Archduke Otto (1865-1906) and Archduchess Maria Josefa, parents of Emperor Karl I

Does anyone have any information about the mother of Emperor Karl, and wife to Archduke Otto.

She was a princess of Saxony. Her father was the younger son who married a Portguese Infanta as a wife. Maria Josefa had a sister named Mathilde, who was pretty ugly, but talented as a painter. For more information read Luisa of Tuscany's autobiography called "My Story". Maria Josefa was lucky that he married the best looking Archduke in Austria, but the bad news is that he does not love her.

[European Royal History Journal]

Maria-Josefa was a deeply religious woman with a deep sense of her obligations as a member of the imperial family.  She is the one reponsible for the Karl history knew as the last Austro-Hungarian emperor.  For while she spent great amounts of effort and sacrificed raising her sons as good, observant and obedient Catholics, her husband Archduke Otto, spent equal amount of time seeking diversion in the various brothels of Vienna, an excercise in excess that eventually brought him an early death.

Arturo Beéche

It was Maria Josefa's fate to find fulfilment in her children and they turned out pretty well indeed.

 For while she spent great amounts of effort and sacrificed raising her sons as good, observant and obedient Catholics, her husband Archduke Otto, spent equal amount of time seeking diversion in the various brothels of Vienna, an excercise in excess that eventually brought him an early death.

Didn't Archduke Otto die in the Halloween, All Saints Day? Quite ironically  

[European Royal History Journal]

I have both of these.  Interesitingly enough none of her grandchildren ever remember having seen this tiara, which seems to have disappeared.  I showed the photo to three of her grandsons and none actually recognized their grandmother, whom they remembered as a very different and matronly woman.

Arturo Beéche

How was she different? Was she markedly changed by the loss of the Habsburg empire (ala Marie Coburg or Miechen) or did she adapt well and perhaps a 'less glittering' personality was what had existed all along?

What did she do after the abdication of her  son? Did she remain in Austria, go to Portugal or some other country?

What did she do after the abdication of her  son? Did she remain in Austria, go to Portugal or some other country?

I read that following the abdication of her son, she left Austria. However I don't know where she went.

Maria Josepha left Austria with her son Karl and his family in 1919. First she lived in Switzerland, since 1921  in Germany. She died in Schloss Wildenwart / Upper Bavaria in 1944. Schloss Wildenwart was the home of some members of the Royal Family of Bavaria.

Maria Josefa had a visible assymetry of the features.

I came across this tonight when I was scanning old magazines. It was from about 1905-1910 entitled Queens of Tomorrow.

"It has been supposed that the duties and dignities of empress would some day be laid upon the Archduchess Maria Josepha, the wife of Prine Otto, the younger brother of the heir apparent, but the recent death of her husband alters her future. She has made ready to reign, an equivocal queen. Indeed, already she has held court. It is to her that presentations have been made--when some kindly ambassador has sent in an 'application' on behalf of his pretty countrywomen. On these occasions the debutante is taken to the grande maitresse de la cour; then she is led up to royalty: 'Will your imperial highness deign graciously to accept the presentation of Miss Van-so-and-so of New York?'. A deep and reverent courtesy; perhaps the archduchess speaks a gracious word--but does not give her hand to be kissed. Blsuhing and content, Miss Van-so-and-so backs away, kicking her train with a pink slipper; and the make-believe empress, unsmiling, nods."

They say Infanta Ana Maria died early and unhappily. Is it true ?  

Maria Anna has never been Queen of Saxony ...

I read that her marriage to Prince (later King) Georg of Saxony was very happy. He was devastated after her death.

I think it was a tragedy that Maria Anna lost her two eldest daughters Maria Johanna (1860-1861) and Elisabeth (1862-1863). When she lost her second child she was only 19 years old. Just imagine ...

I read from a story from ERHJ about Portuguese Infantas that wasn't true. Maria Ana's marriage was not happy and she died early. The portrait painted by Louise of Tuscany (his daughter-in-law) seemed to indicate that he was an unpleasent man, unlike his popular brother.

Hello...Nice pictures  .


It is said that Dona Maria Anna died after exhaustion from nursering for a long time her younger son Pr Albert...Apparently it wasn´t a happy marriage...She married very young and left Portugal so soon...While in Germany and as the years went by, she wrote to her sister Dona Antonia saying she was afraid of even forgetting the Portuguese language...and that seems to have been painful to her  ...

I think this was a lady with a great sense of duty, which was also shared by her daughter Maria Josepha...

There might be no Kohary curse...but one wonders...

So many deaths at the same time (though they are explained by science)...Three of her brothers died in a short period of three months (1861), than the two surviving ones (King Dom Luis and Infante Dom Augusto) also died in the same year (1889)...Dona Maria Anna died in 1884, than her father the following year...

It seems that in this family when pain came, it came to crush everyone  :-/...