Most Children In Shortest Time

[Meraude]

Which royal ladies have given birth to several children born within a short period of time? The Swedish queen Josefina of Leuchtenberg, married to Oscar I, had five children between May 1826 and August 1831, that is gave birth to five childen in 63 months, all survived.

 

[MAfan]

The first one who comes to my mind is Holy Roman Empress Maria Luisa (1745-1792), wife of Emperor Leopold II; they married in 1765, and in 8 years between 1767 and 1774 they became parents of 8 children, one for each year.
They had a total of 16 children born between 1767 and 1788.

 

[nascarlucy]

I can't think of any royal in modern times (second half of the 20th century) or now whose had 5 to 6 children within a short period (6 to 8 years for example). If they do have 5 or 6 children, they seemed to be spread apart. Having that many children at such a short time is very hard on a woman's body. I knew one woman who was pregnant 8 times in 10 years (she had 6 children and 2 miscarriages). She said it took a toll on her body.

 

[Biri]

And I remember one: it's Princess Diane of Wurtemberg, nee d'Orleans. She had her five children between 1 June 1961 (first child, Friedrich was born then) and 1 December 1965 (birth of her fifth child Michael); only last one Fleur came to the world after a big break. (4 November 1977).

And first wife of Duke Robert I of Parma, (Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Siccillies) - tragedy!
She gave birth early year! 12 times!
It had to ruin her health and contribute to her untimely death. Her organism simply didn't endure...

 

[prudence12]

she's really prolific. Very good for a kingdom to flourish.

 

[Meraude]

When speaking about prolific, queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of king George III of the United Kingdom, gave birth to 15 surviving childen in 21 years.

 

[PrincessKaimi]

I don't see much relationship between how many children a royal woman has and the overall flourishing of a kingdom.

 

[ilovemonaco]

Maria Theresa...

 

[Rice]

Queen paola had 3 in 3.5 years

 

[Daphoenyx]

I don't see much relationship between how many children a royal woman has and the overall flourishing of a kingdom.

I totally agree with you!

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Empress Leopoldina of Brazil had seven children between April 4, 1819, and December 2, 1825. Seven children in six years and a half.

Empress Teresa Cristina of Brazil had four children between February 23, 1845, and July 19, 1848. Four children in three years and a half.

Princess Leopoldina of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (neé Princess of Brazil) had four sons between May 19, 1866, and September 15, 1870. Four sons in four years and a half.

Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil had twelve children between June 6, 1938, and July 14, 1959. Twelve children in 21 years (the last pregnancy was with twins).

 

[Nice Nofret]

Poor things .... very sad indeed.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Poor things .... very sad indeed.

What's very sad?

 

[Nice Nofret]

That this poor women had to have so many children in such a short time - very unhealthy for the mother.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

That this poor women had to have so many children in such a short time - very unhealthy for the mother.

Well, that was very common by that time.

Even in first half and early second half of the XX century, Brazilian women tended to have lots of children in a short period of time.

My father is one of eight children, born between 1953 and 1964.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Queen Victoria, we all know, had 9 children but the first 4 were certainly born quickly - 3 years and 9 months from Vicky to Alfie.

21st November, 1840 - Victoria and Alfred #4 born 6th August, 1844

My sister-in-law's mother in the 1950s and 1960s had 8 in 13 years and she is doing very well turning 80 next month.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Queen Victoria, we all know, had 9 children but the first 4 were certainly born quickly - 3 years and 9 months from Vicky to Alfie.

21st November, 1840 - Victoria and Alfred #4 born 6th August, 1844

My sister-in-law's mother in the 1950s and 1960s had 8 in 13 years and she is doing very well turning 80 next month.

Just like my grandmother, who had eight children in 11 years. Granny will turn 88 in August.

 

[sarahedwards2]

Just like my grandmother, who has eight children in 11 years. Granny will turn 88 in August.

My maternal grandmother was born in October 1917 as the youngest of four; the first one was born in 1913. As for my dad's side, his mom was born in December of 1922 and was the 9th of 11 (7 girls and 4 boys); her oldest sister was 15 when she was born. My grandma's younger sister was born in 1924 and her brother in 1925. She was very close to her sister; they got married, had their kids and even died around the same time as each other.

 

[Lady Kathleen]

Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Margarete of Prussia, had four children in three years (two were twins). She had a second set of twins later on.

