Bárbara of Portugal

Bárbara of Portugal (Pronunciation , December 4, 1711 – August 27, 1758) was a Portuguese princess, daughter of King John V of Portugal, of the House of Braganza, and his wife, Maria Anna of Austria.

She was born on 4 December 1711 in Lisbon, Portugal and given the name Maria Madalena Bárbara Xavier Leonor Teresa Antónia Josefa de Bragança. She was usually called just Bárbara or Maria Bárbara, in honour of Saint Barbara, the saint of her birthday.

She had a fine education and loved music. She could speak six languages and studied music for several years with Domenico Scarlatti, the famous Italian harpsichordist and composer.

In 1729, when she was 18 years old, she married the future King Ferdinand VI of Spain, in Badajoz, Spain. They had no children. She died on 27 August 1758 in Aranjuez, Spain.

The city of Santa Bárbara de Samaná in the Dominican Republic was named after her when it was founded in 1756.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles
4 December 1711 – 19 October 1712 Her Royal Highness the Princess of Brazil
19 October 1712 – 20 January 1729 Her Highness the Infanta Barbara of Portugal
20 January 1729 – 9 July 1746 Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias
9 July 1746 – 27 August 1758 Her Majesty the Queen of Spain

Category:House of Braganza
Category:1711 births
Category:1758 deaths
Category:People from Lisbon
Category:Princes and Princesses of Asturias
Category:Spanish House of Bourbon
Category:Kings and Queens consort of Spain