The “Museu de Fotografia da Madeira - Atelier Vicente's” marks today the centenary of the arrival of the Emperor of Austria to Madeira, Charles of Habsburg, I of Austria and IV of Hungary (1887-1922) and the Empress Consort Zita de Bourbon-Parma (1892- 1989). Coming aboard the English warship Cardiff, they landed at the Pontinha jetty on November 19, 1921, accompanied by the Counts of Hunyady, to fulfill the exile for which they were destined, after the victory of the Allies in the First World War and subsequent fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

Upon arrival, the former sovereigns were welcomed by some individuals and by curious people who gathered on the quay, being then transported by António Vieira de Castro to “Villa Victória”, a farm attached to the Reid’s Palace Hotel, where they stayed at first instance.
After staying at this unit, and on account of their already limited resources, in February 1922, they moved, at the invitation of banker Luís Rocha Machado, to his summer farm located next to the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte (currently designated “Quinta Jardins do Imperador”).
During this period, they managed to bring with them their 7 children, but, meanwhile, the former emperor fell ill with a double flu pneumonia, and died on April 1, 1922. He was buried in the Paroquial do Monte church and, fulfilling the family tradition, his heart was taken to Vienna.
The couple's last child would be born after the father's death, on May 31 of that year, when the illustrious family was already in Spain.
For his manifested Christian faith, for his journey towards the pacification of conflicts in the First World War, and being attributed a miracle in 1960, Charles of Habsburg was beatified on October 3, 2004 by Pope John Paul II.

PERESTRELLOS PHOTOGRAPHOS | MFM-AV, inv. PER/2282; PER/2281 | On deposit at DRABM

 

PERESTRELLOS PHOTOGRAPHOS

Emperor Carlos de Habsburg disembarking at Funchal pier | 1921-11-19
11.7 x 16.1 cm | Simple negative, glass | Gelatin and silver salts
MFM-AV, inv. PER/2282
On deposit at DRABM

 

 

PERESTRELLOS PHOTOGRAPHOS
Carlos de Habsburg and Zita de Bourbon on arrival in Funchal | 1921-11-19
8.2 x 13.5 cm | Simple negative, film | Gelatin and silver salts
MFM-AV, inv. PER/2281
On deposit at DRABM