Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria

Princess Maria Elisabeth Franziska Josepha Therese (9 September 1914 – 13 May 2011) was de jure Empress Consort of Brazil from 19 August 1937 to 5 July 1981 as wife of Prince Pedro Henrique of Brazil. After her husband died, she became known as "The Princess Mother" or "Empress Mother".

Due to old age and frailty, she remained indoors for the last five years of her life. Under the care of nurses, the Princess Mother read a lot, always in German, knitted and watched opera and ballet DVDs. In an apartment, she lived with her eldest daughter, Princess Isabel Maria of Brazil, and her grandson, Rafael, Prince of Grão-Pará, Princess Amélia of Brazil and Princess Maria Gabriela of Brazil, children of Prince Antônio, Prince Imperial of Brazil and Princess Christine of Ligne, residents of Petrópolis, who were in Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Princess Maria Elisabeth died at 1:00 pm on May 13, 2011, aged 96, on the 123rd anniversary of the signing of the Lei Áurea (Golden Law) by her husband's grandmother, Empress Isabel I of Brazil. Maria Elisabeth was comforted in her faith, having received Extreme Unction and the blessing of Pope Benedict XVI, her countryman.

Early life
Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria was born at Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, the second child and first daughter of Prince Franz of Bavaria (1875–1957), (son of King Ludwig III of Bavaria and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este) and his wife, Princess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ (1890–1982), (daughter of Karl Alfred, Duke of Croÿ and Princess Ludmilla of Arenberg).

Princess Maria Elisabeth was born at the beginning of First World War; most of her relatives fought during the war, even her father. Her childhood and youth were very troubled because of the regimes that were established in Germany after the war.

Until coming of age the princess lived in Sárvár Castle, in Hungary, which was owned by his grandmother, Queen Maria Teresa, a born Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and of Modena, among others. The Bavarian Royal Family returned to Bavaria in the 1930s. The republican government was forced to return a substantial part of goods and castles that had been confiscated in 1918 after the revolution.

The times in Germany between the wars (1918–1938) were difficult, due to the Great Depression of 1929 and the rise of the Nazis, and Adolf Hitler in the German government. The uncle of the princess, Rupprecht (1869–1955), head of the Royal House of Bavaria, declared himself an enemy of Hitler. This fact had a huge impact on the Royal Family; they were forced to flee to Italy. The second wife of Prince Rupprecht, Princess Antonia of Luxembourg (1899–1955), and her children, however, were captured by the Nazis, while Rupprecht, still in Italy, evaded arrest. They were imprisoned at Sachsenhausen. Although liberated that very same month, the imprisonment greatly impaired Antonia's health, and she died nine years later, at Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

Princess Maria Elisabeth received education from her parents, as schooling in the art of well as painting. The Princess specialized in porcelain painting, a traditional art of Bavaria.

Marriage and departure to Brazil
On 19 August 1937 Princess Maria Elisabeth married Pedro Henrique, Crown Prince of Brazil, head of one of the branches of the Imperial House of Brazil. The wedding took place in the chapel of Nymphenburg Palace in Nazi Germany.

The imperial couple lived first in France; although they made numerous attempts to immigrate to Brazil, they were prevented by World War II. It was not until 1945 that the family was able to move. First, they settled in the Imperial Palace of Grão-Pará, in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, and later in a house of the neighborhood of Retiro. In 1951, Prince Pedro Henrique acquired the Fazenda Santa Maria, in Jacarezinho, Paraná, where the family lived until 1964. In 1965, the imperial family moved to Vassouras, within the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Widowhood
In 1981, Prince Pedro Henrique died at Vassouras and his eldest son became the Head of the Vassouras branch of the Imperial House of Brazil. Maria Elisabeth's life was divided between Santa Maria and her daughter Isabel's apartment in the district of Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro. She frequently visited Bavaria and Belgium, where her other daughters resided.

In 2004, a Mass honoring her 90th birthday was celebrated by the abbot emeritus of St. Benedict of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Palmeiro Mendes, and co-celebrated by priests Sérgio Costa Couto, judge of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and chaplain of the Glory of the Outeiro, and Jorge Luis Pereira da Silva at the Church of Imperial Brotherhood of Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro, in Rio de Janeiro. It was attended by all of her children and numerous grandchildren, making the event noteworthy enough to be reported on by Brazilian media.

