Marie-Antoinette Ferdinande d’Espagne

"Marie-Antoinette Ferdinande d’Espagne, Madame la Dauphine", par Alexander Roslin (c. 1758)

## Biography

### Full Name

Marie-Antoinette Ferdinande d’Espagne
(Spanish: María Antonia Fernanda de Anjou y Anjou)

### House

Maison d'Anjou-Espagne (by Birth)
Maison d'Anjou-France (by Marriage)

### Born

17th November 1729, Reales Alcázares de Sevilla, Sevilla, Reino de España

### Spouse

Charles Emmanuel de France, Monseigneur le Dauphin (m. 1750)

### Issue

Louis Ferdinand de France, Monseigneur le Petite Dauphin †
Marie Thérèse de France
Louis Joseph de France, Monseigneur le Petite Dauphin
Louis Philippe de France, Duc de Berry
François Auguste de France, Duc d’Angoulême
Louise Victoire de France
Élisabeth Antoinette de France

### Siblings

Charles III, Rey de España
Mariana Victoria, Reina-Consorte de Portugal y Algarves
Felipe I, Duque de Parma
María Teresa Antonia Rafaela, Infanta de España †
Luis Antonio Jaime, Conde de Chinchón
Luis I, Rey de España †
(Half-Brother)
Fernando VI, Rey de España † (Half-Brother)

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

**Marie-Antoinette d’Espagne** (*French: Marie-Antoinette Ferdinande d’Espagne; Spanish: María Antonia Fernanda de Anjou y Anjou; 17th November 1729 – Present*), or the sobriquet "**Dame de la Rose Espagnole**", was a Spanish princess and the current Dauphin de Franceby marriage. She was the third and youngest daughter to Felipe V de Anjou, Rey de España, and his second wife, the Italian princess Elisabeth Farnese. Following the tragic death of her older sister, María Teresa Rafaela de España, she was agreed upon as a replacement to be betrothed to Dauphin Charles Emmanuel Joseph de France—heir apparent to the French throne—in order to resolve the marriage settlement between France and Spain.

The youngest and last daughter of Philippe d’Espagne and Elisabeth Farnese, Antoinette’s early life was largely overshadowed by those of her older siblings and half-siblings. Her parents lavished more care and attention on their sons, heirs and future kings of the vast Spanish realm, and daughters, who would be wedded off in a greater marriage prospect to foreign royals. However, although the young princess endured neglect and isolation early on in her childhood, Antoinette still enjoyed a rather precarious, contended, and blithe upbringing at the strict Spanish court. Some of her ladies-in-waiting and spectating court contemporaries noted how she blossomed during her turbulent years of adolescence and displayed a different facade, manifesting a good sense of gregarious charm and fettling into well-natured humor. It wasn’t until 1743 that fate paved a course for the carefree Infante d’Espagne: Antoinette was decided upon as the future bride to the Dauphin of France. After the unexpected tragedy, she was chosen as a substitute to fit into the place of her late older sister, María Teresa Rafaela, to be wedded in Paris. In this city, she would soon become the new Dauphine of France.

Her excursion towards Versailles had developed into a troubling nuisance to conquer as she would become the woman to succeed in the role of Reine-Consort of France. Although the marriage between Marie-Antoinette and her new husband, the 18-year-old Charles Emmanuel de France, was received with a positive reception from both her father and mother-in-law, the presence of a foreign princess had garnered the solicitous eyes of almost all of the French courtiers, both remarking either positively or negatively. Before her official debut, courtly intrigues and gossip were mostly centered around the Dauphine, as it had been nearly half a century since Versailles had welcomed a foreign princess openly into its gates. Nevertheless, she, along with the assistance of the Dauphin, persisted through the trivial life of her dignitary status and comfortably settled into the ostentatious court, becoming a highly-esteemed member of the royal family due to her purity and compassion. Her years as the Dauphine de France ushered in a serene sense that would attenuate the calamity of court factionalism and political strife.

## Issue

With her husband, Charles Emmanuel de France, Monseigneur le Dauphin, she had a total of nine pregnancies, with seven surviving through infancy:

* Stillborn Son (14th December 1750)
* **Louis Ferdinand Léopold de France**, Monseigneur le Petite Dauphin, Duc de Bretagne, Fil de France (29th March 1751 – 10th November 1760)
* **Marie Thérèse Philippine de France**, Fille de France (12th February 1752 – Present)
* **Louis Joseph** **Raphaël de France**, Monseigneur le Petite Dauphin, Duc de Normandie, Fil de France (23rd May 1754 – Present)
* **Louis Philippe Antoine de France**, Duc de Berry, Fil de France (1st December 1756 – Present)
* **François Auguste Emmanuel de France**, Duc d'Angoulême, Fil de France (11th November 1757 – Present)
* Stillborn Son (21st September 1758)
* **Louise Victoire Charlotte de France**, Fille de France (9th October 1760 – Present)
* **Élisabeth Antoinette Eugénie de France**, Fille de France (11th January 1763 – Present)
* Miscarriage (23rd December 1765)

## Titles and Styles

* **17th November 1729 — 20th June 1750** *Su Alteza Real*, *Infanta Maria Antonia de España*
* **20th June 1750 — Present** *Son Altesse Royale, Madame la Dauphine de France*
	+ **12th December 1738 – Present** *Son Altesse Royale, Madame la Princess Héréditaire de Lorraine et Bar*