Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily

Maria Cristina of Naples
Queen consort of Sardinia
Tenure	12 March 1821 – 27 April 1831
Spouse	Charles Felix of Sardinia
Full name
Maria Cristina Amelia Teresa
House	House of Savoy House of Bourbon
Father	Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Mother	Maria Carolina of Austria
Born	(1779-01-17)17 January 1779 Caserta Palace, Kingdom of Naples
Died	11 March 1849(1849-03-11) (aged 70) Savona, Kingdom of Sardinia
Burial	Royal Basilica of Superga, Turin
Religion	Roman Catholic

Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily (Maria Cristina Amelia Teresa; 17 January 1779 – 11 March 1849) was a Princess of Naples and Sicily^[1] and later Queen of Sardinia as wife of Charles Felix of Sardinia.

Princess of Naples and Sicily [edit]

She was a daughter of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Carolina of Austria, a daughter of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Her (younger) twin sister Princess Maria Cristina Amelia died of smallpox in 1783, aged five, a week after their brother Prince Giuseppe died.

She was her mother's favourite child.

Duchess of Genevois [edit]

She was married on 6 April 1807 in Palermo with Prince Charles Felix of Savoy, who became King unexpectedly, when his two elder brothers abdicated, Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia in 1802 and Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia in 1821. Until her husband became king, she was styled as the Duchess of Genevois.

Queen of Sardinia [edit]

The royal couple were interested in the arts and artists, and turned the Royal House in Agliè and the Villa Rufinella in Frascati into comfortable residences.

During her husband's reign, they resided at the Palazzo Chiablese, where her husband died in 1831.

In 1825, the Queen engaged the archaeologist Marquess Luigi Biondi (1776–1839), whose excavation work uncovered Tusculum. In 1839 and 1840, the architect and archaeologist Luigi Canina (1795–1856) was engaged by the royal family and excavated the Theatre area of Tusculum. The ancient works of art excavated were sent to the Duke of Savoy's Castle of Agliè in Piedmont.

Charles Felix died in 1831 after a reign of ten years. Maria Cristina lived the rest of her life in Turin, Naples, Agliè and Frascati, and died in Savona, Liguria. She was buried beside her husband in the Basilica of Superga, Great Mausoleum, Savoy Crypt, Turin, Piedmont, Italy. The couple had no children.

Titles, styles, honours and arms [edit]

Titles and styles [edit]

• 17 January 1779 – 6 April 1807 Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily
• 6 April 1807 – 12 March 1821 Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Genevois
• 12 March 1821 – 27 April 1831 Her Majesty the Queen of Sardinia
• 27 April 1831 – 11 March 1849 Her Majesty the Dowager Queen of Sardinia

Ancestry [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (1779–1849)

References and notes [edit]