Zita (former Empress)
Original title: Zita (Ex-Imperatriz)
Account of the exile in Madeira of former Empress Zita of Austria with Emperor Charles, from November 1921 until his death at Monte in April 1922 and her departure in May.
She arrived in Madeira with the former Emperor of Austria, Emperor Charles I, on 19 November 1921, at about half past ten in the morning, aboard the British cruiser Cardiff. The couple landed at the Pontinha (‘little point’) and went from there to the ‘Vila Vitoria’, where they took up residence. In January 1922 the former Empress left the island to fetch her children, who were being educated in Switzerland. She returned on 2 February with the princes Francisco Oto, Adelaide Maria, Roberto Carlos and Carlos Luís, and from the 18th of that month the whole family lived in the parish (freguesia) of Monte (‘hill’), at the quinta (country estate) of the banker Luís da Rocha Machado.
The former Emperor Charles died in the parish of Monte on 1 April 1922, and his body was laid in the parish church on the 5th of the same month. For this reason the former Empress decided to leave the island, which she did on 19 May of that year, aboard the liner Infanta Isabel de Bourbon, bound for Cádiz. Before leaving Monte, the former Empress prayed for a long time at her husband’s tomb; she had also attended the solemn funeral rites for the soul of the former Emperor, held in the Cathedral (Sé Catedral) on 27 April.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 02-
Ex-Emperor Charles and ex-Empress Zita of Austria arrived in exile at Funchal aboard HMS Cardiff.
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Ex-Empress Zita left Madeira to fetch her children from Switzerland.
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Zita returned to Funchal with four of the imperial children.
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The Austrian imperial family moved into Luís da Rocha Machado's Quinta do Monte.
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Ex-Emperor Charles of Austria died at the Quinta do Monte, Madeira.
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Emperor Charles's body was laid to rest in Monte parish church.
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Solemn exequies for the former Emperor Charles of Austria were held in Funchal Cathedral.
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Empress Zita left Madeira with her children for Cádiz aboard the Infanta Isabel de Bourbon.
Place
Places mentioned · 06
Abroad
- Cádiz
Spain. Destination of Zita on leaving Madeira.
Cádis is a Spanish port where Dr João Francisco de Oliveira left D. Eugénia in refuge and where the captured steamer Tornado was taken. A ship from there brought the first news of the Restoration, and the ex-Empress Zita went there on leaving Madeira.
- Funchal Cathedral (the Sé)
Funchal. Site of solemn funeral rites for Charles.
The Sé do Funchal is the cathedral of Funchal, in the parish of Sé. It was begun in 1493, became a parish seat in 1508 and a cathedral in 1514. It was the starting point of processions and the place of the vow to São Tiago, and bishops are buried there.
- Monte
Funchal. Parish where the family lived and Charles died and was buried.
Parish of Nossa Senhora do Monte above Funchal, at about 600 m, where leafing occurs later than in Funchal. It contains the localities of Jardim Botânico, Igreja and Marmeleiros and the Quinta de Sant'Ana. The Elucidário notes its many plants, such as acacias and Sonchus fruticosus.
- Pontinha
Machico. Landing place of the imperial couple in 1921.
The Pontinha is the coastal projection at the western end of Funchal bay, originally called Ilhéus after two rocky islets later joined to the shore by walls and by the breakwater completed in 1889. The Elucidário traces its forts, chapel, lighthouse, passenger quay and road, storm damage in 1757 and 1892, and the maritime disinfection station there from 1901. It was the landing place of notable visitors such as the nuncio and the Archduchess Leopoldina. A locality of the same name is also listed among the main localities of Machico parish.
- Switzerland
Where the imperial children were being educated.
A European country where Dr Krohn died in a sanatorium and Rui de Bianchi also died. It was the homeland of Padre Alphonse Luisier, the place of Dr José de Almada's secondary studies and where the ex-Empress Zita's children were educated; it was visited on the 1926 pilgrimage.
- Vila Vitória
Funchal. First residence of the imperial couple.
Vila Vitória is a building in Funchal, an annex of Reid's Hotels. It was the first residence of the ex-Empress Zita and her husband on Madeira.
People
People mentioned · 07-
Former Empress of Austria who lived in exile in Madeira in 1921–22.
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Daughter of Zita who came to Madeira in 1922.
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Son of Zita who came to Madeira in 1922.
- Emperor Charles Id. 1922
Former Emperor of Austria, exiled to Madeira, who died at Monte on 1 April 1922.
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Son of Zita who joined the family in Madeira in 1922.
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Banker whose quinta at Monte housed the imperial family from February 1922.
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Son of Zita who came to Madeira in 1922.