Five royal uncle-niece marriages (Part one)

Royal uncle-niece marriages happened several times over the years. These marriages often happened for strategic reasons, such as land or power, but also because of rank and status. There simply weren’t enough others of high enough rank for marriage. The offspring of such marriages often suffered from genetic abnormalities, such as the famous Habsburg jaw. Quite often, these children did not survive to adulthood.

Here are the first five:

1. Clementina of Austria & Prince Leopoldo of the Two Sicilies, Prince of Salerno

Clementina of Austria was born on 1 March 1798, the daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Her parents were double first cousins, and they had all their grandparents in common.

Clementina married her mother’s younger brother, Prince Leopoldo of the Two Sicilies, Prince of Salerno. He was born on 2 July 1790, the son of King Ferdinand IV of Naples and his wife Maria Carolina of Austria. The age difference was thus “only” 8 years between uncle and niece. Clementina was 18 years old at the time of her wedding. The newlyweds moved to Naples and went on to have at least four children, of which just one survived to adulthood. Two children died shortly after their birth; one lived for three weeks. Their only surviving child was Princess Maria Caroline of the Two Sicilies, who ended up marrying her paternal first cousin, Prince Henri, Duke of Aumale. Prince Henri was also Clementina’s maternal first cousin.

Clementina outlived her husband by 30 years, dying on 3 September 1881 at the age of 83.

2. Anna of Austria & King Philip II of Spain

Anna of Austria was born on 2 November 1549 as the daughter of the future Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria of Austria. Her future husband, Philip, was born on 21 May 1527, and there was thus an age difference of 22 years between uncle and niece. He had also been married and widowed three times before. His first three wives were Maria Manuela of Portugal (a double first cousin), Queen Mary I of England (a first cousin once removed) and Elisabeth of Valois. Anna married Philip in 1570, although Pope Pius V initially refused to give his dispensation due to consanguinity. He wrote that we “have seen the unhappy consequences of such first-degree marriages.”¹ The Pope alluded to the supposed insanity of Philip’s son from his first marriage. Philip himself wasn’t too happy about the marriage either, but he needed a new male heir following the death of his son. He then blackmailed the Pope by threatening to leave the Holy League, and thus, the dispensation was provided.

Anna fell pregnant the following year and gave birth to a son named Ferdinand on 4 December 1571. Four more children would follow: Carlos Lorenzo, Diego, Philip and Maria. Tragically, only Philip would survive to adulthood. Carlos Lorenzo died of an unspecified illness, while Diego died of smallpox. Ferdinand reportedly died of dysentery. Anna herself died of influenza shortly before her 31st birthday.

3. Queen Maria I of Portugal & King Peter III of Portugal

The future Queen Maria I of Portugal was born on 17 December 1734 as the eldest daughter of King Joseph I of Portugal and Mariana Victoria of Spain. She was appointed Princess of Beira on the day of her birth. Her grandfather, King John V of Portugal, died in 1750, and as Maria had only living sisters, she became the heiress presumptive. As a Princess who was the heir could not marry a foreigner, Maria was married to her uncle. Peter was born on  5 July 1717 as the son of King John V of Portugal and Maria Anna of Austria. Their age difference was thus 17 years, and they married when Maria was 25 and Peter was 42. They had papal dispensation as was required.² When Maria succeeded as Queen in 1777, Peter became her co-ruler. They went on to have seven children, of which four were either stillborn or shortlived. Nevertheless, It was a happy marriage; she referred to him as “my beloved uncle and husband” or “my uncle of my heart.”³

Peter died in 1786, and Maria spent much of the last part of her life in a complete mental breakdown. She died in 1816. Her eldest son, Joseph, who predeceased her, had married his aunt Benedita in 1777. They had no children together.

4. Maria Anna of Savoy & Prince Benedetto, Duke of Chablais

Maria Anna of Savoy was born on 17 December 1757 as the daughter of the future King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain. Two of her elder sisters, Marie Joséphine and Marie Thérèse, married into the French royal family. Three of her brothers became King of Sardinia. Maria Anna married Prince Benedetto, Duke of Chablais, on 19 March 1775. He was born on 21 June 1741 as the son of King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia and Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine. They were thus 16 years apart in age. According to the Edinburgh Magazine, she respected her husband and considered him her uncle.⁴

They did not have any children together, and she was widowed in 1808. Maria Anne died on 11 October 1824.

5. Maria Isabel of Portugal & King Ferdinand VII of Spain

Maria Isabel of Portugal was born on 19 May 1797 as the daughter of John VI of Portugal and his wife Carlota Joaquina of Spain. On 29 September 1816, Maria Isabel married her widowed maternal uncle, King Ferdinand VII of Spain. He was 13 years her senior, and his first wife Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily had died in 1806 without having had any children, but she had suffered at least two miscarriages.

Maria Isabel fell pregnant quite quickly and gave birth to a daughter on 21 August 1817. Little María Luisa Isabel died at the age of four months on 9 January 1818. Maria Isabel became pregnant again not much later and went into labour on 26 December 1818. The baby was in a breech position, and the doctors soon realised that the child had died. Maria Isabel was thought to be dead as well. The doctors then began to perform a caesarian section to remove the dead fetus. She was revived by the pain and would die a few hours later in great pain.

Ferdinand went on to marry two more times. His third wife was Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, while his third wife was another niece, Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, with whom he had two daughters.

Part two coming soon.

1. Philip II by Geoffrey Parker p.257
2. The Braganzas by Malyn Newitt p.47
3. The Braganzas by Malyn Newitt p.173
4. The Edinburgh Magazine, or Literary Miscellany 1796-07: Vol 8 p.25