Name Maria of | ||
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Consort 21 November 1832 – 31 January 1836 Father Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia Mother Maria Teresa of Austria-Este Children Francis II of the Two Sicilies Parents Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia, Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, Queen of Sardinia Grandparents Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia Similar People Ferdinand II of the Two Sicili, Francis II of the Two Sicilies, Victor Emmanuel I of Sardi, Francis I of the Two Sicilies, Maria Isabella of Spain | ||
Maria Cristina of Savoy (Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppa Gaetana Efisia; 14 November 1812 – 21 January 1836) was the first Queen consort of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. She died as a result of childbirth.
Contents
Family
Maria Cristina was the youngest daughter of King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia and Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria-Este.
Her maternal grandparents were Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este. Ferdinand was the fourteenth child and third son born to Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria Theresa of Austria. Maria Beatrice was the eldest daughter of Ercole III d'Este and Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Massa and Princess of Carrara.
Queen
On 21 November 1832, Maria Cristina married Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. The bride was twenty years old and the groom twenty-two.
Maria Cristina was described as beautiful but also timid and shy: modest and reserved, she was never comfortable at the royal court. Her relationship to Ferdinand was not happy, and he had little patience for her nervous modesty.
She died at the age of 23, after having given birth 5 days before to her only child, Francis II of the Two Sicilies.
Beatification
On 10 July 1872 she was declared to be a Servant of God, on 6 May 1937 a Venerable Servant of God, and on 3 May 2013 Pope Francis authorised a decree recognising a miracle due to her intercession, a further stage on her process to beatification. Her beatification took place on 25 January 2014 at the Basilica of Santa Chiara, where she is buried, making her Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy.
Titles and styles
Posthumously: