Biography of Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies
Princess Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies (Maria Antonietta Giuseppa Anna; 19 December 1814 – 7 November 1898) was the Grand Duchess of Tuscany from 1833 to 1859 as the consort of Leopoldo II. In signature, she used Maria Antonietta.
Maria Antonia was born at the Royal Palace of Palermo on 19 December 1814, daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Isabella of Spain. She was baptized Maria Antonia in honor of Maria Antonia-Anna's great-aunt Marie Antoinette, deceased sister of her grandmother Maria Carolina of Austria.
When she was born, the Neapolitan court had already moved to Sicily because Napoleonic troops had invaded the continental part of the realm. After a few months the royal family returned to Naples thanks to the Congress of Vienna.
She was particularly close to her brother the future Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, who affectionately dubbed her Totò.
In 1833, when she was eighteen, Maria Antonia married her first cousin Leopoldo II Grand Duke of Tuscany, who was seventeen years older. Marie Antoinette and Leopoldo had ten children.
On 27 April, 1859 before the Franco-Piedmont war against Austria, Leopoldo II proclaimed neutrality. On the afternoon of 27 April, Leopold II chose to leave Florence with his family in four carriages heading toward Bologna. He hoped not to provoke any violence by what appeared to be a well orchestrated coup directed by the Piedmontese government. Shortly beforehand he had refused to abdicate in favor of his son, Ferdinando IV, though he did so later in July of the same year when the emperor Francis Joseph required him to do so..
Maria Antonia was born at the Royal Palace of Palermo on 19 December 1814, daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Isabella of Spain. She was baptized Maria Antonia in honor of Maria Antonia-Anna's great-aunt Marie Antoinette, deceased sister of her grandmother Maria Carolina of Austria.
When she was born, the Neapolitan court had already moved to Sicily because Napoleonic troops had invaded the continental part of the realm. After a few months the royal family returned to Naples thanks to the Congress of Vienna.
She was particularly close to her brother the future Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, who affectionately dubbed her Totò.
In 1833, when she was eighteen, Maria Antonia married her first cousin Leopoldo II Grand Duke of Tuscany, who was seventeen years older. Marie Antoinette and Leopoldo had ten children.
On 27 April, 1859 before the Franco-Piedmont war against Austria, Leopoldo II proclaimed neutrality. On the afternoon of 27 April, Leopold II chose to leave Florence with his family in four carriages heading toward Bologna. He hoped not to provoke any violence by what appeared to be a well orchestrated coup directed by the Piedmontese government. Shortly beforehand he had refused to abdicate in favor of his son, Ferdinando IV, though he did so later in July of the same year when the emperor Francis Joseph required him to do so..