Benedita, Dowager Princess of Brazil

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Portuguese Royalty
House of Braganza

John IV Children include    Teodósio, Prince of Brazil    Joana, Princess of Beira    Infanta Catarina, Queen of England    Afonso, Prince of Brazil (future Afonso VI)    Infante Pedro, Duke of Beja (future Peter II) Afonso VI Peter II Children include    Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira    João, Prince of Brazil (future John V)    Infante Francisco, Duke of Beja    Infante António    Infante Manuel, Count of Ourém    Infanta Francisca    Luísa, Duchess of Cadaval (natural daughter)    José, Archbishop of Braga (natural son) John V Children include    Infanta Bárbara, Queen of Spain    José, Prince of Brazil and Duke of Braganza (future Joseph I)    Pedro, Prince of Brazil and Duke of Braganza (future Peter III) Joseph I Children include    Maria Francisca, Princess of Brazil (future Maria I)    Infanta Mariana Francisca    Infanta Doroteia     Benedita, Dowager Princess of Brazil Maria I and Peter III Children include    José, Prince of Brazil    João, Prince Royal and Duke of Braganza (future John VI)    Infanta Mariana Vitória John VI Children include    Maria Teresa, Princess of Beira    Infanta Maria Isabel, Queen of Spain    Infante Pedro, Prince Royal and Duke of Braganza (future Pedro IV of Portugal and I of Brazil)    Infanta Maria Francisca    Infanta Isabel Maria    Infante Miguel, Duke of Braganza (future Miguel I)    Infanta Maria da Assunção    Infanta Ana de Jesus Maria, Marchioness of Loulé Pedro IV (I of Brazil) Children include    Infanta Maria da Glória, Duchess of Porto (future Maria II)    Januária, Princess Imperial of Brazil    Princess Francisca, Princess de Joinville    Prince Pedro (Pedro II of Brazil) Michael I Children include    Infanta Maria das Neves, Duchess of San Jaime    Miguel II, Duke of Braganza    Infanta Teresa, Archduchess of Austria    Infanta Maria José, Duchess in Bavaria    Infanta Adelgundes, Duchess of Guimarães, Countess di Bardi    Infanta Maria Ana, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg    Infanta Maria Antónia, Duchess of Parma Grandchildren include    Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza Great-Grandchildren include    Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza    Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu    Infante Henrique, Duke of Coimbra Great-Great-Grandchildren include    Afonso, Prince of Beira    Infanta Maria Francisca    Infante Dinis, Duke of Porto Maria II and Ferdinand II Children include    Pedro, Duke of Braganza (future Pedro V)    Infante Luís, Duke of Porto (future Luís I)    Infante João, Duke of Beja    Infanta Maria Ana, Princess of Saxony    Infanta Antónia, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen    Infante Augusto, Duke of Coimbra Grandchildren include    Carlos, Duke of Braganza (future Carlos I) Great-grandchildren include    Luís Filipe, Duke of Braganza    Infante Manuel, Duke of Beja (future Manuel II)    Infanta Maria Pia, Duchess of Braganza (claimed)

The Infanta Benedita (pron. IPA: [bɨnɨ'ditɐ]; Maria Francisca Benedita Ana Isabel Antónia Lourença Inácia Teresa Gertrudes Rita Joana Rosa de Bragança; English: Mary Frances Benedicta Anne Isabel Antonia Lawrencia Ignatia Theresa Gertrude Rita Joan Rose of Braganza) (July 25, 1746 – August 18, 1829) was a Portuguese infanta, the youngest daughter of King Joseph I of Portugal and his wife Marianne Victoria of Borbón.

Benedita was born in Lisbon. On February 21, 1777 she married her nephew, Joseph, Prince of Beira, heir apparent of the heiress presumptive (and proclaimed heir, i.e. her sister Maria) to the throne of Portugal, as the eldest son of the future Queen Mary I. Maria Francisca Benedita and Joseph had no children.

Three days after their wedding, Benedita's father king Joseph died and Maria succeeded him as queen regnant. Infante José became the new crown prince, being given the titles Prince of Brazil and 16th Duke of Braganza. Benedita became Princess consort of Brazil.

In 1788 her husband Joseph died and Benedita became Dowager Princess of Brazil, as she was known during the rest of her long life.

Benedita died in Lisbon and is buried in the national pantheon at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora.