
QUEEN MARIA SOPHIA OF NAPLES A FORGOTTEN HEROINE
Translator’s Preface
Queen Maria Sophia of Naples - Chapter I The House of Wittelsbach
Chapter II Life at Munich and Possenhofen
Chapter III Political Disturbances in Bavaria
Chapter IV The Wittelsbach Sisters
Chapter V The Neapolitan Royal Family
Chapter VI Maria Sophia’s Arrival
Chapter VII A Strange Honeymoon
Chapter VIII Accession of Francis II and Maria Sophia
The tale follows Maria Sophia, a Bavarian princess thrust into the turbulent world of early‑19th‑century Italy. Raised amid the sprawling Wittelsbach dynasty, she inherits a legacy of duty and charm, yet her path is anything but predictable. When the forces of Italian unification begin to stir, the young queen finds herself at the heart of a siege that will test her resolve and reveal a courage reminiscent of her saintly sister.
Amid the drama of courts and battlefields, familiar historical figures drift into her story: the charismatic Lola Montez, the shrewd statesman Count Cavour, and the fiery red‑shirts of Garibaldi. Their intersecting ambitions paint a vivid picture of a continent on the brink of change, while Maria Sophia’s personal struggles—an ill‑matched marriage, a lonely exile, and a fierce love for her people—add an intimate human voice to the larger political upheaval. The narrative balances rich period detail with the queen’s enduring spirit, inviting listeners to rediscover a heroine long eclipsed by history.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (150K characters)
Series
Life Stories for Young People
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2021-06-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1869–1945
A German writer and translator whose work ranged from historical biography to literature for younger readers, he spent decades bringing stories from English into German. His books show a steady interest in history, character, and making faraway worlds feel close to home.
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