Royal House: House of Savoy
Birth and Childhood
Princess Maria Pia di Savoia was born in 16 October* 1847 at Turin (Italy). She was the 6th child and 2nd daughter of Vittorio Emmanuel II, King of Italy and his wife Maria Adelaide, Archduchess of Austria. Actually Maria Adelaide was already linked to the House of Bragança: Maria was Francis I of Austria's (and II of the Holy Roman Empire) niece, who in his turn was Empress Leopoldina of Brazil's (wife of Pedro IV of Portugal and I of Brazil) father. Thus Adelaide was Leopoldina’s first cousin.
Maria's mother died on the 20th of January 1855, when the princess was only 7 years old. She was then left to the cares of the Countess of Villa Marina, her lady in waiting and to the Marchioness Paulina of Pallavicini who took care of the child's education. Maria had as governesses Dária de Salasco and Camila de Foras.
Her eldest sister Clotilde was also a strong influence during her childhood and it appears that the two, despite their different characters, were very close and fond of each other.
*Some sources place the date as 14th of February 1847 but the correct one is the one the bloggers used. See: "Portugal e Itália ou enlace da Dynastia de Saboya by José Miguel Ventura, 1862".
Countess of Villa Marina (also written as Villamarina) more commonly pointed as the Princess' guardian. Some sources stating that she was a rather austere woman but she followed her Princess to Portugal when Maria married the Portuguese King, Luís I.
Little Maria was raised together with her sister at Stupinigi Palace seeing her father only once or twice a week. It is said that to expiate his absence Vittorio Emanuele sent his daughters an exaggerated amount of presents... (he had several affairs and ended up having several children from different women...).
Maria studied grammar, geography, history, drawing and music. It is said that she was a fair student but she didn’t study much. She was good at drawing and music but she had some difficulties in foreign languages.
The little girl was described as restless, strong minded and sometimes capricious but she was also a sweet child.
Uncles and aunts from her father’s side were: Prince Ferdinand of Savoy (1822–1855) who married Princess Elizabeth of Saxony, and Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy (1826–1827) who died in infancy. From her mother’s side her uncles were Leopold Ludwig (1823-1898) who never married, and Rainer Ferdinand (1827-1913) who married to Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria.
It has been difficult to find material concerning Maria's childhood (if you have onformation that you would like to share please contact the bloggers. We will be happy to receive it and post it with a big "thank you" :)
Marriage
On May 12 1862, King Luís announced to the Portuguese nation that he intended to marry and to give Portugal a new Queen. Two months later, on the 25th of July, the Viscount of Carreira* departed from Lisbon to Genoa, on board the corvette Sagres, charged with the mission of asking the Italian Princess' hand in marriage, in name of the Portuguese king.
From the several letters that the Princess exchanged with her future husband, the King once sent her his portrait so that she could analyze his figure which he jocosely described as a “sad figure”. Young Maria Pia at first was moderate and distrustful about the “King’s speech”, but step by step she begun to express her feelings towards Luís.
On the 3rd of August by 10 a.m., the Viscount was received by King Vittorio Emmanuele. But first he was directed towards the Royal Chamber where some members of the Italian Court were with the Italian sovereign on that day.
*Luís António de Abreu Lima (1785-1871), 1st Viscount of Carreira and 1st Count of Carreira (a title that he received specifically for his "match maker mission" in Italy), first followed a military carreer however he was best succeeded in diplomacy. He was a special envoy and a plenypotentiary minister at Netherlands, Great Britain, Russia, France and Rome Courts.
He married in Paris with Ana Luísa Dannemarch, of German origin.
In the presence of the Italian King, the Viscount of Carreira presented his credentials. Then they engaged in a conversation and the Viscount gave a speech containing the request of King Luís I. When the speech was concluded the Viscount was directed towards another chamber where Princess Maria Pia was waiting together with her party and with the Duchess of Genoa** that joined her after the Viscount's arrival.
