Maria Theresa’s children (2024)

The fact that Maria Theresa gave birth to sixteen children is a well-known part of her life story. Of her eleven daughters and five sons ten survived into adulthood.

Maria Theresa’s first child, a daughter named Maria Elisabeth (1737–1740), died while still a young child. The eldest of the surviving children was Maria Anna (1738–1789), who developed strong intellectual interests and was very similar in character to her father. Afflicted by a deformation of the ribcage, she was not considered marriageable and remained with her mother until the latter’s death in 1780. Subsequently Maria Anna spent her remaining years as abbess of the St Elizabeth convent in Klagenfurt, to which she left her considerable estate.

The third daughter, Maria Karolina (b. 1740), died in infancy.

The arrival of Joseph (1741–1790) put an end to the long wait for a male heir. As emperor and successor to Maria Theresa and ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy he has his own biography on this website.

Maria Christina (1742–1798) was Maria Theresa’s favourite daughter but was not particularly popular with her siblings. She was the only child allowed to marry for love rather than political considerations. Her husband was Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen (1738–1822), a non-ruling member of the widely ramified Saxon Wettin dynasty, whose mother was Archduchess Maria Josepha, a cousin of Maria Theresa, and who was thus fairly closely related to his bride.

According to contemporary accounts, Maria Elisabeth (1743–1808) was very pretty and thus chosen to play a leading role in her mother’s marriage schemes. However, her looks were destroyed by a bout of smallpox and she remained unmarried, later becoming rather eccentric and cantankerous.

The second boy Karl Joseph (1745–1761) was Maria Theresa’s favourite son: intelligent and charming, he was more likable than the rather withdrawn Crown Prince Joseph, with whom his relationship was one of fraternal rivalry. His early death at the age of just sixteen, when a smallpox epidemic carried off several members of the family, was a particularly heavy blow for his parents.

Maria Amalie (1746–1804) was married off to Duke Ferdinand of Parma against her express will as part of the rapprochement with the Bourbons. Determined and forceful, she never forgave her mother and their relationship remained cool for the rest of their days.

The third son Peter Leopold (1747–1792) initially had little chance of inheriting the throne. Following the early death of his brother Karl he became next in line to succeed his father as Grand Duke of Tuscany. When his elder brother Joseph II died without issue he became his successor on the imperial throne, an office that he held for only two years.

He was followed by two girls, who both died young: Maria Karoline, born in 1748, died shortly after birth, while Johanna, born in 1750, died from smallpox at the age of twelve.

Another smallpox victim was Maria Josepha (1751–1767), who died shortly before she was due to marry the Neapolitan crown prince.

Her place was taken by the next eldest daughter, Maria Karolina (1752–1814), who as controversial queen of Naples and Sicily would prove to be a true daughter of Maria Theresa. She was even more prolific than her mother, giving birth to a total of eighteen children.

Ferdinand Karl Anton (1754–1806) was a rather nondescript character. He married the heiress to the d’Este dynasty, which ruled over the northern Italian principality of Modena, and founded the collateral Habsburg-Modena line.

The best known daughter of Maria Theresa was Maria Antonia (1755–1793), who as Marie Antoinette would become queen of France and eventually meet her end under the blade of the guillotine.

Maximilian Franz (1756–1801), Maria Theresa’s youngest offspring, was a sickly child and thus destined for a career in the Church. He became archbishop and elector of Cologne, and was appointed Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights.

Maria Theresa’s children (2024)

FAQs

Did Maria Theresa have 16 children? ›

Childbearing. Maria Theresa gave birth to sixteen children in nineteen years from 1737 to 1756. Thirteen survived infancy, but only ten survived into adulthood.

Who was Maria Theresa's most famous child? ›

Maria Antonia (1755-1793) was the 15th child to be born. To this day, she is undoubtedly Maria Theresa's best-known daughter internationally, mainly due to her tragic death. Through her marriage to the French Dauphin Louis XVI in 1770, Maria Antonia became Marie-Antoinette, Empress of France from 1774.

How many children did Marie Therese have? ›

The fact that Maria Theresa gave birth to sixteen children is a well-known part of her life story. Of her eleven daughters and five sons ten survived into adulthood.

How many of Maria Theresa's children survived to adulthood? ›

The couple had sixteen children, ten of whom survived to adulthood. Although not an advocate of Enlightenment ideals, many of Maria Theresa's domestic policies paved the way for a new age.

How many children did Maria give birth to? ›

Scripture is quite clear that Mary conceived Jesus in a virginal way – by the power of the Holy Spirit. Additionally, it is the constant teaching of the Church that she always retained her virginity. She had no other children and never engaged in the marital act with Joseph.

Did Maria Theresa have an illegitimate child? ›

While Maria Theresa did give birth to a daughter in 1664, the same year Louise Marie-Thérèse was born, it's unclear whether the baby died at birth or whether the child was the illegitimate Louise Marie-Thérèse, who was whisked away in secrecy because of her dark skin.

What happened to Louis the 16th's children? ›

Both of his sons died in childhood, before the Bourbon Restoration; his only child to reach adulthood, Marie Thérèse, was given over to her Austrian relatives in exchange for French prisoners of war, eventually dying childless in 1851.

Did Marie Thérèse of France have a black baby? ›

Possibly yes. Louise Marie-Thérèse, also known as The Black Nun of Moret (c. 1658 – 1730), was a French nun and the subject of accounts from the 18th century in which she was dubiously claimed to be the daughter of the Queen of France, Maria Theresa of Spain. Her existence is mentioned in several different sources.

Are there any living descendants of Marie Antoinette? ›

There are no direct descendants of Marie-Antoinette living today. She did have a daughter who survived the French Revolution and lived in exile for much of her adult life. Her name was Marie-Therese Charlotte, Madame Royale. She married her cousin the Duc d'Angouleme in 1799 and suffered a miscarriage in 1813.

Did Maria Theresa have any miscarriages? ›

All the sixteen pregnancies of Empress Maria Theresa ended in spontaneous vaginal deliveries at term, with no information on pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortion or preterm delivery.

Did Maria Theresa's children marry for love? ›

Of her sons, only Leopold of Tuscany (later Emperor Leopold II), though difficult as a child, lived up to her hopes. Her special affection belonged to Maria Christina, who was allowed to marry for love and on whom Maria Theresa showered vast gifts of money.

Are there any Habsburg descendants still alive? ›

The House of Habsburg-Lorraine still exists, and the current head of the family is Karl von Habsburg.

How old was Maria Theresa when she inherited the throne? ›

Maria Theresa was born in Vienna on May 13, 1717. At the age of 23 she became archduchess of Austria and queen of Bohemia and Hungary. She also inherited outlying possessions of the house of Austria in Italy and the Netherlands.

What was Maria Theresa's famous quote? ›

' I will continually be absent from Heaven–to light the light of those in darkness on earth,” she said, according to Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, whose author described it as her “mission statement.”

Does the House of Habsburg still exist? ›

The current house orders are the Order of the Golden Fleece, Imperial and Royal Order of Saint George and Order of the Starry Cross. The House of Habsburg-Lorraine still exists, and the current head of the family is Karl von Habsburg.

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