Empress Zita of Austria had eight children in less than ten years. Her husband died before the youngest child was born.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Margarete of Prussia, had four children in three years (two were twins). She had a second set of twins later on.

Empress Zita of Austria had eight children in less than ten years. Her husband died before the youngest child was born.

And all these ladies lived long.

 

[Meraude]

Empress Leopoldina of Brazil had seven children between April 4, 1819, and December 2, 1825. Seven children in six years and a half. Died in December 1826 after a miscarriage at the age of 29.

Empress Teresa Cristina of Brazil had four children between February 23, 1845, and July 19, 1848. Four children in three years and a half.

Princess Leopoldina of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (neé Princess of Brazil) had four sons between May 19, 1866, and September 15, 1870. Four sons in four years and a half. Died in typhoid fever in February 1871 at the age of 23.

Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil had twelve children between June 6, 1938, and July 14, 1959. Twelve children in 21 years (the last pregnancy was with twins).

Several pregnancies in a short period of time can be dangerous to the life of the mother.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Several pregnancies in a short period of time can be dangerous to the life of the mother.

In fact, Empress Leopoldina's miscarriage was due a fall from the stairs of the Imperial Palace.

And which's the relation between typhoid fever and pregnancy?

 

[Lady Kathleen]

Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (wife of Robert I, Duke of Parma) had twelve children in twelve years, and died in childbirth. Robert then then married Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal and had twelve more children, including the future Empress Zita.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (wife of Robert I, Duke of Parma) had twelve children in twelve years, and died in childbirth. Robert then then married Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal and had twelve more children, including the future Empress Zita.

And Princess Maria Ana died at age of 96. Just like Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil, she also had twelve children and died at the age of 96.

Having a big number of pregnancies don't mean that a woman will die at childbirth.

 

[Meraude]

And which's the relation between typhoid fever and pregnancy?

Many pregnancies in a short time weakens the body, and the stronger/healthier a person is, the better are their chances to survive an infection.

And Princess Maria Ana died at age of 96. Just like Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil, she also had twelve children and died at the age of 96.

Having a big number of pregnancies don't mean that a woman will die at childbirth.

It all depends on how robust/healthy a woman was, if she suffered from other health issues too, even one pregnancy could be detrimental to her health. For a long time in human history pregnancy and childbirth have been a major cause of ill-health and death among women, regardless of their social status, and still is in some parts of the world.

 

[Lady Kathleen]

And Princess Maria Ana died at age of 96. Just like Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil, she also had twelve children and died at the age of 96.

Having a big number of pregnancies don't mean that a woman will die at childbirth.

I didn't say it did.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

Many pregnancies in a short time weakens the body, and the stronger/healthier a person is, the better are their chances to survive an infection.

It all depends on how robust/healthy a woman was, if she suffered from other health issues too, even one pregnancy could be detrimental to her health. For a long time in human history pregnancy and childbirth have been a major cause of ill-health and death among women, regardless of their social status, and still is in some parts of the world.

Well, having lots of children in a short period of time was pretty common by that time.

Some women died at childbirth, others had a dozen of children and lived to be 80 or 90 years old.

And you're right. It all depends robust/healthy a woman is.

 

[sarahedwards2]

Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Margarete of Prussia, had four children in three years (two were twins). She had a second set of twins later on.

My brother's friend Amy has a twin sister, and their older brother and sister are also twins.

 

[BrazilianEmpire]

My brother's friend Amy has a twin sister, and their older brother and sister are also twins.

Princess Maria Elizabeth of Brazil had twin daughters two months shy from her 45th birthday.

Princesses Maria Teresa and Maria Gabriela of Orleans-Braganza (neé Princesses of Brazil).

 

[Mariel]

My great grandma had 14 sons and no daughters. The last two were twins born at 52.
The Irish started late in those days. Every generation known to me had 10-14 children, but my grandma was very insistent that her 6 living children have few children, so there were only 3 of us in the next generation, out of the 6. And now I have no sibling, no cousin who is not incommunicado in Alaska, no niece, no nephew. On the other side of my family my aunts died of Porphyria and had no children. So you can have a big big big family and it can dwindle to nothing, just as GeorgeIII's family dwindled to only Queen Victoria and I think one other female heiress. I guess my relatives are somewhere out there, probably half the Irish in America. They dropped babies like going out for brunch.