María Teresa Rafaela of Spain

Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain (María Teresa Antonia Rafaela; 11 June 1726 – 22 July 1746) was an Infanta of Spain by birth and was later the wife of Louis of France, Dauphin of France, son of King Louis XV. She died during  childbirth aged 20, She gave birth to a daughter who died at two years of age leaving the Dauphine with no surviving descendants. She used the names "Marie Thérèse" (see right) 

Life

She was the second daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. Baptised with the names María Teresa Antonia Rafaela, she was known as María Teresa. She was engaged to Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France, son of Louis XV of France. The official marriage took place at the Palace of Versailles on 23 February 1745. The marriage was an idea to try and better relations between France and Spain after Louis XV had not married Mariana Victoria of Spain, María Teresa Rafaela's older sister. 

On 19 July 1746, Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle (as she was known in France) gave birth to a daughter before dying herself on 22 July at Versailles. The child died in 1748. Her husband married again to Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony and was the mother of Louis XVI of France. She was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside Paris. 

Children

Marie Thérèse of France (19 July 1746 – 27 April 1748). Named after her mother, she died in infancy and was known simply as "Madame Royale". 

Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles

11 June 1726 – 23 February 1745 Her Royal Highness The Infanta Doña María Teresa Antonia Rafaela of Spain. 
23 February 1745 – 22 July 1746 Her Royal Highness the Dauphine of France (Son Altesse royale, "Madame la Dauphine".)

Other websites

Category:1726 births
Category:1748 deaths
Category:Spanish House of Bourbon
Category:House of Bourbon
Category:Deaths in childbirth
Category:People from Madrid
Category:Spanish infantes and infantas
Category:Dauphins and Dauphines of France