Archduke Karl Ludwig (1833-96),his wives and family

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Archduchess Maria Annunziata

Hi!
Maria Annunziata was the second wife of Karl Ludwig. She became the mother of the famous archduke Franz Ferdinand (whose assasination meant the beginning of WWI) and Otto, father of Austria´s last emperor, Karl. Maria Annunziata was an epilectic and died at young age (so Karl Ludwig had to marry a third time, this time the beautiful Princess Maria Theresia of Braganza, Infanta of Portugal).
Maria Immuculata was a famous beauty (e.g. Empress Elisabeth, a beauty herself, had a pic of her in her so called "beauty-photo album"). She was the mother of Archduke Franz Salvator, who should marry the favourite daughter of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth, Marie Valérie, in 1890.

It's interesting that when MA's husband remarried, he and his 2nd wife named one of their daughters Maria Annunziata. He must've loved her a good deal. Alfonso XII of Spain and his 2nd wife did the same, naming a daughter after the King's late wife Mercedes.

In the picture of KL with MA you can see the Hapsburg genes--he bears a strong resemblance to Emperor Maximilian of Mexico.

Just to have a reference point for myself to keep these family ties straight  

Archduke Karl Ludwig (1833-1896)

(1) m. 1856 Margaretha of Saxony (1840-1858) died age 18--no children

(2) m. 1862 Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1843-1871) died age 28
1) Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914); m.(morganatically) 1900 Sophie Chotek von Chotkowa, created Duchess of Hohenberg--3 children
2) Otto (1865-1906); m.1886 Maria Josepha of Saxony--eldest child became Emperor Karl I
3) Ferdinand Karl Ludwig (1868-1915); m. 1909 (morganatically) Bertha Czuber  
4) Margarete Sophie Marie Annunciata Theresia Caroline Luise Josephe Johanna (1870-1902); m.1893 Duke Albrecht of Württemberg

(3) m. 1873 Infanta Maria Teresa of Portugal (1855-1944) died age 89
5) Maria Annunciata (1876-1961)
6) Elisabeth (1878- 1960); m.1903 Aloys von und zu Liechtenstein

Maria Immuculata was a famous beauty (e.g. Empress Elisabeth, a beauty herself, had a pic of her in her so called "beauty-photo album").

Was really she that beautiful?
From photos on this tread, I personally don't find her "a famous beauty".
But then, who am I to judge?

Daniela

I think she was the prettiest among her sisters! And frankly I guess she was one of  the prettiest among  the women in the Habsburg family... not among all the princesses in Europe.

Maria Annunziata and Karl Ludwig looks like a happy couple indeed!

If somebody has pictures/informations about the following Archduchesses, please post it!

MARGARETHE SOPHIE (1870-1902), Princess of Wuerttemberg

MARIA ANNUNZIATA (Miana) (1876-1961)

ELISABETH AMALIA (1878-1960), Princess of Liechtenstein

I'm especially interested in Miana!

Margarethe Sophie Maria Annunziata Theresia Caroline Luise Josephe Johanna was born on 13 May 1870 in the castle of Artstetten. She was the only daughter of Karl Ludwig and his second wife beautiful Maria Annunziata, Princess og Bourbon - Two Sicilies.
Margarethe was given the name of Karl Ludwig's first wife Margarethe, Princess of Saxony (1840-1858.). Her nickname was Gretel.
She lost her mother Annunziata (Ciolla) when she was only one year old. But she was very close to her stepmother Maria Theresia, Infanta of Portugal, as well as her three elder brothers. Especially Franz Ferdinand loved his little sister a lot. He even wrote in a letter that his future wife has to be just like Margarethe. Later they didn't have any contact because they had an argument because of an inheritance.

After being Princess-Abbess at the Hradschin in Prague, she married Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg in 1893. They had seven children:

- Philipp Albrecht (1893-1975)
- Albrecht Eugen (1895-1954)
- Carl Alexander (1896-1964)
- Marie Amélie (1897-1923)
- Maria Theresia (1898-1928.)
- Marie Elisabeth (1899-1900)
- Margarethe (1902-1945)

Margarethe died on 24 August 1902 in Gmunden, Austria. The cause of her death were problems after an appendectomy. She was laid to rest at Altshausen.

Maria Annunziata

- her mother actually named her after her husband´s second wife Princess Maria Annunziata of Bourbon-Sicily
- she never married, but I think she spent much time with her sister and her family

Elisabeth Amalie

- married Alois von und zu Liechtenstein. Alois actually had to give up his Austrian citizenship to be able to marry Elisabeth. This was a demand of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
- they had a quite large brood of children: Franz Joseph, Maria Theresia, Karl, Georg, Ulrich, Henriette, Alois and Heinrich
- in 1944/45 she and her husband had to leave their estates in Eastern Europe and left for Liechtenstein, where their son was ruling

Margarethe Sophie (who became quite ugly ...)

Hee, very true... . She was quite cute as a child and young woman, so her looks as an adult are quite disappointing...

Hee, very true... . She was quite cute as a child and young woman, so her looks as an adult are quite disappointing...

Really--I don't think she looks that bad.  :-/  I have seen a lot of princesses who look way worse. I think she just looks older and more worn.

The photo of her and Albrecht when they were a young couple is lovely. What an attractive couple they were.

I read somwhere can't remember right now where, that Maria Annuziata was engaged for a very short time to a Bavaria duke, a nephew of Empress Elisabeth. Is that true?

Wasn't his name Siegfried? He apparently had the mental instability that occured throughout the Wittelsbachs. There's something about it in Royalty Before the War, I believe.