Maria Josepha of Bavaria, the second wife of Joseph II, was born on 20 March 1739 in Munich. Through their grandfathers, Emperors Joseph I and Charles VI, they were second cousins.
Maria Josepha was yet another tragic example of a life overshadowed by an unhappy marriage. The widowed Joseph fiercely opposed the idea of remarrying, as he deeply mourned his first wife, the beautiful and intelligent Isabella of Parma. However, he was under extreme pressure from his mother, Maria Theresa, and the State Chancellor, Prince Kaunitz, who sought to strengthen ties with Bavaria and ensure the continuation of the direct male line through Joseph’s future son. In the end, pragmatic calculations prevailed, and the ill-fated marriage took place in 1765 — completely against the groom’s will.
Although Maria Josepha was amiable and benevolent by nature and genuinely in love with her husband, she lacked intelligence, elegance, and self-confidence. Joseph initially made some effort to treat her with respect, but the shy and unattractive Maria Josepha simply could not compare to his beloved Isabella. He soon became publicly cold and dismissive towards his wife, and the imperial court did not hesitate to follow his example. Only Emperor Francis Stephan showed kindness to his daughter-in-law, but after his death six months later, the young woman received neither support nor encouragement — from the family or the court.
Maria Josepha died of smallpox in 1767, after just two years of an unhappy marriage. Joseph neither visited her sickbed nor attended her funeral. Needless to say, they had no children.
If there were a bizarre competition for the most miserable empress, Maria Josepha would take first place. The runner-up? I’ll write about her on 5 April.
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