Maria Anna of Spain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  (Redirected from Maria Ana of Spain)
Jump to: navigation, search
Maria Anna of Spain
Holy Roman Empress, German Queen
Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia
'Portrait of Maria Anna' by Velazquez, 1630
Consort 1631-1646
Consort to Ferdinand III
Issue
Ferdinand IV of Hungary
Mariana of Austria
Philip August
Maximilian Thomas
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maria of Austria
Father Philip III of Spain
Mother Margaret of Austria
Born 18 August 1606
El Escorial, Spain
Died 13 May 1646
Vienna, Austria

Maria Anna (18 August 1606 – 13 May 1646), also known as Maria Anna of Austria, Infanta of Spain, Archduchess of Austria, and after marriage, The Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia[1], was the youngest daughter of King Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Maria Anna was a younger sister of Anne of Austria, queen consort of Louis XIII of France, and Philip IV of Spain. She was also an older sister of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand.

In the early 1620s, James I of England envisioned Maria Anna as a possible bride for his son and heir, the future Charles I of England and Scotland. Charles even visited Madrid to meet the young Maria Anna. In English history, this possible marriage is known as the Spanish Match. However, negotiations failed, as Maria Anna did not wish to marry a "heretic" and Charles did not wish to convert ot Catholicism, and Charles eventually married Henrietta Maria of France.

She was married to her first cousin, the future Ferdinand III, then the titular king of Hungary, on 20 February 1631. She travelled from Spain to Austria through Italy, a dangerous journey during the Thirty Year's War, which took 14 months to complete. She was married to Ferdinand by proxy with her brother-in-law, Bishop Leopold Wilhelm of Strassburg, Passau and Halberstadt, when she reached Trieste in 26 January 1631, and to Ferdiand himself in a second ceremony in Vienna. The wedding was celebrated for a month. The marriage was described as friendly. Maria Anna was described as happy tempered, friendly and intelligent, and she was able to ease the feelings of the melancholic emperor. She was politically active, acted as the advisor of her spouse, his Regent during his absence, and followed him on his travels.

[edit] Issue

Maria Anna had six children:

[edit] Death

During the Thirty Years War, the imperial family moved hastily to Linz, where she died of poisoning during her last pregnancy after fever and heavy bleeding.[citation needed] The child she was carrying, Maria, was still alive, and was born by cesarean section, but died soon after. Mother and daughter were buried together in a single coffin.

[edit] Succession

Maria Anna of Spain
Born: 18 August 1606 Died: 13 May 1646
Royal titles
Preceded by
Eleonore Gonzaga
Empress of the Holy Roman Empire
German Queen, Archduchess consort of Austria

1637-1646
Succeeded by
Maria Leopoldine of Austria
Queen consort of Hungary
1631-1646
Succeeded by
Margaret Theresa of Spain
Queen consort of Bohemia
1631–1646
House of Habsburg
Spanish line
Escudo de Armas de Felipe II de España.svg
Emperor Charles V
(King Charles I)
Children
Philip II of Spain
Maria, Holy Roman Empress
Joan of Spain
Don John (illegitimate)
Margaret of Parma (illegitimate)
Philip II
Children include
Carlos, Prince of Asturias
Isabella of Spain
Catherine, Duchess of Savoy
Philip III of Spain
Maria of Spain
Philip III
Children include
Anne, Queen of France
Philip IV of Spain
Maria Ana, Holy Roman Empress
Infante Carlos
Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Philip IV
Children include
Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias
Maria Theresa, Queen of France
Margaret, Holy Roman Empress
Charles II of Spain
Charles II

[edit] References

  • This page is a translation of its French equivalent.