Maria Leopoldina of Austria

Caroline Josepha Leopoldine Franziska Ferdinanda was born on 22 January 1797, in Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. She was the daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife, Maria Teresa of Naples and Sicily. According to her biographer, the name Maria was not present in the baptismal record of the Archduchess and she only adopted it during her journey to Brazil.

Maria Leopoldina was raised in accordance with the educational principles laid down by Emperor Leopold II, her grandfather. Among these, there was the habit of exercising the handwriting by writing the following text several times: Do not oppress the poor. Be charitable. Do not complain about what God has given you, but improve your habits. We must strive earnestly to be good. In addition, she and her sisters were taught French and Latin, as well as drawing, piano, riding and hunting. Maria Leopoldina's passions included natural sciences, especially botany and mineralogy. She was educated according to the three Habsburg principles: discipline, piety and a sense of duty.
On 24 September 1816, it was announced by Francis II that Pedro of Braganza wished to take a Habsburg princess as a wife. The choice fell on Maria Leopoldina, as it was her turn to marry and become a wife. In April 1817, two ships with scientists, painters, gardeners and a taxidermist travelled to Rio de Janeiro ahead of Maria Leopoldina. Meanwhile, she studied the story and geography of her future home and learned Portuguese.

On 13 May 1817, Maria Leopoldina married Pedro of Braganza by proxy in Vienna. The journey to her new home started in Livorno on 13 August 1817, among much celebration. After 81 days, on 5 November, Maria Leopoldina finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro.

From a distance, Pedro appeared to be a perfect, well-educated gentleman; however, reality was very different. Pedro was a year younger than Maria Leopoldina and, sadly, rarely measured up to the descriptions they gave her. His temperament was impulsive and choleric, his education was modest, and spoken communication between them proved difficult, as Pedro spoke very little French and his Portuguese could only be described as vulgar. At the age of 18, Pedro not only had a string of amorous adventures behind him, but in 1817 he was living as if in wedlock with a French dancer. She was finally removed from the court by his father a month after Maria Leopoldina's arrival.

On 25 April 1821, the court returned to Portugal and only Pedro remained in Brazil as regent of the country, with ample powers counterbalanced by a regency council. At first, Pedro was incapable of dominating the chaos: the opposition between Portuguese and Brazilians became increasingly evident. From her correspondence, it is clear that Maria Leopoldina sided with the Brazilian people and even desired the independence of the country. On this account, she is loved and venerated by the Brazilians.

When Pedro travelled to São Paulo in August 1822 to pacify politics, Maria Leopoldina stayed behind and exercised the regency. Her influence in the process of independence would be huge.

Maria Leopoldina received the news that Portugal was preparing action against Brazil. Without time to wait for her husband, she met with the Council of State in the morning of 2 September 1822, when she signed the decree of independence and declared Brazil separate from Portugal; she then sent Pedro a letter demanding that he proclaim the Independence of Brazil. In the letter, Maria Leopoldina warns: The pommel is ripe, pick it up already, or it will rot. Pedro declared the country's independence upon receiving the letter on 7 September 1822 (aka Grito do Ipiranga).

Maria Leopoldina was now the first Empress consort of Brazil. When Pedro's father, João VI died, Pedro inherited the Portuguese throne as King Pedro IV, while maintaining the title of Emperor of Brazil. Maria Leopoldina thus became both Empress of Brazil and Queen of Portugal. However, just two months later, Pedro gave up the Portuguese throne to their seven-year-old daughter, Maria.

At the end of November 1826, Pedro travelled to Cisplatina (now Uruguay) to join his soldiers. To mark this occasion, there was a large farewell reception set for 20 November 1826. Pedro demanded that both his wife Maria Leopoldina, and his mistress Domitila de Castro, Marchioness of Santos, appear together before the dignitaries and receive his kiss on the hand. With the fulfilment of this demand, Maria Leopoldina would have officially acknowledged her husband's mistress. For this, she refused to appear, causing a bitter argument with Pedro.

Shortly after, the Empress fell ill. She had spells of fever, became delirious, and then suffered a miscarriage on 2 December 1826. Maria Leopoldina of Austria died 8 days later, on 11 December, five weeks short of her 30th birthday.

Maria Leopoldina of Austria

Luís Schlappriz

19th century