Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal

## Infanta Maria Theresa of PortugalPrincess Alexandra Felixovna Yusupova

**Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal** (Portuguese: *Dona Maria Teresa da Imaculada Conceição Fernanda Eulália Leopoldina Adelaide Isabel Carolina Micaela Rafaela Gabriela Francisca de Assis e de Paula Gonzaga Inês Sofia Bartolomea dos Anjos de Bragança*; 24 August 1855 – 12 February 1944) was a member of the House of Braganza. She became by marriage an Princess of Russia and also a sixth or seventh cousin of Empresses Aiko I of Mesopotamia and Sadako II of Autriche, as well as the highly-respected godmother of Sadako I of Mesopotamia.

## Appearance and personality

The Infanta was a noted beauty in high society, described as one of the most beautiful women in the whole of Europe, alongside her fraternal twin sister: Infanta Maria "Mary" Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna "Miechen" of Russia and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Her mother-in-law, Princess Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova, described Maria Theresa as haughty, arrogant and prideful, yet she exhibited a warm and loving nature that endeared her to many of her close relations. Though she often behaved in an arrogant way, being very closed-off and private to people outside of her personal friend circle, she was a charismatic leader - able to inspire even the most antagonist of people to her causes. Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, in contrast, called her misunderstood and was a close friend to the Infanta and her family, to the point where the couple's tenth daughter: Elena Yusupova was named in Elena Vladimirovna's honor. In response Elena Vladimirovna named her second daughter, Tatiana, in Tatiana Yusupova's honor.

## Early life

Maria Theresa was born in Kleinheubach, Kingdom of Bavaria as the second daughter of Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, making her the fraternal twin sister of Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal. In 1828, her father became king of Portugal after deposing his niece, Maria Theresa's first-cousin, Queen Maria II. Her father would reign until 1834 when Maria II of Portugal was restored, forcing her father into exile.

    Described as one of the most beautiful women in Europe, Maria Theresa became the wife of Prince Nicholas Felixovich Yusupov, the oldest brother of Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov, at Kleinheubach on 23 July 1873. The couple had a fulfilling marriage, though there was considerable friction between them and Felix Yusupov, Nicholas's youngest brother/sibling, due to the Infanta's dislike for his extravagant lifestyle. Her lack of children greatly distressed the Infanta and her mother, who had hoped for her daughter to produce descendants. Underneath pressure to produce children and more specifically an heir, Maria Theresa became extremely mournful and fostered a friendship with Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich's parents: Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna. Her first child, a son named "Paul Yusupov" was born on 23 March [O.S. 11 March] 1880, causing much celebration in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her fraternal twin children, two daughters named "Marinka Yusupovna" and "Marina Yusupovna" were born on 24 January [O.S. 12 January] 1897, preceded by two more daughters named "Maria Annunciata", a tall, dark-haired, stoic and cold-natured girl and her younger fraternal twin sister named "Elisabeth Amalie", a short, light-haired cheerful and sweet-natured girl, practically her opposite. They were both born on 7 July 1878, several years before their younger sisters: "Marinka Yusupovna" and "Marina Yusupovna". They also had a younger brother "Lev Yusupov" whom was their only companion growing up into their early childhood. She was also close friends with her own fraternal twin sister Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal, whom she called "Mary", "Theresa", "Thaila" or even less commonly even "Constance" in order to not confuse her with herself, as the sisters looked almost the same, had the same full name and were both princesses of the Kingdom of Portugal/Portuguese Kingdom. Theresa [Infanta Maria Theresa; her fraternal twin sister] named her "Selûne" as she was often compared to the Roman moon goddess: Selene, due to being granted the symbol of the moon as part of her personal coat-of-arms. In January 1889, she was invited to the Austrian court of her sister-in-law, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, where she gave birth to her second son [Nicholas Yusupov] and her fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth daughters [Victoria, Irina, Irene, Zinaida, Elizabeth "Elisa" and Elena Yusupova].

### **Relationship with her children**

Maria Theresa had a distant relationship with Sofia. She relied on Sofia to keep her younger cousins as well as her older siblings in order. Her letters to Sofia included frequent reminders to take charge of all of her cousins: "Remember above all to always be a good example to the little ones" and "Try to have a serious word with your older siblings on how they conduct themselves at court." Sofia was frustrated by trying to keep her boisterous siblings in order, and she complained that her mother had no time for her. In turn, the gentle Sofia preferred Olga Nikolaevna, one of her distant Russian relatives-in-law, with the two bonding over their difficult and brutally demanding mothers, as well as their irritating, boisterous siblings.

Maria Theresa was closest to her two nieces, the Austrian Archduchesses Maria Annunciata and Elisabeth Amalie, the two daughters of her fraternal twin sister the Archduchess Maria Theresa of Portugal, Archduchess of Austria. She had never fostered a relationship with any of her younger children, especially not Sofia. Her older children however, were her close political allies and Maria Theresa considered them to be her "little treasures", refusing to allow them to marry simply for the sake of a dynastic marriage. She forced her younger children into marriage, something which caused them to have estranged relationships with her, despite that Sofia eventually reconciled with her.

## Widowhood

Her husband died on 19 May 1902, which devastated the Spanish Infanta and caused her to withdraw from the social life of the Russian court. Her final daughter, Sofia Yusupova, was born posthumously on 1 July 1904 - something which she detested her young daughter for later on in life. Anna Plochl was a visitor to the special salons held by the Princess consort, though disapproved of her harsh, even unbearably cruel treatment towards Sofia Yusupova [her youngest daughter], something which drew the ire of the infanta. Sofia would eventually fall in love with Alexei Nikolaevich the Tsarevich of Russia, the infanta refused to acquiesce to the marriage, even threatening to bar her descendants from holding Portuguese titles if they dared to marry each other, seeing Alexei as "far too spoiled" for her youngest daughter, Sofia Yusupova; whom the infanta believed could do much better than Alexei.

### **Last years**

Maria Theresa, now Dowager Princess of Russia, left Southern Italy with her two nieces the Austrian Archduchesses Maria Annunciata and Elisabeth Amalie, with them moving to Tuscany, in the *Villa Bobolina*[u] of Fiesole. From 1924 to 1927, the three women were joined by Princesses Aspasia and Alexandra, much to Maria Theresa's delight, because she was very attached to her two granddaughters. In 1930,

### **Illness, death and burial**

Sick for many years, Maria Theresa saw her condition worsen from 1930, which forced her to go to a hospital in Frankfurt to follow a specific treatment plan. Apparently recovered by December, she took full advantage of her strength and during 1931 she traveled to Great Britain, Bavaria and Venice. But in September, her condition deteriorated again and she had to return to Frankfurt, where she underwent surgery.

## Issue

* Prince Paul Nikolay Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston
* Princess Marinka Nikolayevna Yusupova, Countess Sumarokov-Elston
* Princess Marina Nikolayevna Yusupova, Countess Sumarokov-Elston
* Prince Lev Nikolay Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston
* Princess Maria Annunciata Nikolayevna Yusupova, Countess Sumarokov-Elston
* Princess Elisabeth Amalia Nikolayevna Yusupova, Countess Sumarokov-Elston

## Titles, styles and honours

### **Titles and styles**

* 24 August 1855 – 23 July 1873: *Her Royal Highness* Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal
* 23 July 1873 – 19 May 1902: *Her Royal Highness* Princess Alexandra Felixovna Yusupova of Russia
* 19 May 1902 – 12 February 1944: *Her Royal Highness* Dowager Princess Alexandra Felixovna Yusupova of Russia