Father Joseph I of Portugal Religion Roman Catholicism | Name Infanta of | |
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Born 25 July 1746
Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal ( 1746-07-25 ) Burial Royal Pantheon of the Braganza Dynasty Mother Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain Died August 18, 1829, Lisbon, Portugal Spouse Jose, Prince of Brazil (m. 1777) Parents Joseph I of Portugal, Mariana Victoria of Spain Cousins Jose, Prince of Brazil, John VI of Portugal, Infanta Maria Ana Vitoria of Portugal Grandparents Philip V of Spain, John V of Portugal, Elisabeth Farnese, Maria Anna of Austria Similar People Joseph I of Portugal, Mariana Victoria of Spain, Maria I of Portugal, Peter III of Portugal, Infanta Maria Francisca | ||
Maria Benedita of Braganza (Maria Francisca Benedita Ana Isabel Antónia Lourença Inácia Teresa Gertrudes Rita Rosa; 25 July 1746 – 18 August 1829) was a Portuguese infanta and the youngest daughter of King Joseph I of Portugal and his wife Mariana Victoria of Spain.
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Early life
Benedita was born in Lisbon she was named after Pope Benedict XIV. She was well educated. She was educated in music by Davide Perez and in painting by Domingos Sequeira: a panel made by her and her sister can still be seen in the Estrela Basilica.
Marriage
On 21 February 1777 she married her nephew, Joseph, Prince of Beira, heir apparent of the heiress presumptive (and proclaimed heir, i.e. her sister Maria) to the throne of Portugal, as the eldest son of the future Queen Maria I. Benedita was an attractive woman of thirty, while Joseph was half her age. They had no children, however Benedita miscarried twice: firstly in 1781 and secondly in 1786.
Three days after their wedding, Benedita's father King Joseph died and Maria succeeded him as queen regnant. Infante José became the new crown prince, being given the titles Prince of Brazil and 16th Duke of Braganza. Benedita became crown princess with the title Princess of Brazil.
Later life and death
In 1788 her husband Joseph died and Benedita became Dowager Princess of Brazil, as she was known during the rest of her long life. In contrast to other dowagers, who founded convents and churches, she chose to found the Asylum for the Military Disabled of Runa. She followed the royal family on their exile to Brazil in 1808.
Benedita died in Lisbon and is buried in the national pantheon at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora. She was the last surviving grandchild of John V of Portugal.