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Princess Maria Amelia of Brazil
(1831?1853) was the daughter of
Dom
Pedro?I
, founder of Brazil's independence and its first emperor, and
Amelie of Leuchtenberg
. The only child from her father's second marriage, Maria Amelia was born in France following Pedro?I's 1831 abdication in favor of his son Dom
Pedro?II
. Before Maria Amelia was a month old, Pedro?I left for Portugal to restore its crown to his eldest daughter Dona
Maria?II
. He defeated his brother
Miguel?I
(who had usurped Maria?II's throne), only to die a few months later of
tuberculosis
. Maria Amelia's mother took her to Portugal, where she lived most of her life without ever visiting Brazil. Brazil's government refused to recognize Maria Amelia as a member of its Imperial House because she was born abroad. When her half-brother Pedro?II was declared of age in 1840, he intervened to restore her position. Maria Amelia was engaged to Archduke
Maximilian of Austria
in 1852, but marriage plans were thwarted when she contracted tuberculosis and was taken to the island of
Madeira
to recover. Her health deteriorated, and she died on 4?February 1853. Her body was interred in Portugal's royal
Braganza Pantheon
; almost 130?years later, her remains were moved to Brazil. (
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