The Viscount of Carreira was introduced to young Princess Maria and then adressed to the Countess. Afterwards he was directed to the Duchess' chambers to whom he presented his greetings. He was then accompanied by the Marquis of Breme and the master of ceremonies who showed the Viscount his temporary bedroom.
The evening ended with a banquet to which the Viscount and all the Portuguese committee involved in the present affair were invited by the Italian King.
**Princess Elizabeth of Saxony (1830-1912) married Ferdinando, 1st Duke of Genoa, and King Vittorio Emmanuele's younger brother. They had two children: Margherita of Savoy (1851-1921) and Tommaso of Savoy (1854-1931), 2nd Duke of Genoa.
She became a widow at 25 and according to some sources she intended to marry her brother-in-law Vittorio Emmanuele, who was himself a widower at that time. However her plan didn't work as she thought, so instead she married her chamberlain Niccòlo, who later received the tittle of Marquis Rapallo. For this rushed act, King Vittorio Emmanuele had her exiled, away from her children. Eventually she was forgiven and reunited again with her family.
Seven days after the formal request, the wedding terms were signed at Turin. The Viscount and the Portuguese committee left Turin on the 13th of August, arriving in Lisbon on the 20th of the same month, by 9 a.m.
On the same day the Viscount gathered with the State Coucil, where it was decided that the General Courts of the Portuguese nation should open a session on the 4th of September in order to present the wedding contract to King Luís I.
And so it was, on the 4th of September by 5 p.m., the session at the Chambers was opened and the King gave a speech. After the approval of the wedding terms, the Marquis of Loulé*** was chosen to escort the future Queen of Portugal. The Marquis left ten days after the session, accompanied by the corvettes Sagres, Bartolomeu Dias and Estefânia (named after the beloved Queen Estefânia, wife of King Pedro V of Portugal. To know more about Queen Estefânia and King Pedro V, read the respective chapters already posted).
***Nuno José Severo de Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto (1804-1875), 2nd Marquis of Loulé and later 1st Duke of Loulé, was a Portuguese politician. He became the Portuguese Prime-Minister from 1856 to 1865 and from 1869 to 1870.
He married one of King João VI daughters, Princess Ana de Jesus Maria of Bragança and the couple had five children, three girls and two boys. Eventually the couple separated in 1835.
His biggest opponent was the Duke of Saldanha and he was accused by the Portuguese of murdering King Pedro V and his brothers in order to make his son the King of Portugal, since his son was King João VI grandson... However such accusation remains as a mere rumour since no one is completely sure about it(read King Pedro V chapter).
King Luís had already informed his young bride about the envoys that were to meet her at Turin (Italy) and to accompany her to Portugal together with her own private party.
The proxy marriage took place at Turin Palace's chapel on the 27th of September. King Luís was represented by Prince Eugénio (Prince Carignan of Savoy. Surprisingly the bloggers found no information about Prince Eugénio yet) and on the Italian side were Jacques Durando, minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator Count Jean Nigra who had concluded the wedding contract with the Viscount of Carreira on the 9th of August. Maria's father and the Portuguese envoys were of course all present. The ceremony was celebrated by the Archbishop of Genoa. The Marquis of Loulé was also present through the Portuguese delegation.
Maria was wearing a dress with lace, a present from the Emperors of France: Napoleon III and his wife Eugénia (also known as Eugénie).
Two days after the ceremony at Turin, the young Princess embarked at Genoa onboard the corvette Bartolomeu Dias which was once more assigned to carry a future Portuguese Queen. The corvette sailed to Lisbon, escorted by the Portuguese corvettes Estefânia, Sagres and other Italian embarkations such as Maria Adelaide, Duke of Genoa, Italy, Garibaldi and the "aviso" (an embarkation similar to a dispatch boat) Anthion.
They arrived in Lisbon on the 5th of October (ironically on the same day and month that was to see the forced departure of the Royal Family to exile 49 years later...). The steam battleships Lince and Argos, the commerce steam boats D. Antónia, D. Luís, Açoriano and Torre de Belém went to meet the corvettes in the Tagus' port (at Lisbon, Portugal).
