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Maria Antonia of Austria
Finally, let’s talk about the person who holds the record for the highest known inbreeding coefficient among the Habsburgs – Maria Antonia of Austria. Her family tree was so tangled that her father was both her mother’s uncle and first cousin!
Despite this genetic legacy, she seemed relatively healthy, though she died young at 23 from childbirth complications. Interestingly, she was once considered as a potential bride for her uncle Charles II of Spain, but the age difference (she was 6, he was 12) made the match impractical. It’s a reminder that even in the most inbred royal families, practical considerations sometimes prevailed over tradition.
