Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Margaret of Austria |
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Portrait by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz
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| Queen consort of Spain and Portugal | |
| Tenure | 18 April 1599 – 3 October 1611 |
| Born | 25 December 1584 Graz, Austria |
| Died | 3 October 1611 (aged 26) San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain |
| Burial | El Escorial |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Anne, Queen of France Infanta Maria Philip IV, King of Spain< Maria Anna, Holy Roman Empress Infante Carlos Cardinal Ferdinand Infanta Margarita Infante Alonso |
| House | Habsburg |
| Father | Charles II of Austria |
| Mother | Maria Anna of Bavaria |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Margaret of Austria (born December 25, 1584 – died October 3, 1611) was a powerful queen. She became the Queen of Spain and Portugal when she married King Philip III. She was an important figure in the royal court during her time.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Margaret was born into a very important royal family. Her father was Archduke Charles II of Austria, and her mother was Maria Anna of Bavaria. Her grandfather was Ferdinand I, the Holy Roman Emperor.
Margaret had many siblings. Her older brother, Ferdinand, later became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1619. Two of her sisters, Anna and Constance, married King Sigismund III Vasa. They both became Queens of Poland.
Becoming Queen of Spain
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On April 18, 1599, Margaret married Philip III of Spain. He was her first-cousin, once removed. This marriage made her the Queen of Spain and Portugal.
Margaret became a very important person at her husband's court. King Philip III had a loving and close relationship with her. He paid her even more attention after they had a son in 1605.
Influence and Beliefs
Queen Margaret was a great supporter of the arts. People at the time thought she was a very religious Catholic. They also believed she was "astute and very skillful" in her political dealings. This means she was smart and good at handling political matters.
Margaret was part of a group of powerful women at the Spanish court. This group included Empress Maria, who was the widow of Emperor Maximilian II. It also included Maria's daughter, Archduchess Margaret, who lived as a nun in Madrid.
These women had a lot of influence over King Philip III. They believed Spain should be a strong Catholic power in Europe. They also wanted to show the unity of the House of Habsburg, their royal family. For example, they successfully convinced King Philip to give money to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II.
Challenges at Court
Queen Margaret faced challenges from the Duke of Lerma. He was the King's main advisor. The Duke of Lerma believed Spain should act on its own, without being too tied to religious or family connections.
Margaret was unhappy about the Duke's influence. She thought he was corrupt. She constantly fought him for more influence over her husband, the King. She had support from her close friends and advisors, including Mariana de San José, a prioress (head nun) of a monastery. She also had support from her husband's confessor (a priest who hears confessions), Father Luis de Aliaga.
The Duke of Lerma was eventually removed from power in 1618. However, this happened after Queen Margaret had already passed away.
Death
Margaret died on October 3, 1611. She passed away while giving birth to her youngest child, Alfonso. Her husband, King Philip III, never remarried after her death. He died ten years later.
Children of Margaret and Philip
Margaret and Philip III had eight children together:
- Anna Maria Mauricia (born 1601 – died 1666), who became the Queen of France.
- Maria (born 1603 – died 1603).
- Philip (born 1605 – died 1665), who became the King of Spain.
- Maria Anna (born 1606 – died 1646), who became the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire.
- Charles (born 1607 – died 1632).
- Ferdinand (born 1609 – died 1641), who became a cardinal in the church.
- Margaret (born 1610 – died 1617).
- Alphonse Maurice (born 1611 – died 1612).
Margaret in Media
Margaret of Austria has been shown in different TV shows and movies:
- Actress Elena Rivera played Margaret in the Spanish TV show El Ministerio del Tiempo.
- Actress Viveca Lindfors played Margaret in the 1948 Hollywood movie Adventures of Don Juan.
See also
In Spanish: Margarita de Austria-Estiria para niños
