Maria Pia of Savoy (14 February 1847 - 5 July 1911) was a Portuguese Queen consort, spouse of King Luís I of Portugal. She was the daughter of Victor Emmanuel II the first King of Italy by his first cousin Queen consort Adelaide of Austria. On the day of her baptism, Pope Pius IX, her godfather, gave her a Golden Rose. Maria was married to Luís I of Portugal on the 6 October 1862 in Lisbon.
As a queen, Maria Pia became known both for her extravag...
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Maria Pia of Savoy (14 February 1847 - 5 July 1911) was a Portuguese Queen consort, spouse of King Luís I of Portugal. She was the daughter of Victor Emmanuel II the first King of Italy by his first cousin Queen consort Adelaide of Austria. On the day of her baptism, Pope Pius IX, her godfather, gave her a Golden Rose. Maria was married to Luís I of Portugal on the 6 October 1862 in Lisbon.
As a queen, Maria Pia became known both for her extravagance and for her charity. She had a taste for luxury, parties, balls, fashion and masquerades; at a masquerade ball in 1865, she changed costume three times. When the Portuguese parliament discussed the queen's excessive expenses, Maria Pia replied saying "if you want a queen, you have to pay for her".
Maria Pia of Savoy was also known in Portugal as "angel of charity" or "mother of the poor" for her compassion and work on social causes.
She did not involve in politics, but at a conflict with João Carlos Saldanha de Oliveira Daun, 1st Duke of...
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