King Carlos I (1863-1908) and Queen Amelia (1865-1951)


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This thread is about King Carlos of Portugal and his wife, Queen Amelia (nee Princess of France).
 
Queen Amelia of Portugal


by Regina​


Queen Amelia of Portugal, a French princess born in exile in England, married the heir to the Portuguese throne, a throne that became increasingly precarious during her husband's reign. She tried to find a meaningful role as Queen but was constantly attacked by the republican press. Her husband and eldest son were assassinated in front of her, and when her younger son was deposed after a short reign, she left Portugal, the country she had come to deeply love, and ended her life as she had begun it - in exile.

More...
 
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This article is a really good account of Queen Amelia's life; for anyone interested in early 20th century monarchies, I recommend reading it. Regina worked really hard on it, and I think she's produced a real winner!
 
I have just read the wonderful article by Regina about Queen Amelia. I have lived for years in Portugal but have never really read much about this Queen. The most I had ever heard was the dreadful day of the assassination of both her husband and son. I had no idea of her life and I was very moved by Regina´s description of such a sweet natured, loyal and, loving person. How dreadful that she had to go through all these trials and sorrows culminating in the assassination. A great tragedy. I really enjoyed such a scholarly work on this the last Queen of Portugal (at least for now) and how problems seem to follow her around, even her marriage causing the loss of a throne.
Thanks Regina, this is a biography that I will keep and read over and over again.
Menarue
 
Thanks Elspeth and Menarue for your nice posts, I am glad you liked Queen Amelia's story. Thanks for having read it till the end (!), it's a quite long article :D
 
Regina, that was really one very good article. I knew virtually nothing about Amelia but now am quite captivated by her personality and life. Thank you for writing it! :)
 
Congratulations Regina. It is nice to know that you are appreciated outside of your home forum.....
 
Thank you, Elspeth, for your updates. I had no idea other forums members were aware of my article. It's good! :flowers:
 
Something that Regina will love to know... ;)

O Blog da CMAG: 20 de Novembro - a marcar na agenda

The Casa Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves will exhibit, from November 20th to April 30th, part of the collection that Rémi Fénérol has bought from those who served D.ª Amélia, either in Portugal or in the exile.​

The objects that are now to be exhibited include a selection of all kinds of stuff: clothes, personal objects, paintings, photographs, books, documents and diaries that once belonged to the Queen.​
 
Thank you for the update.

I had heard from this exhibition and this spring I went to the museum and asked about it.
Sadly no one could advance a date.

I am looking forward to it.

And the Museum itself is a precious gem, a lovely villa in the heart of Lisbon, which once was the painting atelier of famous painter José Malhoa.

Wonderful collection of chinese porcelain, gathered by Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves.

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa-Museu_Dr._Anast%C3%A1cio_Gon%C3%A7alves
 
wow! Can't wait for this exhibition...

Thank you so much, Elsa! :flowers:
 
It all looks fascinating. Wish I could be there.
 
Another article about this Exhibition (watch the video)

The article says that 90% of the pieces are exhibited for the first time!

Besides the dresses, the visitors will see jewels, personal notes of some events she attended, sculptures, paintings, religious objects, two diaries (from the time she was a Red Cross's volunteer, during the first world war 1914 - 1918).

The last lunch menu of the royal family in Portugal can be seen too... This lunch ocurred on october 5 of 1910 (the regicide day).

This collection belongs to Rémi Fénérol. Before him, the pieces belonged to the families of the queen's servants.

As José Alberto Gonçalves (director of the Casa Museu José Anastácio Gonçalves) explains, Queen Amelia has a relevant status to the French since she was the last crowned queen born as a french.

I can't wait for November 20! :wub: :flowers:
 
Regina said:
Another article about this Exhibition (watch the video)

The last lunch menu of the royal family in Portugal can be seen too... This lunch ocurred on october 5 of 1910 (the regicide day).

I can't wait for November 20! :wub: :flowers:
Click to expand...

Actually, the regicide was on February 1st 1908.

On 5 October 1910, the republic was proclaimed, so I doubt that there was a royal lunch served with all the royal etiquette and with lunch menus :whistling:.

On the 3rd October, the Portuguese Monarchy hold its last grand feast .
The President of Brazil was on a state visit to Portugal, the first since the Independence in 1822, and there was a great dinner party at the royal palace.

Shortly after the end of the reception, the revolution began.
King D.Manuel was living at Palácio das Necessidades which was shot by the royal navy which had rebelled.
D.Maria Pia was living in Palácio da Ajuda with Infante D.Afonso.
I supposeD.Amélia was also at the Necessidades.

