Barbara of Braganza

Barbara of Braganza was Queen consort of Spain, wife of the monarch Ferdinand VI. She was born in Lisbon in 1711, the daughter of Portuguese King John V and Marianna of Austria. In 1729 she married Prince Ferdinand, later King of Spain between 1746 and 1759. The cultural traits and styles assimilated during her upbringing in Lisbon were not abandoned by the new queen of Spain, who continued to cultivate her taste for music, art and literature. She acted as patroness to the Neapolitan singer Farinelli and was the benefactress of a boarding-house, the convent of the Salesas Reales, where young nobles were educated. Near it was built the church of Santa Barbara, also funded by the queen. She died in 1758.