Maria Cristina of Savoy

Maria Cristina of Savoy
Queen of the Two Sicilies
Consort 21 November 1832 – 31 January 1836
Born (1812-11-14)14 November 1812
Cagliari, Kingdom of Sardinia
Died 21 January 1836(1836-01-21) (aged 23)
Naples, Kingdom of Two Sicilies
Burial Basilica of Santa Chiara, Naples
Spouse Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Issue Francis II of the Two Sicilies
Full name
Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppa Gaetana Efisia di Savoia
House House of Savoy (by birth)
House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (by marriage)
Father Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Mother Maria Teresa of Austria-Este
Religion Roman Catholic

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.

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.

Marriage

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:

Beatification

Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy

Tomb of Blessed Maria Cristina in Santa Chiara (Naples)
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified 25 January 2014, Naples, Italy by Pope Francis
Feast 21 January

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.[1] 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.

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Posthumously:

References

  1. Vatican Information Press release accessed 3 May 2013.
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