On the 4th October the Royal Family left Lisbon, with a few loyal servants and secretaries, aide-de camps, ladies-in-waiting, etc., first to Sintra, then to Mafra, where they spend their last night in Portugal, before embarking in Ericeira to exile.

So it is hardly plausible that the menu would be of the 5th October...

I'll check it when I will visit the exhibition :flowers:.
 
You're absolutely right, JSP!
I made a direct translation of parts of the article but I didn't check out the info. :flowers:
I won't forget to check the menu on my future visit to the exhibition :D
 
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Some corrections :

The Brazilian President Hermes da Fonseca arrived in Lisbon on Oct. 1st.
There was a banquet offered by the King the following day.
On the 4th Oct., the President paid his respects to the two Queens, D.Amélia and D.Maria Pia who were sejourneying in Sintra, D.Amélia at Palácio da Pena and D.Maria Pia at Palácio da Vila.
That night the President offered a dinner to the King at Palácio de Belém - not attended by either of the Queens.
As there were news of possible troubles in the capital, Infante D.Afonso, as the only other male of the Bragança-Saxe-Coburgo dynasty was sent to the Cidadela of Cascais.

So, when the revolution broke up, the (almost) infant king was alone in Lisbon.
From there, assisted by the doctor and great friend of the Royal Family, Thomas de Mello Breyner, count of Mafra (Miguel Sousa Tavares gr.grand-father) he drove to Mafra, where the rest of the family joined him.

D.Amélia was the first to arrive, oddly not with D.Maria Pia.
D.Manuel feared that, given her state of mind, his grand-mother might refuse being taken away, but things ran surprisingly well.
The last to arrive was Infante D.Afonso.

When the family was finally together, a light meal was served as the king had not eaten for at least 16 hours.
It had been cooked at the Count of Mafra's own house and it was served by his children.

From D.Manuel II
Circulo de Leitores

There is a whole chapter about the famous Pact of Dover I still had not the oportunity to read
 
Today I visited the Exhibition! I just loved it... It is indeed a very well organized exhibition. I would spend a whole day there (only if I had that chance...), watching carefully each object.

Decorating the walls of the several rooms with Amelia's statements (which reveal her states of mind about Portugal, the Portuguese, her personal life...) was a very good idea, IMO.

The Queen's objects are very well displaced and they are all interesting. What I loved the most was to watch her family photos, her passports, her wedding shoes (it's funny because usually most brides wear very high heel shoes on their wedding days to look taller, but the queen wear flat white shoes because she was so tall, so she didn't need high heels :) ). I also enjoyed to see her little jewels like pins, brooch jewels, the necklaces, the beautiful documents box...

D. Carlos was not the only artist at home :) We can appreciate some lovely paintings made by her. The main themes are flowers, love letters with flowers around, boats and (of course), the sea.

The fans' collection takes your breath away... and what to say about the queen's Dresses?... The royal dresses and her mantilha are very well preserved.

Without being fat, she was a large and physically strong woman. You can surelly conclude that by looking at the dresses size...

As a woman, I enjoyed to watch her personal objects :) ... like the Perfumes she wore ("Chypre", and "L'oeillet du roi") :wub:, her facial powders, her facial moisturizer, and so on.

IMO, everything on this Exhibition is elegant, classy and precious, just like the Queen Amelia was.

Most of these pieces were personal gifts to her (always) faithful servants.

As the exhibition's catalog explains, the other objects that Amelia didn't give to the servants were "left unclaimed by her closest relatives, most likely because they were not contemplated in her will", "the objects "were kept in the attics of the Girard-Souza-Moreau, the Jouve and other families, whom any objects connected with the queen were relics to be preserved". :)

I had the great joy to speak with Drª Mª João de Oliveira e Silva St'Aubyn Mascarenhas who explained me a lot of things about Dª Amelia and her life.

Later, she presented to the Director of the Casa Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves, Dr. José Alberto Ribeiro (lucky day for me!). He is the responsible for this remarkable work.
As Rémi Fénérol wrote on the The years in exile of Queen Amelia - Rémi Fénérol Collection (the exhibition's catalog) this exhibition saw the day thanks to the support of José Alberto Ribeiro, who had visited Remi's home several years ago and enticed by the collection, told him of this wish to exhibit it in Portugal.

I promissed to José Alberto Ribeiro and to Maria João St's Aubyn Mascarenhas that I would mention this exhibition on the Royal Forums, so here it is :)

About the MENU:

It is indeed the menu of the last lunch of the royal family here in Portugal, at 05/October/1910. This lunch happened on the Real Paço of Mafra.

