# Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony

> Archduchess of Austria (1867-1944)

**Wikidata**: [Q58016](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q58016)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Maria_Josepha_of_Saxony_(1867–1944))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/princess-maria-josepha-of-saxony

## Summary
Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony was an Archduchess of Austria who lived from 1867 to 1944. She was a member of the royal House of Wettin through her birth as a Princess of Saxony and became part of the Habsburg dynasty through marriage. She is notably recognized as a recipient of the Order of the Starry Cross.

## Biography
- Born: May 31, 1867
- Nationality: German (Kingdom of Saxony)
- Education: Not specified in source material
- Known for: Archduchess of Austria, member of the Order of the Starry Cross
- Employer(s): Not specified in source material
- Field(s): Royalty, nobility

## Contributions
Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony's primary contribution was her role as an Archduchess of Austria, representing the Habsburg dynasty. She was also a member of the Order of the Starry Cross, a noble order founded in 1668, which recognizes women of high nobility and distinction.

## FAQs
**Who was Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony?**
Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony was an Archduchess of Austria, born in 1867 as a Princess of Saxony and later becoming part of the Habsburg dynasty through marriage.

**What is the Order of the Starry Cross?**
The Order of the Starry Cross is a noble order founded in 1668 that recognizes women of high nobility and distinction. Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony was a member of this order.

**What was Princess Maria Josepha's nationality?**
Princess Maria Josepha was born in the Kingdom of Saxony, which was a former German state that existed from 1806 to 1918.

## Why They Matter
Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony matters as a historical figure who bridged two significant European royal houses - the House of Wettin (through her birth as a Saxon princess) and the House of Habsburg (through her marriage). Her membership in the Order of the Starry Cross also highlights her role in the aristocratic society of her time and her recognition for noble distinction.

## Notable For
- Archduchess of Austria
- Princess of Saxony by birth
- Member of the Order of the Starry Cross
- Part of the House of Wettin and House of Habsburg dynasties

## Body
### Early Life and Background
Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony was born on May 31, 1867, in the Kingdom of Saxony, a former German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. She was born into the House of Wettin, one of Europe's oldest royal dynasties that ruled the Electorate and later Kingdom of Saxony.

### Royal Status and Marriages
As a Princess of Saxony, Maria Josepha held the title of Archduchess of Austria through her marriage into the Habsburg dynasty. The Habsburgs were one of the most influential royal houses in European history, ruling over extensive territories including Austria, Hungary, and other regions of Central Europe.

### Order of the Starry Cross
Princess Maria Josepha was a distinguished member of the Order of the Starry Cross (Orden vom Sternkreuz), a noble order founded on September 18, 1668, by Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, the widow of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III. This order was exclusively for women of high nobility and was one of the most prestigious honors a woman could receive in the Habsburg realm. The order's membership included the wives and female relatives of the Habsburg emperors and other high-ranking noblewomen.

### Historical Context
Princess Maria Josepha lived during a period of significant change in European royalty. She was born in the late 19th century when many European monarchies were at their height, and she lived through World War I and the subsequent fall of the Habsburg monarchy in 1918. The Kingdom of Saxony, where she was born, also ceased to exist as an independent state in 1918 following Germany's defeat in World War I.

### Legacy
As a member of two prominent royal houses and a recipient of one of the highest honors for noblewomen of her time, Princess Maria Josepha represents the interconnected nature of European royalty in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her life spanned a period of dramatic political and social change in Europe, from the height of monarchical power to the rise of modern nation-states.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Library of Congress Name Authority File
3. The Peerage
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Sejm-Wielki.pl