Maria Belgica of Portugal, also known as Maria Belgica of Crato (born before 12 October 1598Dek: ''De afstammelingen...'', p. 243 et seq. – 28 July 1647), was the daughter of Manuel of Portugal, son of the self-proclaimed Portuguese king António of Crato, and Countess Emilia of Nassau (1569–1629), the youngest daughter of William of Orange.Anne Commire, Women in World History, Volume 5, Gale, 2000, p 211

Life

Maria Belgica was born and raised in

Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...

. She must have been approximately 27-years-old when she moved to

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, with her mother and sisters. Soon after she arrived in Geneva she decided to return to

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

to negotiate a stipend she was entitled to with her uncle Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, and to request her inheritance from her aunt,

Maria of Nassau Maria of Nassau may refer to: * Maria of Nassau (1539–1599), daughter of William the Rich and Juliana of Stolberg * Maria of Nassau (1553–1554), first daughter of William the Silent and Anna of Egmond * Maria of Nassau (1556–1616), second daug ...

, the Countess of

Hohenlohe The House of Hohenlohe () is a German princely dynasty. It ruled an immediate territory within the Holy Roman Empire which was divided between several branches. The Hohenlohes became imperial counts in 1450. The county was divided numerous time ...

. She negotiated a deal with her uncle and soon afterwards she returned to Geneva. Her mother died soon after Maria Belgica returned to her. Maria Belgica married a colonel, Baron Croll, who originally came from Heidelberg, Germany, but had come to Geneva in the service of the Margrave of Baden-Durlach. The match was deemed unworthy of her, and her husband was seen as an opportunist. Croll was later given the title of Baron of Prangrins. The marriage was not a happy one, and a divorce was first approved and later rescinded by the government of Bern. Croll, however, was murdered in 1640 in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

before any further decisions had been made. Maria Belgica died in Geneva in 1647. She was buried in the same chapel as her mother.

Marriage and issue

Maria Belgica married Colonel Theodor Croll (died 1640 in

- stabbed to death), Quartermaster general of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma, in June 1629. They had six children:G.J.A. Beijerinck, De Gids, Volume 50, Part 3 (Google eBook), 1886 * Bern Theodore Croll, married Susanne Polier, daughter of Jan Pieter Polier, Lord of Bottens-Bauteren and Captain of the city of

Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR-74), ...

. They had no children. * Emilia Catharina Croll, married Claude d'Amond in 1653 and had a daughter, Juliana Catharina. * Anna Rosine Croll, married Jean des Vignes, head of the court of Genoiller in 1653. They had two sons. * Mauritius Sabine Croll, married Bernard Benedict Des Champs, Lord of St. George, and had a son. * Helene Beatrix Croll, died young. * Susanne Sidonia Croll, married 1) Jean François Badel and 2) Vincent Ardin. She had children from both marriages.

References

{{Authority control 1598 births 1647 deaths House of Aviz People from Delft Dutch emigrants to Switzerland Dutch people of Portuguese descent Portuguese people of Dutch descent