On the menu's envelope, the queen herself wrote "À garder (to keep) - menu du déjeuner de Mafra/5 Octobre 1910".

Poor people :( they knew they wouldn't come back...

Here is the Menu:

- Oeufs frits
- Timbale au riz
- Bifteck à l'anglaise
- Haricots verts au beurre
- Pain à la Portugaise.


On 4 October 1910 Manuel received his first official visit from the President of Brazil, Hermes da Fonseca. There were rumours that a republican revolution was imminent, and some ministers simply vanished into thin air. During the dinner, Manuel was informed that a revolution had started, and he decided to shorten the dinner and quickly left for the Palace of Necessidades.

During the night, shots could be heard at different locations in Lisbon. In the morning republican red and green flags were flying over official governmental offices. The Army joined the revolution and expelled the King by shooting at the palace with the marine cannons. The republic was officially proclaimed on 5 October 1910;

When the revolution started, Queen Amelia and Queen Maria Pia were in Sintra. When they were told about it, Amelia immediately left to be with her son. Her intentions were not to comfort him or to start weeping; instead, she came to make sure that the King remained strong so he could do something to save the situation. She was furious at the apathy of the monarchists and decided to face the danger with all her energy. But when the warships shot at the Palace of Necessidades, where the King was staying, there was very little that could be done. The palace was hit, and the royal family was forced to leave Lisbon and went to Mafra, where they lunched for the last time in Portugal.

Then, they left to Ericeira. Here they realised that the situation was hopeless. King Manuel, Queen Mother Amelia, Prince Afonso (King Carlos’ brother), Queen Maria Pia, some friends and ladies in waiting of the Queens, and the King’s secretary, the Marquis of Soveral, left Ericeira on board the yacht Amélia, heading for Gibraltar.
 
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Regina said:
Today I visited the Exhibition! I just loved it [...]
As a woman, I enjoyed to watch her personal objects :) ... like the Perfumes she wore ("Chypre", and "L'oeillet du roi") :wub:, her facial powders, her facial moisturizer, and so on.
Click to expand...
Oh, Regina! That seems amazing indeed!
Exhibitions as such are always the most fascinating for me, because it's in the small intimate objects that we can find the essence of someone... How preety! It really seems to be a precious display...

Thank you very much for sharing your impressions! :flowers:
 
Regina said:
Another article about this Exhibition
Click to expand...

This article has several mistakes... oh these reporters :bang:
The name os the Director of the Casa-Museu is Dr. José Alberto Ribeiro (not José António Gonçalves)...

Another mistake on this article: the name of the Casa-Museu is Casa-Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves (not Casa-Museu José Anastácio Gonçalves). The Collector's name was António (not José) Anastácio Gonçalves.


Elsa M. said:
Oh, Regina! That seems amazing indeed!
Exhibitions as such are always the most fascinating for me, because it's in the small intimate objects that we can find the essence of someone... How preety! It really seems to be a precious display...

Thank you very much for sharing your impressions! :flowers:
Click to expand...

I know you would love it too, Elsa. :)
 
Mandy said:


by Regina​


Queen Amelia of Portugal, a French princess born in exile in England, married the heir to the Portuguese throne, a throne that became increasingly precarious during her husband's reign. She tried to find a meaningful role as Queen but was constantly attacked by the republican press. Her husband and eldest son were assassinated in front of her, and when her younger son was deposed after a short reign, she left Portugal, the country she had come to deeply love, and ended her life as she had begun it - in exile.

More...
Click to expand...

I'm sure seeing your husband & son killed infront of you was very traumautic for her. It's so sad.
 
She was a very courageous woman, I have seen an etching of her when she stood up in the carriage and fought the assassin with all she had at hand, her bouquet of flowers.
 
I believe all mothers, and Queens especially,have the instinct to protect their families. Just like in the early 19th century when the Dowager Duchess Augusta wanted to secure the House of Coburg. She did everything to enhance her family's fortune but she never realized that her original plan would result in her family's bloodline to dominate the European monarchies starting from the marriage of his son Albert to Queen Victoria.
 
Thank you Regina for that wonderful article! As a Portuguese, I felt very proud when reading about our last queen!
 
A great article about the Queen Amelia of the Portugal a French Princess. I feel very relax that she is the real queen regarding her work. She has suffered a lot being a queen. But she was really love by the people who understand her. She has fulfilled all the responsibilities as a queen and as a good mother as well as wife.
 
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