There are some duplicate names among historic royals across Europe. Given that families continued to intermarry, it can be difficult to remember lineage. The Habsburgs make it particularly difficult. And Maria Theresa is a great example of that. Maria Theresa was a Habsburg Empress who gave birth to numerous rulers and consorts, including Marie Antoinette. However, Maria Theresa of Spain is a different Habsburg who became Queen of France. And this month we are talking about the Spanish Queen of France. Let’s get into our Consort of the Month: Queen Maria Theresa of Spain!
Consort of the Month: Queen Maria Theresa of Spain Fast Facts
Birth Date: 10 September 1638
Death Date: 30 July 1683
Tenure (Queen): 9 June 1660 – 30 July 1683
Birth Name: María Teresa de Austria y Borbón
Spouse: King Louis XIV of France
House: Habsburg
Father: Philip IV of Spain
Mother: Elisabeth of France
Why Do We Know Queen Maria Theresa of Spain?
Maria Theresa is another Queen whose life is largely eclipsed by her husband- when your husband is the Sun King, it is hard to emerge from his shadow. However, if you watched Versailles in the last few years (particularly the first season), you will be at least familiar with Maria-Theresa. She led quite an interesting, albeit short, life, and it is so unfortunate that she is overshadowed by Louis’ mistresses and Louis himself.
Queen Maria Theresa’s Early Life
Maria Theresa was born to Philip IV of Spain and Elisabeth of France in 1638. Elisabeth died when Maria Theresa was only six, and her father remarried after. She was not particularly close with her step-mother, Marianna of Austria.
As with many Spanish royals in the early modern period, Maria Theresa had an extensive Catholic education. She would remain a devout and dedicated Catholic throughout her life regardless of the situation she found herself in.
Interestingly, Infanta Maria Theresa was heir presumptive to the Spanish throne from 1646 to 1657 after her elder brother died. Spain did not have Salic Law in place, meaning that she would have been able to hold the throne in her own name as a female. However, her younger half-brother, Philip Prospero, was born in 1657.
A French Match
The Spanish Infanta was suggested as a match for the French King, Louis XIV, in the late 1650s as France and Spain were concluding a years long war. It did take several months of incredibly intense negotiations as both the French and the Spanish wanted to ensure that one crown would be subservient to the other, but they eventually settled on their terms. These terms would be a problem later, though.
The Sun King Always Shines
The pair married by proxy first and then were married in person on 9 June 1660. Maria Theresa was handed over to the French on the Isle of Pheasants, an island between France and Spain. (They alternate administrative terms.) This was specifically called the Meeting on the Isle of the Pheasants and was an official piece of the process of ending the Franco-Spanish War.
Louis was an outgoing and flirtatious man; however, he did remain faithful to Maria Theresa for the first year of their marriage. He would then begin an affair with Louise de la Vallière, the first of many mistresses. Maria Theresa would have different relationships with Louis’ various mistresses. Madame de Maintenon continually encouraged the King to remain close and affectionate with his wife, and therefore she more openly tolerated her.
Louis would still rebuke his mistresses if they showed outright disrespect to Maria Theresa at court, but the pair were not overly close.
Filling Time
Maria Theresa was not one for court life. She had absolutely no interest in politics whatsoever and is one of a rare group of consorts who did not seek to exert political power in any way. She did not have any interest in literature or theatre like her husband, but she did enjoy spending her time with her mother-in-law. Maria Theresa would often pass her days playing cards and gambling.
However, it is extremely unlikely that she pursued any extra-marital affairs, like the show Versailles shows. This plotline was based on rumours that she gave birth to black baby fathered by a court jester but there is no evidence for this at all.
A Young Queen’s Death
Sadly, Queen Maria Theresa died at only forty four years old. At the end of July 1683, she returned from a trip abroad and was incredibly ill. Historians believe that she most likely died from complications from an abscess but it is clear that she was in an inordinate amount of pain before she died.
She died at the Palace of Versailles on 30 July and was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis (the resting place of many French royals). Louis remarked that her death was “the first chagrin she has ever given [him]”.
Queen Maria Theresa of Spain: Interesting Facts
– Confusingly, some sources will name her “Maria Theresa of Austria” due to her Habsburg lineage (including the Palace of Versailles website)- always ensure you check your dates!
– She was heir presumptive to the Spanish throne for a second time briefly from 1 to 6 November in 1661.
– Maria Theresa gave birth to six children but sadly only one of her children survived her.
– She very much struggled with learning French when she arrived at French court, which may have been exacerbated by having a mostly Spanish entourage.
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Further Readings on Queen Maria Theresa of Spain
“Maria Theresa of Austria.” Palace of Versailles, October 29, 2019. https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/great-characters/maria-theresa-austria.
Sadly, there has not been much academic writing or biographies written of this Queen of France. If you do have a source to recommend, please send me an email at AnHistorianAboutTown@gmail.com!
Looking for my earlier Consort of the Month posts? Read about:
Empress Eugenie of France
Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Queen Marie Antoinette
Catherine de Medici
Queen Adelaide
I hope you have enjoyed Consort of the Month: Queen Maria Theresa!
Cheers,
The Historian
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