D. Fernando II the King Consort

Picture 1- D. Fernando II

He was born in Vienna, Austria on October 29, 1816, the eldest son of Fernando Saxe-Coburg-Gote (Prince of the German Royal House), and his wife Maria Antónia de Koháry (who belonged to a Hungarian royal family).

It was the second husband of the queen of Portugal D. Maria II married 9 of April of 1836, had then D. Fernando 19 years and the queen of Portugal 17 years

Picture 2- D. Maria II queen of Portugal

D. Fernando II always avoided interfering in the politics of the country, leaving the state affairs to the wife, instead dedicated his life to the arts, which earned him the nickname "King Artist"

Created the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Lisbon on October 25, 1836, D. Fernando and D. Maria II declared their protectors

After D. Fernando II visited the Monastery of Batalha (which was abandoned in the context of the extinction of religious orders, following the consolidation of liberalism in Portugal at the end of the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834)

D. Fernando decides from this visit to dedicate himself to the protection of the Portuguese national heritage, having promoted cultural and financially, restoration and maintenance projects, not only of the Monastery of Batalha, but also the Palace of Mafra, Convent of Christ in Tomar, Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon Cathedral and the  Belém Tower 

National Palace of the Pena, Sintra

Before there was the Palácio da Pena, at the top of the Sintra's Mountain was a small chapel of Nossa Senhora da Pena, in the reign of D. João II.

In the sixteenth century D. Manuel I, orders the building of the chapel's root and donates it to the Order of St. Jerome, however in the 17th century a light fell and part of the tower, sacristy and chapel were destroyed and their damage worsened with the earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, beyond all this situation the extinction of the religious orders in Portugal lead to the abandonment of the Monastery of Our Lady of Pena

In 1838, he was then 22 years old, D. Fernando II, visiting the Sintra mountain range, marveling at the place and the landscape, bought with his own money in 1838, at auction the monastery and its fence

In 1839, the restoration works of the Monastery began and in 1843 the construction of the "New Palace" was begun, conducted by D. Fernando II and D. Maria II under the direction of the Baron of Eschwege, in 10 years practically was the Palace almost all built.

Picture 3- Palace of Pena , Sintra

Historical sources affirm that D. Fernando II loved his wife and his love very much and were reciprocal, and lived a happy marriage for 17 years but after the birth of the couple's 11th child, who is born dead, the queen D. Maria II dies when giving to light the 15 of November of 1853,, D. Fernando II became regent in favor of his son and heir to the throne D. Pedro V who was still 16 years old until 1855, when D. Pedro V rises to the throne with 18 years.

It was only in the mid-1860s that the works of the Pena Palace were completed (unfortunately D. Maria II never had the opportunity to enjoy with her husband and children the Palace that would be the holiday palace for the royal family, since it dies in 1853)

In the same year of the completion of the construction of the Pena Palace in 1860, D. Fernando II meets Elise Hensler, a native of Switzerland, Elise Hensler was born on May 22, 1836 and was a famous opera singer.

Picture 4- Elise Hensler

After 9 years of dating, D. Fernando II decides to marry for the second time, June 10, 1869 morganatically

However, this marriage was not accepted very well by the Portuguese society of the time, because Elise Hensler was a famous singer and single mother (at the time the artists of the time were not well seen) which led to members of Portuguese society to refuse the invitations of the couple for parties or serenades ( night party where there was music, dancing, singing)

For the couple to live in a deep romantic environment and far from the capital, D. Fernando II and Countess d'Edla, they had the Countess d'Edla's Chalet built and a large garden planted. The Chalet was built between 1864 and 1869, in the western part of the Parque da Pena.

Picture 5- Chalet da Countess d'Edla, Sintra 

D. Fernando II dies in 1885, at the age of 69