Infanta Benedita of Portugal
| Infanta Benedita | |
|---|---|
| Princess of Brazil, Duchess of Braganza (more...) | |
Maria Benedita; Miguel António do Amaral
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| Born |
25 July 1746 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal |
| Died | 18 August 1829 (aged 83) Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal |
| Burial | Royal Pantheon of the Braganza Dynasty |
| Spouse | Joseph, Prince of Brazil |
| Father | Joseph I of Portugal |
| Mother | Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Maria Benedita of Braganza (Maria Francisca Benedita Ana Isabel Antónia Lourença Inácia Teresa Gertrudes Rita Rosa; 25 July 1746 – 18 August 1829) was a Portuguese infanta and the youngest daughter of King Joseph I of Portugal and his wife Mariana Victoria of Spain.
Benedita was born in Lisbon she was named after Pope Benedict XIV. She was well educated. She was educated in music by Davide Perez and in painting by Domingos Sequeira: a panel made by her and her sister can still be seen in the Estrela Basilica.
On 21 February 1777 she married her nephew, Joseph, Prince of Beira, heir apparent of the heiress presumptive (and proclaimed heir, i.e. her sister Maria) to the throne of Portugal, as the eldest son of the future Queen Mary I. Maria Francisca Benedita and Joseph had no children, however she miscarried twice: firstly in 1781 and secondly in 1786.
Three days after their wedding, Benedita's father King Joseph died and Maria succeeded him as queen regnant. Infante José became the new crown prince, being given the titles Prince of Brazil and 16th Duke of Braganza. Benedita became crown princess with the title Princess of Brazil.
In 1788 her husband Joseph died and Benedita became Dowager Princess of Brazil, as she was known during the rest of her long life. In contrast to other dowagers, who founded convents and churches, she chose to found the Asylum for the Military Disabled of Runa. She followed the royal family on their exile to Brazil in 1808.
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