maria luisa was born in portici, in campania, the site of the summer palace ("reggia di portici") of her parents, king charles, king of naples and sicily and maria amalia of saxony. she was the fifth daughter, and second surviving child, of her parents. her father became king of spain as charles iii in 1759, and she moved with her family to spain. her first cousins included louis xvi, maria i of portugal and charles emmanuel iv of sardinia.