Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain
Margaret of Austria (Spanish: Margarita de Austria - Estiria ) ( born December 25, 1584 Graz, † October 3, 1611 in Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial ) was an Archduchess of Austria and by marriage Queen of Spain, Portugal, Naples and Sicily.
Life
Archduchess of Austria
Margaret was a daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria - Styria (1540-1590) from his marriage to Maria Anna (1551-1608), daughter of the Bavarian Duke Albrecht V. Margaret had fourteen siblings, including the later Swedish and Polish Queen Anne and the later Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II
Margaret and her sisters were not considered beauties Habsburg lower lip should be again clearly have appeared with the girls. Margaret, however, was described as modest, sociable and cheerful.
Was very early on marriage to an Austrian Archduchess with afterwards the Spanish King Philip III. negotiated. In 1596 the Admiral of Aragon appeared in Graz and was the portraits of Margaret and her sisters Eleanor and Gregoria itemizing. Although Philip had decided the portraits of Margaret 's view and also in a blind mixture of portraits drew Philip 's portrait of Margaret, but some of Philip 's father, the eldest of the sisters, Gregoria bride. But this suddenly died only 16 years old and Margaret took her place as the bride of the Spanish Crown Prince. You found it hard to give her Complies in the marriage.
Queen of Spain
On April 18, 1599 married in Valencia King Philip III. of Spain (1578-1621), who had acceded to the year before the marriage the throne. The marriage had been by proxy made by Pope Clement VIII in Ferrara, where Margaret took their way to Spain on her mother's side. The location of the bridegroom had taken Archduke Albrecht. From Genoa we went by boat to the actual marriage to Valencia. As the princess 's dowry received the sum of 100,000 ducats.
Philip was considered extremely weak ruler, his marriage with Margaret, however, was described as a happy and Margarete showed interest in the tasks of government. The actual Regent of Spain, the Duke of Lerma occupied Margaret's court with his devoted people, and finally forbade Margarete any involvement in politics also, he isolated it multiplies by her husband. Margaret confided to the imperial ambassador in Madrid John Khevenhüller that she would rather be a nun in a convent as the Queen of Spain. The attempt to replace her confessor, but foundered on the opposition of Margaret. During a meeting of the state budget Margarete drew attention by Lerma to the waste of public funds, but the minister has won the trust of the king back. Margaret succeeded at least, the favorite Lerma, Don Rodrigo de Calderon to be removed from the court.
Margaret made in Spain deserves as a promoter of various religious and social institutions, and supporter of those in need.
Death
Margaret died a few days after the birth of her last child, but is rumored to be poisoned by incense, Don Rodrigo de Calderon lit in her room, have perished. 1619 Calderon was therefore accused and tortured, the charge left but fall and Calderon any debt acquitted the death of the queen concerning.
Margaret was buried in the Pantheon of Infantes at the Escorial Palace.
Progeny
From their marriage Margaret had eight children:
- Anna Maria (1601-1666)
- Maria ( * / † 1603)
- Philip IV (1605-1665), King of Spain
- Maria Anna Margareta (1606-1646)
- Karl (1607-1632)
- Ferdinand (1609-1641), governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, Cardinal
- Margaret Frances (1610-1617)
- Alfons Moritz (1611-1612)