Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain
Katharina Michaela of Spain ( in Spanish: Catalina Micaela de Austria ) (* October 10, 1567 in Madrid, † November 6, 1597 in Turin ) was Infanta of Spain and Duchess of Savoy.
Life
Katharina Michaela of Spain was born as the second daughter of the Spanish King Philip II from the Spanish line of the Habsburgs and his third wife Elisabeth of Valois in Madrid. The infant was his mother after his grandmother, Catherine de Medici, and named to St. Michael. She lost her mother, however, already in the tenderest childhood as a result of premature birth and grew up with her one year older sister Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain under the care of nurse Maria de Messa at the Spanish royal court of her father on.
For dynastic reasons her father went a fourth marriage with his niece Anna of Austria, daughter of Emperor Maximilian II of Austria and his sister Maria of Spain, a. Anne of Austria took care of her two step-daughters and became a caring mother of two girls. In 1578 Queen Anne gave her husband the longed-for heir, Philip III. of Spain, and so secured the throne. The birth of the heir to the throne, however, did not destroy the close bond between Philip II and his two daughters from his marriage to his beloved late wife Elisabeth of Valois. The rather taciturn and described as a callous monarch loved his life these two daughters more than any other people who surrounded him.
His tender feelings towards them, you can read more in his numerous letters which he sent to them during his absence from Spain in the years 1581-1583. So he wrote to his daughters on January 15, 1582 from Lisbon: "I hear that it all doing well - these are wonderful news for me! If your little sister the first baby teeth come [ Maria (1580-1583), child from his fourth marriage ], it seems to me a little early: may be this will be a replacement for the two teeth that I 'm about to lose - if I arrive over there (in Spain), I'll have no more! I find no other reason to complain, it 's all right with me ... The other day I was taught, which is packed in the box mitfolgenden, supposedly a sweet lime. I mean of course, that it is quite simply a lemon, but I wanted to send you yet. But when it really should be a sweet lime, so I certainly have never seen such a large. I do not know if it will arrive over there (in Spain) in good condition; if you get it but it is still fresh, you must taste it and then let me know how it tastes; because I can not believe that a sweet lime brings it to that size after all. Therefore, I would be happy if you would give me message. The small lime, which is mitgepackt should only help fill the box. I send you both roses and orange blossom, that you may see that this kind are here ... your good father " these letters were Signed with " ".
Katharina Michaela from Spain finally married on March 18 of the year 1585 Duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy in Zaragoza and left the Spanish court. Catherine should never again see her father after the wedding. Despite the separation she remained until her death with her father and her Spanish family in close correspondence. In contrast to her childless sister Catherine gave birth to 10 children and her husband spent most of their married life in other circumstances. Katharina Michaela died at the age of 30 years on November 6, 1597 in Turin at the consequences of premature birth a year after the birth of her last child. Thomas Francis was the grandfather of Eugene of Savoy - Carignan, better known under Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Progeny
- Filippo Emanuele (1586-1605)
- Victor Amadeus I ( Savoy) ( 1587-1637 ), Duke of Savoy, ∞ 1619 Christina of France ( 1606-1643 )
- Emanuele Filiberto (1588-1624), Viceroy of Sicily,
- Margaret of Savoy (1589-1655), Spanish viceroy in Portugal ∞ 1608 Francesco IV Gonzaga ( 1586-1612 ), Duke of Mantua and Monferrato
- Isabella of Savoy (1591-1626), ∞ 1608 Alfonso III. d' Este (1591-1644) Duke of Modena and Reggio
- Maurice of Savoy (1593-1657), Cardinal, ∞ 1642 Ludovica Cristina of Savoy ( 1629-1692 )
- Maria of Savoy (1594-1656)
- Caterina Francesca of Savoy (1595-1640)
- Thomas Francis of Savoy (1596-1656), Prince of Carignan, ∞ 1625 Marie de Bourbon Condé ( 1606-1692 )
- Giovanna of Savoy (* / † 1597)