with Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in 1754.[4]

During the War of the Austrian Succession in 1740, she claimed the throne on behalf of her spouse. She relinquished her claim in favor of her sister, Maria Amalia's spouse, and in 1742, made an alliance with Austria.

Queen Maria Josepha wearing Polish jupeczka fur garment (by Pietro Rotari, 1755

### Death[edit]

During the Seven Years' War, Maria Josepha stayed behind in Dresden with her son, Frederick Christian and his spouse Maria Antonia, after her husband left on 20 October 1756. She remained in Dresden when the city was taken by the Prussian Army.[5] She, as well as Frederick Christian and his spouse Maria Antonia, were all placed under house arrest at the palace of Dresden guarded by a Prussian commandant.[4]

Maria Josepha was banned from writing to her sons, but did engage in correspondence with invisible ink and use her net of correspondents to help her son and daughter-in-law encourage resistance in Saxony against the invading Prussians. Despite several restrictions, she managed to channel secret information about Saxon Field Marshal Maximilian Ulysses Browne, besieged by Frederick the Great at Struppen.[4] On 4 April 1757, her Mistress of the Chamber, Countess Esther Anna Regina von Ogilvy, was arrested. Her last letter of 6 September was sent to the Austrian empress through her exiled son, in which she also states that this would be her last, as she was too heavily guarded.[4]

On 17 November 1757, Maria Josepha died in Dresden of a stroke and was buried in the Wettin vault of the Katholische Hofkirche ("Catholic Court Church") in Dresden.[6]

## Issue[edit]

Maria Josepha and Frederick Augustus had 14 children recognized by historians:[7]

1. Frederick August of Saxony (1720–1721) died in infancy.
2. Prince Joseph August of Saxony (1721–1728) died in childhood.
3. Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony (1722–1763) married Maria Antonia of Bavaria and had issue.
4. Maria Amalia of Saxony (1724–1760) married Charles III of Spain and had issue.
5. Maria Margaretha of Saxony (1727–1734) died in childhood.
6. Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony (1728–1797) married Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria and had no issue.
7. Francis Xavier of Saxony (1730–1806) married morganatically Maria Chiara Spinucci and had issue.
8. Maria Josepha of Saxony (1731–1767) married Louis, Dauphin of France and had issue.
9. Charles of Saxony (1733–1796) married Countess Franciszka Korwin-Krasińska and had issue.
10. Maria Christina of Saxony (1735–1782) died unmarried.
11. Maria Elisabeth of Saxony (1736–1818) died unmarried.
12. Albert of Saxony (1738–1822) married Maria Christina of Austria and had issue.
13. Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony (1739–1812) died unmarried.
14. Maria Kunigunde of Saxony (1740–1826) died unmarried.

Maria Josepha also suffered 12 miscarriages and stillbirths:

* A miscarriage of a daughter in the 4th month of pregnancy (23 June 1723).
* A stillbirth of a daughter in the 6th month of pregnancy (16 August 1729).
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (22 January 1732).
* A stillbirth of a son in the 4th and a half-month of pregnancy (17 March 1734).
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (4 December 1736).
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (30 January 1737).
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (23 May 1741).
* A stillbirth of a son in the 5th and a half-month of pregnancy (11 January 1742).
* A stillbirth of a son in the 4th and a half-month of pregnancy (20 March 1743).
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (16 October 1745)
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (23 February 1746)
* A miscarriage in the 1st month of pregnancy (7 August 1749)

## Ancestry[edit]

Ancestors of Maria Josepha of Austria

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8\. Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor[8]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| 4\. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor[8]|

|  |  |
| 9\. Maria Anna of Austria[8]

| 2\. Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|

|  |  |  |  |
| 10\. Philip William, Elector Palatine[8]

| 5\. Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg[8]|

|  |  |
| 11\. Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt[8]

| 1\. Maria Josepha of Austria|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 12\. George, Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg[8]

| 6\. John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg[8]|

|  |  |
| 13\. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt[8]

| 3\. Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick|

|  |  |  |  |
| 14\. Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern[8]

| 7\. Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate[8]|

|  |  |
| 15\. Anne Gonzaga[8]

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

## References[edit]

1. ^ Sachsen, Albert Herzog zu (1990), "Maria Josepha (Josepha), Erzherzogin von Österreich", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 16, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, p. 197; (full text online)
2. ^ "Under the Pactum Mutuae Successionis of 1703 (purely a family agreement) Charles VI had succeeded before his nieces. His son, if he had one, would follow him, but if he died childless, or left only daughters, Joseph's daughters would succeed him." (Potter, p. 393).
3. ^ a b Watanabe-O'Kelly, p. 265.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Helen, Watanabe-O'Kelly (2004). "Religion and the Consort: Two Electresses of Saxony and Queens of Poland (1697–1757)". In Campbell Orr, Clarissa (ed.). Queenship in Europe 1660–1815: The Role of the Consort. Cambridge University Press. pp. 252–275. ISBN 0-521-81422-7.
5. ^ Watanabe-O'Kelly, p. 270.
6. ^ Watanabe-O'Kelly, p. 271.
7. ^ Watanabe-O'Kelly, p. 266.
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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. 100.

