Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria
| Princess Maria Elisabeth | |
|---|---|
| Consort of the Head of the Imperial House of Brazil (disputed) | |
| Tenure | 19 August 1937 - 5 July 1981 |
| Born | Maria Elisabeth Franziska Josepha Therese 14 September 1914 Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria |
| Died | 13 May 2011 (aged 96) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Burial | 14 May 2011 Imperial Family Mausoleum, Vassouras, Brazil |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Luiz of Orléans-Braganza Eudes of Orléans-Braganza Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza Isabel of Orléans-Braganza Pedro of Orléans-Braganza Maria Carolina of Orléans-Braganza Fernando of Orléans-Braganza Antônio of Orléans-Braganza Eleonora of Orléans-Braganza Francisco of Orléans-Braganza Alberto of Orléans-Braganza Maria Teresa of Orléans-Braganza Maria Gabriela of Orléans-Braganza |
| House | Wittelsbach (by birth) Orléans-Braganza (by marriage) |
| Father | Prince Franz of Bavaria |
| Mother | Princess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ |
Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria (German: Prinzessin Maria Elisabeth Franziska Josepha Therese von Bayern; 9 September 1914 – 13 May 2011) was a German princess of the House of Wittelsbach and a member of the Brazilian imperial family by marriage. She was a granddaughter of Louis III of Bavaria, the last reigning King of Bavaria. In 1937, she married Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, head of the Vassouras branch of the House of Orléans-Braganza and claimant to the defunct Brazilian throne. As his wife, Maria Elisabeth became a prominent figure within Brazilian monarchist circles and was often referred to as the “empress-mother”, reflecting her role as matriarch of the branch that continues to assert claims to the former Empire of Brazil. She was the mother of Prince Luiz Gastão and Prince Bertrand, both of whom successively served as heads of the Vassouras branch of the Imperial House of Brazil, with Bertrand remaining an active claimant in the 21st century.