King Fernando VI and Queen Maria Barbara

[Marengo]

Fernando VI, King of Spain (Madrid, 23 September 1713 - Villaviciosa, 10 Augustus 1759); married in Badajoz on 20 January 1729 Princess Maria Barbara of Portugal (Lisbon, 4 December 1711 - Aranjuez, 27 Augustus 1758)

Reign: 1746 - 1759

Dynasty: Bourbon

Predecessor: King Luis I of Spain

Succeeded by: King Carlos III of Spain

Children: None

Parents Fernando: King Felipe V of Spain and Princess Maria Louisa of Savoy

Parents Barbara: King João V of Portugal and Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria

Siblings Fernando: King Luis I of Spain, Prince Felipe Luis and Prince Felipe Pedro of Spain, King Carlos III of Spain, Prince Francisco of Spain, Queen Maria Ana of Portugal, Duke Filippo of Parma, Crownprincess Maria Teresa of France, Prince Luis of Spain, Archbisshop of Toledo and Primate of Spain, Count of Chinchon and Queen Maria Anonietta of Sardinia

Siblings Barbara: King José I,Prince Pedro, Prince Carlos, King Pedro III and Prince Alexandre of Portugal

[Marengo]

Ferdinand VI, (September 23, 1713 – August 10, 1759), King of Spain from 1746 until his death, second son of Philip V, founder of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty (as opposed to the French Bourbons), by his first marriage with Maria Louisa of Savoy, was born at Madrid on September 23, 1713.
His youth was depressed. His father's second wife, Elizabeth Farnese, was a domineering woman, who had no affection except for her own children, and who looked upon her stepson as an obstacle to their fortunes. The hypochondria of his father left Elizabeth mistress of the palace. Ferdinand was married in 1729 to Maria Barbara of Braganza, daughter of John V of Portugal and Mary Anne of Austria. The very homely looks of his wife were thought by observers to cause the prince a visible shock when he was first presented to her. Yet he became deeply attached to his wife, and proved in fact nearly as uxorious as his father.
Ferdinand was by temperament melancholy, shy and distrustful of his own abilities. When complimented on his shooting, he replied, "It would be hard if there were not something I could do." As king he followed a steady policy of neutrality in the conflict between France and England, and refused to be tempted by the offers of either into declaring war on the other. In his life he was orderly and retiring, averse from taking decisions, though not incapable of acting firmly, as when he cut short the dangerous intrigues of his able minister Zenón de Somodevilla y Bengoechea, Marquis of Ensenada by dismissing and imprisoning him. He was called Ferdinand the Learned for his refined pursuits.
Shooting, music and men were his only pleasures, and he was the generous patron of the famous singer Farinelli, whose voice soothed his melancholy.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[Marengo]

The Infanta Bárbara (pron. IPA: ['baɾbɐɾɐ]; Maria Madalena Josefa Teresa Bárbara of Braganza; English: Mary Magdalene Josepha Theresa Barbara) (December 4, 1711 – August 27, 1758), was a Portuguese infanta and later Queen Consort of Spain. She was the eldest daughter of King John V of Portugal and his wife, Maria Anna, Archduchess of Austria, a daughter of Emperor Leopold I.
Her parents were married in 1708, but for nearly three years the queen did not give birth to any children. The King then made a promise to God that if an heir to the throne was born, a great convent would be built to thank Him. On December 4, 1711, an Infanta was born, and the Convent of Mafra was built.
She was born as heiress-presumptive to the Portuguese throne, but her status as heir lapsed when the Queen gave birth to a son, Pedro, two years later. Pedro died at the age of two, but another son, Joseph, had been born before Peter's death. Though Barbara was never heiress-presumptive again, she was second-in-line to the throne throughout much of her life.
The Princess was baptized Maria Madalena Bárbara Xavier Leonor Teresa Antónia Josefa (English: Mary Magdalene Barbara Xavier Eleanor Theresa Antonia Josepha), her names honouring a number of saints and relatives. She was usually referred to as Bárbara or Maria Bárbara, a name never before used among Portuguese royals, in honour of St. Barbara, the saint of her birthday.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[An Ard Ri]

Anniversary of Barbara of Portugal-August 27th

Queen Consort of Spain as the wife of Ferdinand VI and born an Infanta of Portugal,Barbara died on August 27th,1758.


Barbara of Portugal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CyrilVladisla]

Fernando VI was a patron of the arts and sciences. Three royal astronomical observatories were built.

Queen Maria Barbara loved music and opera. She was a talented harpsichordist.

Ferdinand VI delighted in sailing downriver in a luxurious barge equipped with a plush red velvet pavilion trimmed with silver.
The fleet of boats accompanying the royal barge was made in the shape of peacocks or deer.

[An Ard Ri]

Ferdinand VI of Spain by Louis-Michel van Loo