Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1799–1832)

Maria Anna of Saxony
Grand Duchess of Tuscany
Tenure	18 June 1824 – 24 March 1832
Spouse	Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Issue
Caroline of Austria Auguste Ferdinande of Austria Maximiliana of Austria
Full name
Maria Anna Carolina Josepha Vincentia Xaveria Nepomucena Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal Johanna Antonia Elisabeth Cunigunde Gertrud Leopoldina
House	House of Wettin (by birth) House of Habsburg-Lorraine (by marriage)
Father	Maximilian, Crown Prince of Saxony
Mother	Princess Caroline of Parma
Born	15 November 1799(1799-11-15) Dresden
Died	24 March 1832(1832-03-24) (aged 32) Pisa
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Marie Anna of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (15 November 1799 – 24 March 1832), (full name: Maria Anna Carolina Josepha Vincentia Xaveria Nepomucena Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal Johanna Antonia Elisabeth Cunigunde Gertrud Leopoldina), was a princess of Saxony. She became Grand Duchess of Tuscany by her marriage to Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Family

Marie Anna was born in Dresden, one of the seven children of Maximilian of Saxony by his first wife Caroline of Bourbon-Parma.

Her father was a son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony. Her mother was a daughter of Ferdinand, Duke of Parma.

Life

During her short life she showed an especial interest for ancient paintings and classical poetry, acquiring the Liber Interitus by Horace for an unknown but extremely high price. She was inspired by Gnostic writings to write a short poet entitled Chuchotet d'Archont, published posthumously. Along with her husband she was the founding patron of L'Istituto Statale della Ss. Annunziata, the first female boarding school in Florence set up to educate aristocratic and noble young ladies. She died in Italy of tuberculosis she passed onto Auguste, her only surviving daughter.

Marriage and issue

Her husband's granddaughter Archduchess Luise of Austria described Maria Anna as a "highly nervous girl who was so terrified at the idea of meeting her unknown bridegroom that she refused to leave Dresden unless accompanied by her sister" Princess Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony.^[1] As her sister agreed to travel with her, Maria Anna duly married on 16 November 1817 the future Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, son of Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his first wife Princess Luisa of Naples and Sicily. During the celebrations, Ferdinand became attached to Maria Anna's sister, and they were later married. Her sister Maria Ferdinanda thus became Maria Anna's stepmother-in-law.^[2]

They had three children:

• Caroline of Austria (1822–1841)
• Auguste Ferdinande of Austria (1825–1864)
• Maximiliana of Austria (1827–1834)

After Maria Anna's death at Pisa in 1832, her husband married Princess Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies.

Ancestry

References

1. ^ Toscana, p. 18.
2. ^ Toscana, p. 18.

Sources

• Toscana, Luise von (1911). My Own Story. London: Ballantyne & Company LTD. 

Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1799–1832) House of Wettin Born: 15 November 1799 Died: 24 March 1832
Italian royalty
Preceded by Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony	Grand Duchess consort of Tuscany 1824–1832	Vacant Title next held by Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies

Persondata
Name	Maria Anna Of Saxony
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 November 1799
Place of birth	Dresden
Date of death	24 March 1832
Place of death	Pisa