## Sources[edit]

* Potter, George R. The New Cambridge Modern History.
* Helen, Watanabe-O'Kelly (2004). "Religion and the Consort: Two Electresses of Saxony and Queens of Poland (1697–1757)". In Campbell Orr, Clarissa (ed.). Queenship in Europe 1660–1815: The Role of the Consort. Cambridge University Press. pp. 252–275. ISBN 0-521-81422-7.

## External links[edit]

Media related to Queen Maria Josepha of Poland at Wikimedia Commons

{{S-hou | House of Habsburg |8 December|1699|17 November 1757  Royal titles

Preceded by

Katarzyna Opalińska

|  Queen consort of Poland
Grand Duchess of Lithuania
1734–1757  | Vacant
Preceded by

Christiane Eberhardine of
Brandenburg-Bayreuth

|  Electress consort of Saxony
1733–1757  | Succeeded by

Maria Antonia of Bavaria

* 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
* Zsófia
* Ildikó

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

* v
* t
* e

Royal consorts of Poland

Piast dynasty|

* Doubravka of Bohemia
* Oda of Haldensleben
* Emnilda
* Oda of Meissen
* Richeza of Lotharingia
* Maria Dobroniega of Kiev
* Wyszesława of Kiev
* Judith of Bohemia
* Judith of Swabia
* Zbyslava of Kiev
* Salomea of Berg

Fragmentation
period|

* Agnes of Babenberg
* Viacheslava of Novgorod
* Maria
* Eudoxia of Kiev
* Helena of Znojmo
* Lucia of Rügen
* Grzymisława of Łuck
* Ludmila
* Agafia of Rus
* Hedwig of Silesia
* Anne of Bohemia
* Kinga of Poland
* Gryfina of Halych
* Matilda of Brandenburg
* Richeza of Sweden
* Margaret of Brandenburg

Přemyslid dynasty|

* Judith of Habsburg
* Elizabeth Richeza of Poland
* Viola of Teschen

Restored Piast dynasty|

* Jadwiga of Kalisz
* Aldona of Lithuania
* Adelaide of Hesse
* Hedwig of Sagan

Capet-Anjou dynasty|

* Elizabeth of Bosnia

Jagiellonian dynasty|

* Anna of Cilli
* Elizabeth Granowska
* Sophia of Halshany
* Elizabeth of Austria
* Helena of Moscow
* Barbara Zápolya
* Bona Sforza
* Elizabeth of Austria
* Barbara Radziwiłł
* Catherine of Austria

Elective monarchy|

* Louise of Lorraine
* Anne of Austria
* Constance of Austria
* Cecilia Renata of Austria
* Marie Louise Gonzaga
* Eleonore of Austria
* Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien
* Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
* Catherine Opalińska
* Maria Josepha of Austria

* v
* t
* e

Royal consorts of Lithuania

Kingdom of Lithuania|

| House of Mindaugas (1236–1263)|

* Morta

|

Grand Duchy of Lithuania|

| House of Gediminids (1285–1440)|

* Jaunė
* Maria of Vitebsk
* Uliana of Tver
* Jadwiga of Poland
* Birutė
* Anna
* Uliana Olshanska
* Anna of Tver

|

House of Jagiellon (1440–1569)|

* Elizabeth of Austria
* Helena of Moscow
* Barbara Zápolya
* Bona Sforza
* Elizabeth of Austria
* Barbara Radziwiłł
* Catherine of Austria

Polish–Lithuanian
Commonwealth|

| Elected (1569–1795)|

* Louise of Lorraine
* Anne of Austria
* Constance of Austria
* Cecilia Renata of Austria
* Marie Louise Gonzaga
* Eleonore of Austria
* Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien
* Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
* Catherine Opalińska
* Maria Josepha of Austria

|

* v
* t
* e

Electresses of Saxony

* Elisabeth of Hesse (1356–1370)
* Cecilia of Carrara (1376–1388)
* Anna of Thuringia (1388–1395)
* Barbara of Legnica (1396–1419)
* Euphemia of Oleśnica (1420–1422)
* Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1423–1428)
* Margaret of Austria (1431–1464)
* Elisabeth of Bavaria-Munich (1464–1486)
* Sibylle of Cleves (1532–1547)
* Agnes of Hesse (1547–1553)
* Princess Anna of Denmark (1553–1585)
* Agnes Hedwig of Anhalt-Dessau (1586)
* Sophie of Brandenburg (1586–1591)
* Princess Hedwig of Denmark (1602–1611)
* Duchess Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia (1611–1656)
* Margravine Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1656–1680)
* Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark (1680–1691)
* Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach (1694–1694)
* Margravine Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1694–1727)
* Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria (1733–1757)
* Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria (1763)
* Countess Palatine Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (1769–1806)

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