Emperor Pedro II of Brazil marries Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies

Background. Pedro II was born in Rio de Janeiro as the seventh child of Emperor Pedro I and Empress Maria Leopoldina, and was the only legitimate male child of Pedro I to survive infancy. He was recognized as heir apparent with the title Prince Imperial on 6 August 1826, and was later acclaimed, crowned, and consecrated on 18 July 1841. The Brazilian government secured the hand of Princess Teresa Cristina of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, who held the title of Princess until her marriage in 1843, after which she became Empress of Brazil.

Proxy Wedding in Naples. The marriage was initially conducted by proxy in Naples on 30 May 1843. Pedro II was not present; instead, he was represented by his fiancée's brother, Prince Leopold, Count of Syracuse. This ceremony established Teresa Cristina as Empress of Brazil. A small Brazilian fleet, consisting of a frigate and two corvettes, departed for the Two Sicilies on 3 March 1843 to escort the new Empress to Brazil.

Arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Teresa Cristina arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 3 September 1843. The supplied passages confirm the arrival date but do not state the location or date of any subsequent marriage ceremony in Rio de Janeiro; legacy data referencing a cathedral ceremony on 4 September 1843 is unverified and should not be treated as a sourced fact. The marriage started off badly, with Teresa Cristina later acknowledging her difficult temperament in correspondence.

Early Marriage Dynamics. The relationship between Pedro II and Teresa Cristina began poorly. Teresa Cristina wrote in May 1845 seeking forgiveness for her actions during the early days of their marriage. In 1851, she acknowledged her difficult temperament, stating that Pedro II should forgive her because it was her character. The Empress bore children in the years following, beginning in 1845.