Maria Theresa of Austria Este, Queen of Sardinia

Family and infancy

She was born at the Royal Palace of Milan, a daughter of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, governor of Milan and son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria after whom she was named. Her mother was Maria Beatrice d'Este, heiress to the Duchy of Modena.

Marriage

Maria Theresa married on 25 April 1789 at the age of 15 with the 29-year-old Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta future King Victor Emmanuel I. Their relationship was a happy one. She was a good friend of Marie Clotilde of France, the childless consort of Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont. She was also close to the Duchess of Chablais. At the time of her marriage, her spouse was the Duke of Aosta as such she was styled as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Aosta till she became Queen. The couple had six daughters and one son, who died young. Upon the invasion of Savoy by Napoleon in 1798, she left with her family first to Tuscany and then to Sardinia.

After the abdication of Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia in 1802, Maria Theresa became queen consort, but she had to wait on the island of Sardinia for the end of the war in 1814 to return to the capital Turin. Maria Theresa was initially enthusiastically welcomed in Turin, but she soon aroused great discontent among the public. She was accused of wishing to undermine and abolish so much as possible of the reforms initiated during the French occupation, and was additionally said to treat all whom cooperated with the French with contempt. Her conduct has been suggested as one of the reasons behind the discontent which led to the rebellions of 1821 which led to her consort's abdication. After the outbreak of a liberal revolution in 1821, her husband Victor Emmanuel abdicated in favor of his brother, Charles Felix. During the riots, she declared herself willing to assume regency if necessary. Instead, she followed her abdicated spouse to Nice.

Maria Theresa survived Victor Emmanuel by eight years. She was accused of having tried to convince her childless brother-in-law Charles Felix to assign Francis IV, duke of Modena (her brother and the husband of her eldest daughter Maria Beatrice), as heir to the throne. Due to the hostility directed toward her, she was not allowed to return to Turin until 1831. She was buried in the Basilica of Superga.

Issue

1. Princess Maria Beatrice Victoria Josepha of Savoy (Maria Beatrice Vittoria Giuseppina; 6 December 1792 – 15 September 1840), married Francis IV, Duke of Modena, had issue.
2. Princess Maria Adelaide of Savoy (Maria Adelaide Clothilde Xaveria Borbonia; 1 October 1794 – 9 March 1802) died in infancy.
3. Prince Charles Emmanuel of Savoy (Carlo Emanuele; 3 September 1796 – 9 August 1799) died of smallpox.
4. A daughter (November 1800 – 10 January 1801) died in infancy.
5. Maria Teresa of Savoy (Maria Teresa Fernanda Felicitas Gaetana Pia; 19 September 1803 – 16 July 1879) married Charles II, Duke of Parma, had issue.
6. Princess Maria Anna of Savoy (Maria Anna Ricarda Carlotta Margherita Pia; 19 September 1803 – 4 May 1884) married Ferdinand I of Austria, no issue.
7. Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy (Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppina Gaetana Elise; 14 November 1812 – 21 January 1836) married Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, had issue.

Titles and styles

Since the Empire of Austria was established in 1804, many years after Maria Theresa's marriage, she was never styled as an "Imperial and Royal Highness". Prior to 1804, members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine (previously Habsburg) were only entitled to "Royal Highness" as Archdukes or Archduchesses of Austria.