When
Bartolomeu Dias anchored in front of Belém, King Luís went aboard it accompanied by his father, the State Council, ministers and etc., to welcome his bride and to greet those who accompanied her.
Maria Pia disembarked only on the day after in the company of her betrothed, who went to meet her at Belém on a Royal brigantine. They proceeded to Terreiro do Paço, where a pavillion was especially built to welcome the new Queen and where, like her predecessor Queen Estefânia, she received the city's key. A crowd was already assembled, expecting the future Queen. However many of the Portuguese were still mourning the loss of their previous beloved Queen and King and their humour was a bit gloomy.
On the frieze of the pavillion, a welcoming inscription was engraved by António Feliciano de Castilho**** with the following verses (written of course in 19th century vernacular Portuguese):
"Da Bella Itália Estrella Soberana
Sejaes Bem Vinda À Praia Lusitana"
(this verse was on the northen side of the frieze)
Free Translation:
"Sovereign Star from beautiful Italy
Welcome to the Lusitanian Beach"
"Filha De Reis Heroes, De Reis Heroes Origem
Em Nova Italia Os Ceus Throno D'Amor Te Erigem"
(on the south side of the frieze)
Free Translation:
"Origin of Heroe Kings, Heroe Kings' daughter
In New Italy the skies erect you a throne of love"
****1st Viscount of Castilho (1800-1875) was a Portuguese writer and poet and the inventor of the "Castilho's method", a method used to teach children reading, through a book especially designed to that effect.
At the age of 6 Castilho lost his eye sight, a consequence of measles. Nevertheless this didn't prevent the child to study: in classes he listened attentively to the lessons and when he begun his first book he spelt his text to an adjuntant. Castilho graduated at Coimbra's University where he had matriculated together with his brother Augusto on the same course. His brother was also his guide.
Castilho became the director of a magazine and went on several trips, including to the Azores archipelago (Portugal), Brazil and Paris, where in 1866, accompanied by his brother José, he met Alexandre Dumas, a writer that he so enjoyed very much.
In 1870 he was granted the title of 1st Viscount of Castilho.
The Portuguese esteemed Castilho very much for he was an example of determination and culture. Therefore on the day of his funeral people from every social class were present.
When the welcoming reception was completed at Terreiro do Paço, the royal parade went to São Domingos church where the rectification of the marriage took place. A
Te Deum composed by Manuel Inocêncio dos Santos
***** was sung at the wedding.
But before the wedding she first received the city’s key at a pavilion which existed near the margin of river Tagus, at Terreiro do Paço like her predecessor, Queen Estefânia, had received.
***** Manuel Inocêncio Liberato dos Santos Carvalho da Silva (1805-1887) was a portuguese classical composer, organist and pianist. He was Queen Maria II children's music teacher. Queen Maria II offered Manuel Inocêncio, the piano (a Boisselot & Fils) that composer Franz Liszt had offered to her at the time of his trip to Portugal during a tour. Liszt had brought the piano from France in 1845 to his tour (the piano can still be seen at the Music Museum in Lisbon).
Manuel Inocêncio played several instruments, but his favourite was the piano.
Works: Il Conde di Leicester (?), O Cerco de Diu (1841), Inês de Castro (1839), Ave Maria (1887), Te Deum (1858).
The official celebration lasted for three days and the city of Lisbon was all lightened up producing, according to accounts of that period, a beautiful effect at the streets, especially at Terreiro do Paço and King Pedro IV square (where D. Maria II theater is located). There were parades, fireworks and plays at the Theaters D. Maria II and São Carlos.
Curiosity
What plays were on theaters at the time?
"Egas Moniz" was being performed at D. Maria II theater by José da Silva Mendes Leal (Portuguese writer, dramaturg and politician who was born in 1820 and died in 1886) and at São Carlos theater, the opera "Ernani" by Verdi.
Life at Portugal
As a couple, the monarchs inhabited Ajuda Palace, for Necessidades Palace was no longer regarded as a safe place due to the previous episodes (read "King Pedro V, the beloved" chapter). King Luís had the Palace redecorated to welcome his wife and he even took care of her future bedroom, acquiring the furnitures, wallpaper, objects, etc. and decorating it with the utmost care, trying to please his future wife. In fact, a few months before his wedding, the King purchased in Paris, furniture reproducing ebony wood and blue silk ornamented with silver thread wallpaper.
It is said that the Queen didn't like it very much, especially the dark blue wallpaper that must have seemed to her a little heavy. However when she decided to redecorate the first floor rooms (those corresponding to the private chambers) she didn't dare to touch her room for afterall it was a present from her husband. She added only some items offered to her by family and friends and within the course of the years her room was filled with photos.
So, with the help of the architect Possidónio Narciso da Silva* who had previously helped the King, the Queen started - what she regarded as her task - to make the Palace a more family like place. To that effect many of the concepts introduced by the bourgeoisie were used, for this class was notable for their lodgings, which were decorated in a style that was both elegant and comfortable, providing privacy.
She introduced the Winter Garden at the Palace (the ceiling was a gift of the Viceroy of Egypt), the Chinese Room and a technological advanced sanitation.
*Joaquim Possidónio Narciso da Silva (1806-1896) was a Portuguese architect and archeologist, founder of the "Real Associação dos Arquitectos e Arqueólogos Portugueses" (Royal Association of the Portuguese Architects and Archaeologists), also known as AAP.
While at Ajuda Palace, Maria Pia often played billiards with her husband or with her piano teacher Miss Carolina Cart, after the meals.
Maria Pia enjoyed playing the piano and she used to sing.
The Royal Family went almost every evening to São Carlos Theater to attend the opera.
At the Winter Garden the Queen organized the Princes’ birthday parties and during Christmas and Mardi-Grás she also organized parties to the Princes and their little friends.
The monarchs spent their vacations at Queluz Palace.
Queen Maria Pia also loved to organize expensive parties.
During the masquerades parties everyone wore a mask and the monarchs were the first to remove them and to unveil the mystery guests. At the end (these parties sometimes lasted until around 5 or 6 a.m…) hot chocolate was offered to the guests.
It is known that during a masquerade ball in 1865, the Queen changed costumes three times. Soon her expensive taste begun to be criticized at the Portuguese parliament, to which the Queen is said to have retorted: “If you want a queen, you have to pay for her".
To the parties, flowers and exquisite plants were brought from the nowadays Botanical Garden of Ajuda (cloe by the Palace). The monarchs’ parties often reached 3000 guests and it is said that one day they even acquired around 3000 candles in order to light the halls!
Besides her extravagant side, the Queen also became known for her charitability never failing to help when needed.
Queen of Portugal
In 1876, the winter was particularly severe, causing floods that victimized many people and left even more completely deprived from their goods. Maria Pia soon organized a commission to raise funds. The donations given by many wealthy families of the Portuguese Court amounted to approximately 200 thousand réis (the coin in operation at the time). This amount was also supposed to keep supporting people during the following winters if needed. The Queen’s initiative rendered her the great medal of honour attributed by the French association, L'encouragement au bien on May 27, 1877.
When on the same year hunger afflicted Ceará (Brazil) due to excessive drought, the Queen proposed that a sum of 36 thousand réis, should be taken from the flood victims’ fund to help the inflicted, a decision approved by the Chambers.
Later, on March 1888, theater Baquet* at Oporto was consumed by flames. Ironically a comical opera "Os Dragões de Villars" ("The Dragons of Villars") was being performed. When the Queen heard about it she immediately decided to travel to Oporto even taking with her prince Afonso. It was a stormy night and she dressed in black in respect for the victims. When she arrived she went through the narrowest and dirtiest streets of Oporto to comfort and distribute alms to the victims' families.
