Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli

Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda ( born June 29, 1540 in Guadalajara province Cifuentes, † February 2nd 1592 in Pastrana ) was a Spanish-Portuguese maid of honor and politician. Some legends to Ana as Princess of Eboli were included in Friedrich Schiller's play Don Carlos, and in Giuseppe Verdi's opera Don Carlos.

Life

The daughter of the Peruvian viceroy lost in her youth in a fencing accident her right eye. 1552 was Ruy Gomez de Silva, prince of Eboli ( 1516-1573 ), adviser of the Spanish king Philip II, engaged and married in 1559. 1561 saw the first of ten children born, six of whom survived. As de Silva's wife, she exercised political influence over her husband only. After his death in 1573, she turned to Philip's secretary of state, Antonio Pérez ( 1539/40-1611 ), too. With him, she is supposed to have entered into a love affair. The two became involved at least in the peace party against the strict policy of the Duke of Alba, mixed with the Portuguese Succession and selling state secrets to the highest bidder. The two also played in the uprisings in Flanders an important role and should also have committed a murder on behalf of Philip II.

1579 Ana de Mendoza was arrested in connection with the fall of Secretary Alonso Pérez de Guzmán as a schemer and for treason and sentenced to life under house arrest in her own castle. She died in 1592 in the tower of her castle.

The " one-eyed princess " knew how to involves itself in society and politics. Of her contemporaries, she was described as scheming, arrogant, domineering, wasteful, irreverent and hysterical.