Maria Luisa of Savoy
Encyclopedia
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a Savoyard princess
and the first wife of Philip V of Spain
. She acted as Regent
of Spain and had great influence over her husband. She is closely associated with Princesse des Ursins.
and his French-born wife Anne Marie d'Orléans, the youngest daughter of Philippe of France
and Henrietta of England. Throughout her life, Maria Luisa remained close to her older sister Maria Adelaide who later married Louis, Duke of Burgundy, the eldest grandson of Louis XIV
. In her youth, Maria Luisa was described as playful and fun loving and had received a good education.
, a French prince, was recently crowned King of Spain upon the death of childless Charles II. In order to enforce his shaky authority over Spain due to his French birth, Philip V decided to maintain ties with Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. Philip V's brother, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, had married the elder sister of Maria Luisa several years earlier, and in mid 1701, Philip V asked for Maria Luisa's hand with the permission of his grandfather Louis XIV.
Maria Luisa was wed by proxy
to Philip V on 12 September 1701 at the age of barely thirteen and was escorted to Nice
, arriving there on 18 September. While in Nice, she was greeted by Pope Clement XI
who gave her the Golden Rose
on 20 September as a ritualistic gift for the young princess. Within a week, she sailed from Nice for Antibes
and was taken to Barcelona
. The official marriage took place on 2 November 1701. The princesse des Ursins was a member of the household of the Queen. She would maintain great influence over Maria Luisa as her Camarera mayor de Palacio
, chief of the household to the young queen, who was still a child.
The couple were deeply in love. In 1702, Philip V was obliged to leave Spain to fight in Naples
as part of the ongoing War of Spanish Succession. During her husband's absence, Maria Luisa acted as Regent from Madrid
. She was praised as an effective ruler, having successfully implemented various changes in government and insisted upon all complaints being investigated and reports made direct to her. Her leadership encouraged the reorganization in the junta and, in doing this, inspiring people and their cities to make donations towards the war effort. Despite her young age, Maria Luisa's effective regency made her admired in Madrid and throughout Spain. After her husband's return in 1703, she resumed her role as queen consort. In 1704, the Princesse des Ursins was exiled at the order of Louis XIV, devastating Maria Luisa. However, in 1705, the Princesse des Ursins returned to Madrid, much to the joy of the young queen.
Maria Luisa gave birth to the couple's first child, Infante Luis Felipe in 1707. After the birth of her eldest child, Maria Luisa went on giving birth to three more children, two of whom would survive infancy. Towards the end of her life, the Queen became ill with tuberculosis
. She eventually died from the effects of tuberculosis on 14 February 1714. She was buried at San Lorenzo de El Escorial
. Maria Luisa died in her 25th year.
In December 1714, just months after Maria Luisa's death, her widower Philip V remarried, to Elisabeth Farnese, the only child and heiress of Duke of Parma
. All of Maria Luisa's children were to die without issue, leaving behind no descendants of Maria Luisa of Savoy.
s of Spain
. Her niece, Princess Maria Luisa
was named after her.
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
and the first wife of Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
. She acted as Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Spain and had great influence over her husband. She is closely associated with Princesse des Ursins.
Infancy and background
She was the third daughter and second surviving child of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of SavoyVictor Amadeus II of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus II was Duke of Savoy from 1675 to 1730. He also held the titles of marquis of Saluzzo, duke of Montferrat, prince of Piedmont, count of Aosta, Moriana and Nizza. Louis XIV organised his marriage in order to maintain French influence in the Duchy but Victor Amadeus soon broke away...
and his French-born wife Anne Marie d'Orléans, the youngest daughter of Philippe of France
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
and Henrietta of England. Throughout her life, Maria Luisa remained close to her older sister Maria Adelaide who later married Louis, Duke of Burgundy, the eldest grandson of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. In her youth, Maria Luisa was described as playful and fun loving and had received a good education.