Due to her initiative Oporto locals started calling her “mother of the poor” or “angel of charity”.
*Its construction was ordered in 1858 by António Pereira Baquet, a wealthy tailor.
In 1867 the Queen requested an audience with Pope Pio IX, her baptismal godfather. She intended beside other things, to introduce her son Carlos to his holiness. She had been in Italy, since the beginning of May, to attend to her brother’s wedding, Amadeo di Savoia, Duke of Aosta. However the Pope refused to see her due to conflicts that led to the estrangement with the House of Savoy.
Curiosity
A Savoy exiled in Portugal
Like many royals, Carlo Alberto Amadeo di Savoia (1798-1849), Maria Pia's paternal grandfather, chose Oporto for his volunteered exile, after his defeat in the battle of Navara in 1849, for Italy's independence. While at Oporto he inhabited Quinta da Macieirinha, nowadays Oporto's Romantic Museum. Carlo Alberto died three months after his arrival to that same estate. His remains were transferred to the Basilica of Superga.
In a letter to the portuguese sovereign, King Vittorio Emanuele II, Maria's father, mentioned Portugal's hospitability to his father who was a liberal (Carlo Alberto was even named lieutenant of dragoons by Napoleon in 1814 while studying at Paris...).
Maria Pia was especially concerned with the children’s welfare. Oporto's most important children's hospital founded in 1882 was named after Maria Pia by the city.
Maria founded at "Tapada da Ajuda" Victor Manuel's kindergarten (the portuguese version of her father's name) which was innaugurated on the 1st of November 1878. Fortunately, the building specially constructed to that purpose is still standing and it keeps functioning as a school. It is surrounded by beautiful perfumed trees.
There was one episode which ocorred in 1873 that granted the Queen another medal. On the 2nd of October the Queen was enjoying a stroll in Cascais with her children near the sea at Mexelhoeiro beach, when suddenly a wave snatched them! Frightned, fearing for her little boys' life, Maria Pia jumped to the sea to save them but the sea begun to pull her too. At that moment a brave assistant of the local lighthouse keeper, António de Almeida Neves, who spotted them, plunged into the sea and saved Maria and the boys.
António received a decoration for his bravery plus a life pension and Maria a medal. But out of evil comes good: the princes begun to have swimming lessons.
Children
When Luís announced his intention to marry Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen Victoria and Oscar of Sweden warned Luís that Maria was too young to conceive a child. But Maria surprised them when she gave birth to Carlos in 1863 at the young age of 15! Maria Pia called Carlos affectionately as “Nicho”.
During the Queen's first labour, her brother Amadeo, Duke of Aosta and Eugénio, Duke of Carignan came to Portugal to assist the her.
Maria Pia wrote about her first born to her painting professor and friend, Virgínia Panizzardi: “Oh to be a mother is a great joy! My little boy is fair and pink, with Luís’s large blue eyes and blond hair. He seems to be six months, though he only has a few weeks since he was born. He is always with me”. Notwithstanding, the Queen came to build a closer relation with her second son, perhaps because he was more available since he wasn’t being prepared to be a King.
Maria surprised all again in 1865 when she gave birth to her second son, Afonso.
Despite being a child herself as many writers underline, Maria was a very caring and dedicated mother. In "Memórias de sua Alteza Duque do Porto" ("Memoirs of his Highness Duke of Oporto") at the newspaper "Ilustração Portuguesa", it describes an episode when the Queen spreaded her gold embroidered skirts so that her little boys could play over it, while she sat on a carpet.
As her mother-in-law once did, Maria Pia went to “Passeio Público” with her children sometimes accompanied by the princes nannies and others alone with the boys, with no escort, in a buggy pushed by ponies that she conducted or strolling with them at Lisbon's dowton, showing proudly her sons to the people.
Maria also knew how to be strict when needed: everytime the boys missbehaved she would force them to stand for two hours on their feet in a corner of a room.
She was very fond of her two little boys. She played with her sons and she liked to kneel beside her children’s bed to caress them.
