Mariana Victoria of Spain - Queen, Regent and Widow

Queen, Regent and Widow

At the death of her father-in-law, King John V in 1750, her husband became the ruler of the Portuguese Empire which had significant territories in South America. Her husbands reign was dominated by the influence of the Marquis of Pombal who had was a favourite of the Queen mother. Joseph I soon left the governing of the state to Pombal who used his power to remove the influence of the church at the court as well as that of his enemies. Mariana Victoria and her daughter disliked the influence Pombal had over Joseph I. Her husbands reign was marred by the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake of 1 November 1755 which killed 100,000. The earthquake caused Joseph I to develop a severe case of claustrophobia and he was never again comfortable living within a walled building. Consequently, he moved the royal court to an extensive complex of tents in the hills of Ajuda. It was Pombal who organised the reconstruction of Lisbon in the aftermath of the earthquake.

In 1759, the Távora affair emerged after an assassination attempt on her husband failed and the powerful Távora family were, in the eyes of Pombal, completely responsible for the attack. Pombal later ordered the execution of all members of the noble family and it was only at the intervention of Mariana Victoria and her daughter, the Princess of Brazil that some women and children were spared. As Pombal was de facto ruler of the state, Mariana Victoria and her husband took a less prominent role in politics.

Her husband, having suffered from a series of strokes decided to allow his wife to take his place as head of government. As such, Mariana Victoria was created Regent of Portugal in her husbands name. Created Regent on 29 November 1776, she remained so till her husbands death on 24 February 1777. Upon her husband's death, their eldest daughter became the first queen regnant as Maria I. Throughout her daughter's reign she used to exert much influence on her daughter who would often ask her mothers advice on most matters of state. In the early days of Maria I's reign, Pombal was exiled to the country.

When her daughter had assumed government, Mariana Victoria took it upon herself to improve relations with her native Spain which was ruled by her older brother Carlos III. The two countries had been in conflict regarding territorial possessions in the Americas. Leaving Portugal on 28 October 1777, Mariana Victoria travelled to Spain where she stayed for just over a year, residing both in Madrid and at Aranjuez. Mariana Victoria helped bring about a treaty between the two nations which was to be cemented by a double marriage between her grandchildren. These unions were between Charles III's son Infante Gabriel and Mariana Victoria's grand daughter the Infanta Mariana Vitória. The second marriage was between the Infanta Carlota, eldest granddaughter of Carlos III Infante João. While in Spain Mariana Victoria had had an attack of Rheumatism and was confined to a wheelchair for some time in August 1778. She returned to Portugal in November 1778. Her illness was furthered when it became clear that she was suffering from Heart disease as well. The elderly Mariana Victoria died at the Real Barraca de Ajuda, a building which is where the present Ajuda National Palace is. She was buried at the Monastery of São Vicente in Lisbon.