Maria Josepha of Saxony

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Maria Josepha of Saxony
Princess of Saxony Queen Consort of Spain
Queen Consort of Spain
Reign	20 October 1819 - 18 May 1829
Predecessor	Maria Isabella of Portugal
Successor	Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Spouse	Ferdinand VII, King of Spain
Full name
German: Maria Josepha Amalia Beatrix Xaveria Vincentia Aloysia Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal Anna Apollonia Johanna Nepomucena Walburga Theresia Ambrosia
House	House of Wettin House of Bourbon
Father	Maximilian, Crown Prince of Saxony
Mother	Princess Caroline of Parma
Born	7 December 1803(1803-12-07) Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Died	18 May 1829 (aged 25) Aranjuez Royal Palace, Aranjuez, Spain
Burial	Royal Crypt, El Escorial, Spain

Maria Josepha of Saxony (Dresden, 7 December 1803 – Aranjuez, 18 May 1829) was the youngest daughter of Prince Maximilian of Saxony (1759-1838) and his first wife, Princess Caroline of Bourbon-Parma (1770-1804), daughter of Duke Ferdinand of Parma. She was a member of the house of Wettin.

Maria Josepha lost her mother when she was a few months old, so her father sent her to a convent near the Elba river, where she was raised by the nuns. Thus Maria Josepha had a strict religious upbringing and was a fervent Roman Catholic all her life.

Ferdinand VII of Spain's second wife, Maria Isabella of Portugal, died in 1818 without leaving any descendants. Thus the King began to look for a new consort and his choice fell on Maria Josepha. They married on 20 October 1819 in Madrid. Although the new queen was too young, naive and inexperienced, the king fell in love with her because of her sweet temper. Besides, she was physically more beautiful than her two predecessors, Maria Antonia and Maria Isabella. Nevertheless, the marriage remained childless. She died on 18 May 1829 in Aranjuez, leaving her husband heartbroken, and was buried in El Escorial.

[edit] Gallery

The Queen's Coat of arms

María Josefa de Sajonia, sculpted by Francisco Elías Vallejo (1782–1858)