Princess Maria Carolina of Savoy
Encyclopedia
Maria Carolina of Savoy was a Princess of Savoy from her birth. She was the youngest daughter of the future Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
and married in 1781 to the Electoral Prince of Saxony. She died of Smallpox aged eighteen.
, she was the couples tenth child and sixth daughter.
Her sisters included the future "grand daughters in law" of Louis XV of France
, Princess Maria Giuseppina, who married the future Louis XVIII of France
in 1771 and Princess Maria Teresa, wife of the future Charles X of France
, married in 1773. Her sisters brother in law was the unfortunate Louis XVI of France
.
Her brothers included the last three kings of Sardinia from the mainline; the future Charles Emmanuel IV
, Victor Emmanuel I
and Charles Felix of Sardinia
. Her father became king of Sardinia in 1773 at the death of her grandfather Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
who had ruled Sardinia for 43 years.
Her father decided that Maria Carolina would marry Prince Anthony of Saxony, who at the time was the Electoral Prince of Saxony. He was the fifth but third surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony
, and Maria Antonia of Bavaria. Anthony's first cousins, included the future Louis XVIII of France
and Charles X of France
, Maria Carolina's brothers in law. The couple also were joint first cousins of Charles IV of Spain
and Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
, Maria Carolina through her Spanish mother and Anthony through his father. Another first cousin of Maria Carolina was the famous princesse de Lamballe
Despite the pleas of Maria Carolina, she was married by proxy at the Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi on 29 September 1781 followed by another ceremony in Dresden on 24 October 1781 with her actual groom. The celebrations in Savoy were lavish with parties at the Royal Palace of her birth and at the Palazzo Gontieri.
Maria Carolina left her home reluctantly in September 1781. Her family accompanied her as far as Vercelli
when she had to be pushed out of the carriage to depart. She arrived at Augsburg
, modern day Germany
on 14 October. Upon her arrival, she ranked as one the highest female at the Saxon court, Anthony's mother Maria Antonia of Bavaria died in 1780. The highest ranking female was Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, wife of Frederick Augustus III
, then the ruler Elector of Saxony.
Not happy with her adopted home, she caught Smallpox
and died in Dresden
28 December 1782. Popular with her native land, she was remembered in an old folk song composed in her honour after her early death:
After her death, Anthony married Maria Theresa of Austria and had four children all of which died in infancy. Her husband succeeded as King of Saxony in 1827 at the age of 71. She is buried at crypt number 30 at the Katholische Hofkirche
, Dresden.
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia from 1773 until his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until declaring war on revolutionary France in 1792...
and married in 1781 to the Electoral Prince of Saxony. She died of Smallpox aged eighteen.
Biography
Born to the Duke and Duchess of Savoy at the Royal Palace of TurinRoyal Palace of Turin
Royal Palace of Turin or Palazzo Reale, is a palace in Turin, northern Italy. It was the royal palace of the House of Savoy. It was modernised greatly by the French born Madama Reale Christine Marie of France in the seventeenth century. The palace was worked on by Filippo Juvarra...
, she was the couples tenth child and sixth daughter.
Her sisters included the future "grand daughters in law" of Louis XV of France
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, Princess Maria Giuseppina, who married the future Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
in 1771 and Princess Maria Teresa, wife of the future Charles X of France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
, married in 1773. Her sisters brother in law was the unfortunate Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
.
Her brothers included the last three kings of Sardinia from the mainline; the future Charles Emmanuel IV
Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia
Charles Emmanuel IV was King of Sardinia from 1796 to 1802. He abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I...
, Victor Emmanuel I
Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1802 to 1821, and Jacobite Pretender from 1819 until his death.-Biography:...
and Charles Felix of Sardinia
Charles Felix of Sardinia
Charles Felix was the Duke of Savoy, Piedmont, Aosta and King of Sardinia from 1821 to 1831.-Early life:...
. Her father became king of Sardinia in 1773 at the death of her grandfather Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia
Charles Emmanuel III was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1730 until his death.-Biography:...
who had ruled Sardinia for 43 years.
Her father decided that Maria Carolina would marry Prince Anthony of Saxony, who at the time was the Electoral Prince of Saxony. He was the fifth but third surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony
Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony
Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony was the Prince-Elector of Saxony for less than three months in 1763...
, and Maria Antonia of Bavaria. Anthony's first cousins, included the future Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
and Charles X of France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
, Maria Carolina's brothers in law. The couple also were joint first cousins of Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
and Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I reigned variously over Naples, Sicily, and the Two Sicilies from 1759 until his death. He was the third son of King Charles III of Spain by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. On 10 August 1759, Charles succeeded his elder brother, Ferdinand VI, as King Charles III of Spain...
, Maria Carolina through her Spanish mother and Anthony through his father. Another first cousin of Maria Carolina was the famous princesse de Lamballe
Princess Marie Louise of Savoy
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a member of the House of Savoy. She was married at the age of 16 to Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Prince de Lamballe, the heir to the greatest fortune in France. After her marriage, which lasted a year, she went to court and became the confidante of Queen Marie Antoinette...
Despite the pleas of Maria Carolina, she was married by proxy at the Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi on 29 September 1781 followed by another ceremony in Dresden on 24 October 1781 with her actual groom. The celebrations in Savoy were lavish with parties at the Royal Palace of her birth and at the Palazzo Gontieri.
Maria Carolina left her home reluctantly in September 1781. Her family accompanied her as far as Vercelli
Vercelli
Vercelli is a city and comune of about 47,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around the year 600 BC.The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river...
when she had to be pushed out of the carriage to depart. She arrived at Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, modern day Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 14 October. Upon her arrival, she ranked as one the highest female at the Saxon court, Anthony's mother Maria Antonia of Bavaria died in 1780. The highest ranking female was Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, wife of Frederick Augustus III
Frederick Augustus I of Saxony
Frederick Augustus I was King of Saxony from the House of Wettin. He was also Elector Frederick Augustus III of Saxony and Duke Frederick Augustus I of Warsaw...
, then the ruler Elector of Saxony.
Not happy with her adopted home, she caught Smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and died in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
28 December 1782. Popular with her native land, she was remembered in an old folk song composed in her honour after her early death:
After her death, Anthony married Maria Theresa of Austria and had four children all of which died in infancy. Her husband succeeded as King of Saxony in 1827 at the age of 71. She is buried at crypt number 30 at the Katholische Hofkirche
Katholische Hofkirche
The Katholische Hofkirche is a Roman Catholic Cathedral, located in the 'Altstadt' in the heart of Dresden, in Germany. Previously the most important Catholic parish church of the city, it was elevated to cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen in 1964.-Overview:The Hofkirche...
, Dresden.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 17 January 1764 – 29 September 1781 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Carolina of Savoy
- 29 September 1781 – 28 December 1782 Her Royal Highness the Electoral Princess of Saxony