Marriage
Philip V of SpainPhilip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
, a French prince, was recently crowned King of Spain upon the death of childless Charles II. In order to enforce his shaky authority over Spain due to his French birth, Philip V decided to maintain ties with Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. Philip V's brother, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, had married the elder sister of Maria Luisa several years earlier, and in mid 1701, Philip V asked for Maria Luisa's hand with the permission of his grandfather Louis XIV.
Maria Luisa was wed by proxy
Proxy marriage
A proxy wedding or is a wedding in which the bride or groom is not physically present, usually being represented instead by another person...
to Philip V on 12 September 1701 at the age of barely thirteen and was escorted to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, arriving there on 18 September. While in Nice, she was greeted by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
who gave her the Golden Rose
Golden Rose
The Golden Rose is a gold ornament, which popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed annually. It is occasionally conferred as a token of reverence or affection...
on 20 September as a ritualistic gift for the young princess. Within a week, she sailed from Nice for Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
and was taken to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The official marriage took place on 2 November 1701. The princesse des Ursins was a member of the household of the Queen. She would maintain great influence over Maria Luisa as her Camarera mayor de Palacio
Camarera mayor de Palacio
The Camarera mayor de Palacio was the Official of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain, who was in charge of the person and the rooms of the Queen of Spain....
, chief of the household to the young queen, who was still a child.
The couple were deeply in love. In 1702, Philip V was obliged to leave Spain to fight in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
as part of the ongoing War of Spanish Succession. During her husband's absence, Maria Luisa acted as Regent from Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. She was praised as an effective ruler, having successfully implemented various changes in government and insisted upon all complaints being investigated and reports made direct to her. Her leadership encouraged the reorganization in the junta and, in doing this, inspiring people and their cities to make donations towards the war effort. Despite her young age, Maria Luisa's effective regency made her admired in Madrid and throughout Spain. After her husband's return in 1703, she resumed her role as queen consort. In 1704, the Princesse des Ursins was exiled at the order of Louis XIV, devastating Maria Luisa. However, in 1705, the Princesse des Ursins returned to Madrid, much to the joy of the young queen.
Maria Luisa gave birth to the couple's first child, Infante Luis Felipe in 1707. After the birth of her eldest child, Maria Luisa went on giving birth to three more children, two of whom would survive infancy. Towards the end of her life, the Queen became ill with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. She eventually died from the effects of tuberculosis on 14 February 1714. She was buried at San Lorenzo de El Escorial
El Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
. Maria Luisa died in her 25th year.
In December 1714, just months after Maria Luisa's death, her widower Philip V remarried, to Elisabeth Farnese, the only child and heiress of Duke of Parma
Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma
Francesco Farnese reigned as the seventh and penultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1694 until his death...
. All of Maria Luisa's children were to die without issue, leaving behind no descendants of Maria Luisa of Savoy.
Legacy
She was nicknamed La Savoyana by her adoring subjects and was well loved in Spain. After her death, two of her sons, her youngest and oldest, were to become KingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
s of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Her niece, Princess Maria Luisa
Princess Maria Luisa of Savoy (1729–1767)
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a princess of Savoy. A religious woman, she died unmarried.-Biography:...
was named after her.
Issue
- Louis I of Spain (25 August 1707 – 31 August 1724) married Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans, no issue.
- Infante Felipe of Spain (2 July 1709 – 18 July 1709)
- Infant Felipe Pedro Gabriel of Spain (7 June 1712 – 29 December 1719) died in childhood.
- Ferdinand VI of SpainFerdinand VI of SpainFerdinand VI , called the Learnt, was King of Spain from 9 July 1746 until his death. He was the fourth son of the previous monarch Philip V and his first wife Maria Luisa of Savoy...
(23 September 1713 – 10 August 1759) married Infanta Maria Barbara of PortugalBarbara of PortugalBarbara of Portugal was an Infanta of Portugal and later Queen of Spain as wife of Ferdinand VI of Spain.-Life in Portugal:...
, no issue.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 17 September 1688 – 2 November 1701 Her Highness Princess Maria Luisa of Savoy
- 2 November 1701 – 14 February 1714 Her Majesty the Queen of Spain