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Isabel Maria of Portugal

Lisbon, 4 Jul 1801 – Benfica, 22 Apr 1876

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born4 Jul 1801, Lisbonnot verified1 source
  • TitleRegent of Portugalnot verified1 source
  • Died22 Apr 1876, Benficanot verified1 source
  • FatherJohn VI of Portugalnot verified1 source
  • MotherCarlota Joaquina of Spainnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 4 Jul 1801

    Born in Lisbon

  2. 22 Apr 1876

    Dies in Benfica, aged 74

Family

See the tree

Parents

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Lisbon.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1800s · Isabel is born in Lisbon

Who governed

In the news1807–1811

French Invasions Ruin Economy (1807-1811)

The French invasions of 1807, 1809, and 1810-1811 caused widespread devastation, economic ruin, and the temporary departure of the royal family to Brazil.

Music

Grand religious music festivals

Church ceremonies were often grand, with musicians sometimes playing instrumental music or even operatic-style airs, reflecting a mix of devotion and entertainment.

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.In Europe · 1803–1815

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.

Ruedi33a · CC BY-SA 4.0

Daily life

Rural living and animal cohabitation

In rural homes, families sometimes lived in a single room where they slept and ate alongside their domestic animals.

In the news1808

Brazilian Ports Opened (1808)

The 1808 opening of Brazilian ports ended Portugal's colonial trade monopoly, causing a major long-term decline in the Portuguese merchant navy and economic stagnation.

What people wore

Women's practical footwear and dress

Women in the Beira Litoral region often went barefoot, carrying clogs or slippers in their hands to put on when entering towns. They would tuck up their skirts with a sash tied around their hips for ease of movement.

Getting around

Lisbon to Coimbra by post carriage

In 1804, a post carriage (mala-posta) route between Lisbon and Coimbra took 40 hours, but the service was suspended shortly after due to high costs and low profits.