Maria Brontë, the eldest of the Brontë siblings, was born in 1814 in Hartshead, Yorkshire, England, to Patrick and Maria Brontë. She was named after her mother, Maria Branwell Brontë, who was known for her intelligence and strong character. Maria was only seven years old when her mother died of cancer in 1821, leaving her and her siblings to be raised by their father, Patrick, and later their maternal aunt, Elizabeth Branwell. Following the family’s move to Haworth, Maria took on a nurturing role toward her younger siblings, particularly after their mother’s passing, displaying maturity beyond her years.

In 1824, Maria and her younger sister Elizabeth were sent to the Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge, a boarding school for daughters of clergymen. The conditions at the school were harsh, with poor hygiene and inadequate food, which had a severe impact on Maria’s health. She soon became gravely ill, likely with tuberculosis, worsened by the school’s harsh environment. Her father, alarmed by reports of the school’s conditions, brought her home in 1825, but her health had already deteriorated beyond recovery.

Maria’s influence on her siblings, particularly Charlotte, left a lasting impression. Her maturity, kindness, and resilience were remembered long after her death. Tragically, she passed away shortly after her return home, at only 11 years old. Maria’s experiences at Cowan Bridge School heavily influenced Charlotte’s portrayal of the harsh, abusive school setting in her novel Jane Eyre, immortalizing Maria’s brief life and tragic fate. Though Maria died young, her memory lived on in her family’s writings, shaping the Brontës’ literary legacy.