Children and descendants

 * HI&RH Prince Luiz Gastão Maria Jose Pio de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1938–), present Head of the Imperial House of Brazil (according to the Vassouras branch). Unmarried and without issue.
 * HRH Prince Eudes Maria Ranieri Pedro José de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1939–), renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 3 June 1966. He first married (1967–1976) Ana Maria de Moraes e Barros (1945–) with issue, and second married Mercedes Neves da Rocha (1955–), with issue.
 * HI&RH Prince Bertrand Maria José Pio Januaria de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1941–), Prince Imperial of Brazil (according to the Vassouras branch). Unmarried and without issue.
 * HRH Princess Isabel Maria Josefa Henriqueta Francisca de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1944–2017). Died unmarried and without issue.
 * HRH Prince Pedro de Alcántara Henrique Maria Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1945–), he renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 28 December 1972. He married (1974) Maria de Fátima de Lacerda Rocha (1952–), with issue.
 * HRH Princess Maria Pia de Orléans-Bragança e Lacerda Rocha (1975–), she married (2001) Rodrigo Broglia Mendes (1974–), with issue.
 * Dom Antônio Broglia Mendes e Orléans-Bragança (2004–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Caroline de Orléans-Bragança e Lacerda Rocha (1978–), she married (2005) Nuno de Carvalho Moreira (1974–), with issue.
 * Dom Jaquim Pedro de Orleans-Bragança e Moreira (2008–).
 * HRH Prince Gabriel Jose de Orléans-Bragança e Lacerda Rocha (1980–).
 * HRH Princess Maria de Fatima de Orléans-Bragança e Lacerda Rocha (1988–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Manuela de Orléans-Bragança e Lacerda Rocha (1989–).
 * HRH Prince Fernando Diniz Maria José Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1948–), he renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 24 February 1972. He married (1975) Maria de Graça Baere de Araújo (1952–), with issue.
 * HRH Princess Isabel de Orléans Bragança e Baere de Araújo (1978–).
 * HRH Princess Maria de Gloria de Orléans Bragança e Baere de Araújo (1982–).
 * HRH Princess Luíza de Orléans Bragança e Baere de Araújo (1984–).
 * HI&RH Prince Antônio João Maria José Jorge Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1950–), married Princess Christine of Ligne (1955–), with issue.
 * HRH Prince Pedro Luiz Maria José Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Ligne (1983–2009).
 * HRH Princess Amélia de Orléans-Bragança e Ligne (1984–), she renounced her rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for herself and her descendants on 15 August 2014. She married (2014) Alexander James Spearman (1984–).
 * HRH Prince Rafael Antonio Maria José Francisco Miguel Gabriel Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Ligne (1986–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Gabriela de Orléans-Bragança e Ligne (1989 -).
 * HRH Princess Eleonora Maria Josefa Rosa Filipa Miguela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1953– ), married (1981) Prince Michel, The 14th Prince of Ligne (1951–), with issue.
 * HH Princess Alix Marie Isabelle Adelgonde Eléonore de Ligne (1984–).
 * HH Prince Henri Antoine of Ligne, The Hereditary Prince of Ligne (1989–).
 * HRH Prince Francisco Maria José Rasso Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1955–), he renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 11 December 1980. He married (1980) Claudia Regina Godinho (1954–), with issue.
 * HRH Princess Maria Elizabeth de Orléans-Bragança e Godinho (1982–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Thereza de Orléans-Bragança e Godinho (1984–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Eleonora de Orléans-Bragança e Godinho (1984–).
 * HRH Prince Alberto Maria José João Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1957–), he renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 11 December 1980. He married (1983) Maritza Ribas Bockel (1961–), with issue.
 * HRH Pedro de Orléans-Bragança e Bockel (1988–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Beatriz de Orléans-Bragança e Bockel (1990–).
 * HRH Princess Ann Tereza de Orléans-Bragança e Bockel (1995–).
 * HRH Prince Antonio Alberto de Orléans-Bragança e Bockel (1997–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Teresa Aldegunda Luiza Josefa Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1959–), married (1995) Jan Hessel de Jong (1953–), with issue.
 * Dom Johannes Pedro Michel Marie de Jong e Orléans-Bragança (1997–).
 * HRH Princess Maria Gabriela Dorotèa Isabel Josefa Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Orléans-Bragança e Wittelsbach (1959–), married Theodore Senna de Hungria Machado (1952–).

Titles

 * 14 September 1914 - 19 August 1937: Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria
 * 19 August 1937 - 13 May 2011: Her Imperial and Royal Highness The Princess Consort of Brazil

Honors

 * Flag of Bavaria (striped).svg Bavaria: Order of Saint Elizabeth
 * [[file:Flag of Bavaria (striped).svg|border|22px]] Bavaria: Order of Theresa
 * Flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1816).svg Castroan Royal Family of the Two Sicilies: Grand Cross of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
 * Flag of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.svg Order of Malta: Dame of Justice of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta