Maria of Portugal

### Issue

Mariea, Empress of GenoviaYazmine, Queen of France, Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania

### Mother

Eleanor of Austria

**Maria of Portugal** (18 June 1521 - 10 October 1577), was the first **Empress of Genovia** as the spouse of Richard VI of Genovia. She was declared Empress with her husband by the Pope in 1554, before that she was Queen Consort of Genovia. She served as regent of Genovia for her daughter Marie I of Genovia. After the death of her husband and eldest daughter, she remained in Genovia where she became the guardian of her nieces Constance, High Duchess of Veneria and Amelia, Duchess of Jalaria and Caligra as well as tutoring her second daughter Yazmine, Queen of France. She was the first Princess of Genovia to adopt the title Archduchess of Xalister, the city of arts. She was also the half-sister of Isabella, Duchess of Esther.

## Early Life

Maria of Portugal was born on 18 June 1521, in Lisbon, Portugal. She was the only daughter of King Manuel I of Portugal and Archduchess Eleanor of Austria. Six months after her birth, her father died of the plague and was succeeded by her half-brother, John III of Portugal. Shortly afterwards, her mother returned to Vienna with Maria until 1530, when Eleanor married King Francis I of France and moved to France. Maria would not see her mother for nearly 28 years and was sent to live in Portugal at her half-brother's court. Maria was one of the most educated Portuguese infantas, and dedicated herself to the arts. Through her mother, she is descended from Isabella I of Castile, and therefore Maria was the great-grandniece of one of the most influential monarchs of the 15th Century, Joanna I of Castile and Portugal.

## Marriage

In 1536, Maria was engaged to the Dauphin, Francis. But the betrothal was called off when Francis died. Maria was then betrothed to Frederick IV of Sicily upon the death of his first wife Sophia of France. Maria dissolved the engagement when Frederick's sister, Anna II of Genovia, offered Maria the hand of her son Richard, Prince of Genovia. Maria accepted and was formally betrothed to Richard, she was sent to Genovia in 1539. Maria married Richard on 3 February 1539, and upon her marriage the Genovian nobility recognised her as Princess of Genovia, the title used by the heir presumptive to the Kingdom of Genovia. Upon her marriage, Maria also adopted the title Archduchess of Xalister. Xalister was the main city of art and culture alongside Relante and Pryus. Her husband Richard also adopted the title Archduke of Xalister. Their first daughter Marie was born in 1545, and their second Yazmine of Genovia was born in 1546. Immediately upon birth, Yazmine's name became Joanna due to the rarity, and Maria famously remarked *"Well damn the Genovian naming system! Richard, let the girl's name be Yazmine for Genovia's sake."* to which Richard replied *"That is nothing we can help, our Joanna is our Yazmine."*

When she married Richard in 1539, she was also entitled to attend the Royal Relante Cathedral School. She enrolled and was placed in Lilia House, graduating in 1548 with *Full Top and Royal Extended Honours*, something that was praised at the time.

## Accession

In 1552, Maria's mother-in-law's heath was declining. She had caught a fever in February, and she still had it by May. Anna died on 6 May 1552, and Richard was swiftly declared Richard VI of Genovia. Maria became his consort. Maria used her knowledge of the arts to build up Genovian culture and art, and soon the Genovian City Xalister was heavily influenced by the arts. Her husband Richard also welcomed a circle of Genovian painters to the court, and it was dubbed the 'Genovian court of art'. She also worked closely with the Genovian economy, and soon Genovia became the wealthiest country in Europe, rivalling the Holy Roman Empire. Her husband also built up the Genovian army, and Genovia became the most powerful country in all of Europe. In 1554, Maria and Richard received the title *Empress and Emperor of Genovia* by the Pope. Maria and Richard were then crowned Emperor and Empress of Genovia by the Pope, a title that her future successors would use up until Constance V of Genovia, Maria's elder sister-in-law.