Maria Magdalena, Archduchess of Austria (Maria Magdalena Josefa; 26 March 1689 – 1 May 1743) was a governor of Tyrol and daughter of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife Eleonore Magdalene of the Palatinate. She died unmarried.

Biography

Born at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna she was the ninth child of Emperor Leopold I and Eleonore Magdalene of the Palatinate. Shortly before the War of the Spanish Succession, there was the question of the new king of Spain, Philip V of Spain, marrying the archduchess, but Louis XIV of France was opposed to this match for political reasons, and the official reason given was that none of the archduchesses offered pleased his grandson. In 1708, her older sister Archduchess Maria Anna married John V of Portugal; plans for a second union between Austria and Portugal were discussed when Maria Magdalena was proposed as a bride for

Infante Francis, Duke of Beja Infante Francisco, Duke of Beja (), (Lisbon, 25 May 1691 – Lisbon, 21 July 1742) was a Portugal, Portuguese ''infante'' (prince) son of Peter II of Portugal, Peter II, List of Portuguese monarchs, King of Portugal, and his second wife, Maria Sof ...

, brother of John V. Negotiations failed in the early stages and, as such, both candidates died unmarried. Again after the war the question of her becoming queen of Spain to replace the now deceased Luisa Maria of Savoy was floated. However, again it came to naught and Philip married Elisabeth Farnese instead. After the failed marriage, she lived a life of seclusion and remained unmarried and died without issue. She had a close relationship to her niece

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...

, the daughter of her brother Emperor Charles VI and future Empress and also with her sister Archduchess Maria Anna. She died of pneumonia at the age of 54. She was buried at the

Imperial Crypt The Imperial Crypt (german: Kaisergruft), also called the Capuchin Crypt (''Kapuzinergruft''), is a burial chamber beneath the Capuchin Church and monastery in Vienna, Austria. It was founded in 1618 and dedicated in 1632, and located on the Neu ...

s in Vienna.

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maria Magdalena Of Austria, Archduchess 1689 births 1743 deaths 17th-century House of Habsburg 18th-century House of Habsburg 17th-century Austrian women 18th-century Austrian women Austrian princesses Burials at the Imperial Crypt Deaths from pneumonia in Austria Daughters of emperors Governors of Tyrol Children of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Nobility from Vienna Daughters of kings