Princess Augusta of Bavaria
| Princess Augusta | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Leuchtenberg | |
 portrait by François Pascal Simon Gérard | |
| Born |
21 June 1788 Strasbourg |
| Died |
13 May 1851 (aged 62) Munich |
| Spouse | Eugène de Beauharnais |
| Issue |
Joséphine, Queen of Sweden and Norway Eugénie, Princess of Hohenzollern-Hechingen William, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg Amélie, Empress of Brazil Théodoline, Countess Wilhelm of Württemberg Princess Carolina Maximilian, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg |
| House | Wittelsbach |
| Father | Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria |
| Mother | Princess Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt |
Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg (German: Augusta Amalia Ludovika von Bayern) (Strasbourg, 21 June 1788 – Munich, 13 May 1851) was the second child and eldest daughter of Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt.
Marriage and issue
Although originally promised in marriage to the heir of Baden, Charles, the engagement was broken at the behest of Napoleon I of France. On 14 January 1806 in Munich, Augusta married Eugène de Beauharnais, only son of Josephine de Beauharnais and Alexandre, vicomte de Beauharnais and stepson of Napoleon. In return, Napoleon raised Bavaria from a state to a Kingdom. Although a diplomatic marriage, this union would turn out to be a happy one. In 1817, Augusta's father created his son-in-law Duke of Leuchtenberg and Prince of Eichstädt, with the style Royal Highness.
Augusta and Eugène had seven children:
- Princess Joséphine Maximiliane Eugénie Napoléonne de Beauharnais (1807–1876); married Oscar I of Sweden, himself the son of Napoleon's old love, Désirée Clary.
- Princess Eugénie Hortense Auguste de Beauharnais (1808–1847); married Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
- Prince Auguste Charles Eugène Napoléon de Beauharnais, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg (1810–1835); married Maria II of Portugal. There was no issue from this marriage.
- Princess Amélie Auguste Eugénie Napoléone de Beauharnais (31 July 1812 – 26 January 1873); married Pedro I of Brazil (father of Maria II of Portugal and Pedro II of Brazil) and became Empress of Brazil.
- Princess Theodelinde Louise Eugénie Auguste Napoléone de Beauharnais (1814–1857); married Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach.
- Princess Carolina Clotilde de Beauharnais (1816)
- Prince Maximilian Josèphe Eugène Auguste Napoléon de Beauharnais (1817–1852); married Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna of Russia, eldest daughter of Nicholas I of Russia, and received the title of "Prince Romanovsky" with the style "Imperial Highness", in 1852.
Titles and styles
- 21 June 1788 - 1 January 1806: Her Serene Highness Duchess Augusta of Bavaria
- 1 - 14 January 1806: Her Royal Highness Princess Augusta of Bavaria
- 14 January 1806 - 20 December 1807: Her Imperial Highness French Princess Eugène de Beauharnais
- 20 December 1807 - 26 October 1813: Her Imperial Highness The Princess of Venice
- 26 October 1813 - December 1813: Her Imperial Highness The Grand Duchess of Frankfurt, Princess of Venice
- December 1813 - 11 April 1814: Her Imperial Highness The Princess of Venice
- 11 April 1814 - 14 November 1817: Her Royal Highness Princess Augusta, Madame de Beauharnais
- 14 November 1817 -21 February 1824: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Leuchtenberg, Princess of Eichstätt
- 21 February 1824 - 13 May 1851: Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Leuchtenberg