Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France
Elisabeth of Austria (also Elisabeth of Habsburg; Élisabeth d'Autriche; Isabelle d'Autriche; * July 5, 1554 in Vienna, † January 22, 1592 ibid ) from the House of Habsburg was as the wife of King Charles IX. 1570-1574 Queen of France.
Biography
Elizabeth, who signed her name with Isabell, was the fifth child and second daughter of 1564 raised to the Emperor Maximilian II and his cousin, the Spanish Infanta Maria, daughter of Emperor Charles V and sister of King Philip II of Spain. 1570 Elizabeth was with the French king Charles IX. married, who died in 1574. The couple had a daughter who was only six years old.
Youth
Elizabeth had 15 siblings, of which, however, some did not survive the toddler years. In her childhood, Elizabeth lived with her older sister Anna and her brother Matthias in a pavilion in the garden of the then built barn castle in Vienna. There they spent a happy childhood. Her father Maximilian visited often and Elizabeth seems to have been his particular favorite. They did not resemble him only in appearance but also in character: Elisabeth was as smart and as charming as her father.
It was considered one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe, with rötlichblondem hair, dark brown eyes, a graceful face and a charming smile. But she was not just beautiful: the ( historically often unreliable ) writer and chronicler Brantome, that represents a major source of Elizabeth's life in France, writes about it, it was " one of the best, gentlest, wisest and most virtuous queens that since the beginning the kingdom who ruled ". His contemporaries agree on their intelligence, her shyness, her gentleness, her compassionate heart and - above all - on their sincere piety. Very nice, very wise, very dignified, very charming and very endearing - Elisabeth could be a great queen.
Elizabeth's brothers were taught by Ogier Ghislain de Busbecq, a well-traveled and highly educated Flemings. The Curious Elisabeth joined by even the small circle and surpassed after a short time the boys. Her mother Maria took care of the religious education of their daughters, and already with a young age Elizabeth was impressed by her patron saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a Hungarian princess who, widowed early in Marburg founded a hospital and a convent and there caring for the poor and nursing had dedicated. The lives of these saints appear as a model for that of Elizabeth.
Very early on, in 1559, the plan was a marriage of Elizabeth and Charles ( IX ) of France in conversation. 1562 reached the French Maréchal de Vieilleville as a member of an embassy to the Emperor Ferdinand Vienna and fell in love with the straight eight -year-old princess. "Your Majesty, this is the Queen of France! " He exclaimed. Although Vieilleville was not entitled to declare such an offer, Ferdinand appeared, Elizabeth's grandfather, interested. We exchanged gifts and then living in Vienna went on as before. They were led into life at the court, but did not consider it necessary, the French princess teach.
Brief marriage with the French king Charles IX.
1569, after the failure of other marriage projects with the Danish King Frederick III. or with the Portuguese King Sebastian I, was remembered at the " French offer ." Catherine de Medici, who held the threads of French policy in hands wanted, first the older Archduchess Anna for her son Charles IX. (since 1560 king), but Anna was chosen by their uncle Philip II of Spain as a bride. The French Queen Mother finally contented himself with the younger ones, because France necessarily a Catholic marriage needed in order to proceed against the Protestant parties can.
After signing a marriage contract on January 14, 1570 began on 2 October of the same year Elizabeth's arduous journey towards France. First, led by the Archbishop and Elector of Mainz Ferntrauung took place on October 22, 1570 held at the Cathedral of Speyer, in Elizabeth's uncle, Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, the representative role of the bridegroom took over. After long celebrations Elisabeth left, accompanied by a high-ranking German retinue, including the Archbishop and Elector of Trier, on November 4, 1570 Speyer. In their destinations France, the third sectarian civil war had been settled within a decade, especially in August 1570. Since it rained a lot and the roads were partially impassable, the French court ruled against down his new queen. In Mézières -en -Champagne (today Charleville- Mézières ), a small town on the border, the wedding would take place. Even in sedan was Elizabeth of Henry, Duke of Anjou and younger brother of the French king received. Charles IX. , Curious about his future wife, disguised himself as a soldier and watched Elizabeth, who was walking along with Henry at the castle of Sedan. It is said that he was very delighted returned about their appearance after Mézières.
On November 26, 1570, a Sunday, the 16 -year-old Elizabeth and 20 -year-old Charles of Charles de Bourbon in the Church of Notre- Dame de Mézières were married. At the wedding celebrations an enormous pageantry was deployed. The in white satin clad with silver Elisabeth wore an embroidered with lilies purple velvet coat, a 20 cubits long train and an extremely precious, jewel-studded crown. The bride now filled the vacant position for 10 years of the French queen, the last for a short time the Mary Queen of Scots had as wife of Francis II, the elder brother of Charles IX. , Occupied.
At the beginning of 1571, Elizabeth was very ill due to the rigors of travel and the cold weather. Since the wedding had taken place far away from Paris, the Franco-German friendship was again celebrated with many sumptuous feasts in the spring. On March 25, 1571 Elizabeth was crowned in the Basilica of Saint- Denis by the Archbishop of Reims, the painter François Clouet immortalized in a painting. On March 29, 1571 Elizabeth solemnly held their pompous, artfully choreographed entry into Paris. Then she disappeared from public life.
