Women in History Anna of Austria
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Anna was the eldest
daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and his first cousin, Maria
of Spain. She was born in Spain during her maternal grandfather, Emperor Charles V
reign, but moved to Vienna when she was four years old. Anna was said
to be her father's favourite child. It has been said he liked playing and
gambling with her. Yet on one occasion, a meeting of the Estates of Hungary was
postponed due to Anna suffering with illness. Despite her father's Lutheran
sympathies, she got a Catholic education.
Anna was a popular bride-to-be at
European courts since she was the eldest daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor. Her
parents hope that her marriage to a Spaniard would improve ties between the
Austrian and Spanish Habsburg houses. Her nephew, Don Carlos, the sole son of
her maternal uncle Phillip II of Spain was first considered. However,
when Don Carlos died in 1568. His ambitions were destroyed. Also, in 1568,
Elisabeth of Valois, Philip's third wife, died in childbirth; so a Spanish marriage
plan was resurrected. Philip was left widowed with two young children, Isabella
Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela. It left Philip with the intention to
remarry since he lacked a male heir. Many people, including Pope Pius V
were initially opposed to the marriage, but it was eventually arranged.
Anna's engagement was announced to her uncle Philip II in February 1569,
and they married by proxy in May 1570.
In the fall of 1570, Anna moved from Austria to Spain with her brothers Albert
and Wenceslaus. Anna made her way across the English Channel, where Elizabeth I
dispatched her admirals Charles Howard and William Wynter to provide
assistance and safe passage.
They proceeded via the Netherlands, where Anna was met by friends and relatives
of Floris of Montmorency, the executed Count of Horn's younger brother.
Since 1567, Floris had been imprisoned in Spain. Floris' relatives and friends
hoped for mercy now that King Philip had gone into a new marriage.
They got a promise from the future Queen that she would do everything she could to rescue
Floris; unfortunately, she was unsuccessful, and Floris was murdered on the
King's orders. On 3 October, Anna arrived in Spain, but before she
could reach the King, Floris was secretly executed on 16 October 1570.
Upon her arrival in Spain, Anna was given a new household under the leadership
of the experienced and influential lady in waiting, Margarita de Cardona, who
had previously been her mother's lady in waiting and would have known her from
her youth in Austria. Queen Anna was characterised as lively and cheery and she
managed to lighten the mood at the Spanish court, Anna would keep herself
primarily busy with needlework. Yet their marriage was regarded as pleasant. She
was allegedly Philips favourite wife as well as her father's favourite child,
and Diplomats said that the monarch was madly in love with his young wife.
There is no evidence that Philip had mistresses throughout their marriage. Anna
had a personality similar to his own, and he was utterly committed to her.
Philip was a diligent monarch who maintained his relationship with Anna through
notes twice a week, and he would visit her bed chamber three times a day.
Anna bore five sons, the elder three of whom died before Philip, and the
youngest who finally succeeded him as Philip III. Isabella Clara Eugenia
and Catalina Micaela were likewise characterised as having a good step mother in Anna.
Badajoz was the temporary setting for the court in 1580 due to Philip II's
claim to the Portuguese crown. But sadness fell when Anna died of
influenza there eight months after giving birth to her final child, Maria, who
outlived her mother by three years. Anna was buried at Badajoz at first, but
her body was eventually moved to El Escorial.
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