In the beginning the marriage was happy: Elisabeth was so in love with her husband that she did not hesitate to kiss him in public - much to the amusement of those present. But after the first passions of the King should return to his mistress, Marie Touchet, which the new queen said: ". The German does not scare me " Catherine de Medici promoted the relationship of her royal son of Marie Touchet. Elisabeth did not succeed, however, in the longer term to win the love of her husband, who she but still very respected and expressed to have the wisest and most virtuous wife, not only in France and Europe, but all over the world.
Catherine de Medici, eager, Elisabeth away from politics, their rendered as little as possible to duties and responsibilities. Karl, with Elisabeth at the beginning of their marriage still amused ( so they borrowed one from cloaks and went unrecognized in Paris for a walk ), withdrew from her. Although Elisabeth mastered four languages (Spanish, that was their primary language, also German, Latin and Italian), she learned French with difficulty: they did not get along with the colorful life at the French court, felt lonely and had few friends to which surprisingly also their fun-loving sister- Margaret of Valois, the Reine Margot, belonged. Busbecq, who had accompanied Elisabeth to France, acted as her Lord Chamberlain.
Elisabeth shunned the pleasures of licentious French court, and devoted himself instead embroidery work, reading, and especially the practice of charitable and pious works. She promoted Catholic aspirations, was appalled by the presence of the consideration of her as a heretic Huguenots and banned according to Margaret of Valois, the Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny, to kiss her hand. Nevertheless, should have used during the St. Bartholomew's Day (24 August 1572) for the life of the German Protestants Elisabeth reportedly. She had her husband begged, " to spare the innocents ", and finally reaches a ban foreign (especially the numerous German ) Protestants inflict any harm. After Brantome Elisabeth was kept secret of the plan for the atrocities of St. Bartholomew; they have until the next morning about it, horrified asked if her husband knew about communication, and on the answer, he himself had been the initiator, prayed for him, that God would forgive him.
On October 27, 1572 saw a slight after birth of Elizabeth and Charles daughter Marie -Elisabeth (named after mistress and wife of Charles IX. ) The light of the world that has been brought up in the Amboise Castle. This birth of a girl could the political influence of the young French queen hardly increase. Karl's already poor health deteriorated rapidly, and after long suffering, in which Elizabeth kept him silent support and prayed for his recovery, he died on May 30, 1574 - at the instigation of his mother without the presence of his wife.
After the mourning period of 40 days Elisabeth decided to be known as pure Blanche ( " White Queen " ) to return to Vienna. While it was considered Elisabeth with the new French king Henry III. to married, but she said, was against their recent marriage. As a jointure Elizabeth Berry received the duchy, after 1577 then the Auvergne and Bourbonnais. On a visit to Amboise on August 28, 1575 she saw her little three year old daughter for the last time. On 5 December 1575 finally left Paris and had her little daughter in the care of Catherine de Medici to leave. On the occasion of her departure from France, she should have taken some devotional objects such as a finger of John the Baptist.
Establishment and management of a monastery near Vienna
In Vienna Elizabeth first lived in the castle stables. After the death of her beloved father, Maximilian II ( October 12, 1576 ) was her brother Rudolf II new emperor. On April 2, 1578 their daughter Marie -Elisabeth died. When, after the death of his fourth wife, Anna ( 1580) Elisabeth made a marriage proposal Philip II of Spain, she refused, according to Brantome due to close relationship and out of respect for the memory of her late husband and remained unmarried.
In France, where the manager was Busbecq their goods, Elisabeth was built to Bourges a Jesuit college. However, the funds it is entitled to widow from France, she received not in full by far.
Elisabeth bought around the Stallburg land and founded the early 1580s Clare nuns Mary, Queen of Angels. This, it has financed, among other things with money that flowed from the Klosterrat on the orders of Elizabeth's brother, Archduke Ernst, transferred ownership of the closed Benedictine convent Erlakloster. Henceforth Elizabeth dedicated her life to following the example of their holy patron saint, the exercise of piety, poor relief and nursing. Even impoverished nobility daughters found their support. They also funded the restoration of the 1541 ravaged by a fire Saints Chapel at the Prague Hradcany.
For her Elizabeth Clare nuns acquired several relics. So received her brother, Archduke Maximilian, as Coadjutor of the Teutonic Order, the disposal of the stored in Marburg relics of Elisabeth of Thuringia and sent in 1588 some of these his sister Elizabeth for their monastery.
Elizabeth spoke with her sister Margaret of Valois, a regular correspondence, entered her half of their income from off France and sent her loud Brantome two self-written scriptures. One of these two books, now lost, of Elizabeth was a religious work Sur la parole de Dieu, the other a historical work Sur les événements considérables arrivèrent qui en France de son temps.
At the age of 38 years Elizabeth died on January 22, 1592 at a pleurisy. She was buried under a simple marble slab in the chancel of the church founded by her convent. When the monastery disbanded in 1782 by Emperor Joseph II and soon after the St. Elizabeth's Church to the Lutheran parish church was the first Lutheran- Evangelical Church of Vienna, was left to patient transfer their bones in the royal crypt of St. Stephen's Cathedral.
In her will, Elizabeth donated not only for the poor and sick, but donated including funds for the holding of trade fairs for her late husband, Charles IX. in their monastery church. Your Spanish, German, French, Italian and Latin literature extensive library, which included about a number of works of the Jesuit preacher Georg Scherer, a book of prophecies of the French astrologer Nostradamus for the year 1571 or the tragedy Antigone of the ancient Greek poet Sophocles, leaving Elisabeth its brother of Emperor Rudolf II, her wedding ring her other brother Archduke Ernst.