Understood. Did Isabella gain at least lands in Silesia offered her IOTL by Ferdinand in exchange for surrender?
Mary, Queen and Empress
- Thread starter isabella
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Understood. Did Isabella gain at least lands in Silesia offered her IOTL by Ferdinand in exchange for surrender?
Likely, but they would go back to the Habsburg main branch at John Sigismund death. She would have a shorter but happier life than her OTL one.
Ferdinand would meet his great love Philippine only well after Isabella’s death and so in rppthe end will be well know as being commanded around by both his wives (as Ferdinand will leave all the ruling and child raising to his second wife in exchange of the freedom to be all the time with his beloved).
Ok, so it seems that it'd be Sigismund Augustus who would provide for his nephew, Sigismund.
Sigismund of Austria? Not really, as he was heir of his father‘s holdings (Tyrol, who ATL will be settled on Archduke Ferdinand much earlier than OTL, in his wedding contract to Isabella) before being sent in Poland by his stepmother when looked unlikely who Sigismund II and Barbara would have children. As said stepmother had already two sons of her own her reasons were pretty obvious (but the Jagiellons and her father-in-law and brother-in-law shared her opinion on the matter so...)
But sons of Philippine were not allowed to succeed their father IOTL, why are they allowed to do so IOTL?
Look to the trees. Philippine is not the second wife of Ferdinand, who is already remarried when he meet her, but only his mistress and great love
Poor Ferdinand ATL is married twice to princesses who his father/uncle need to neutralize...
Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his family
Ferdinand of Austria, second son of Emperor Ferdinand I and Anne of Hungary, was easily described as victim of the political needs of both his father and his uncle as demonstrated by his two weddings: first he was married to his mother’s Polish cousin, ten years older than him, for securing his father’s control over Hungary and ordered around by Isabella, who was beautiful, smart but rather unhappy for the wedding (she accepted it only for securing her son’s safety and financial stability) and for her demotion from Queen of Hungary to simple Archduchess and Countess of Tyrol. Still that wedding was short and he received from it the rulership of Tyrol, a son and a daughter, so Ferdinand was not too resentful for it as he would first meet his great love, Philippine Welser, only few months before Isabella’s tragic death in childbirth. The real troubles for him started two years after Isabella’s death, when he was 21, already in love with the 23 years old Philippine but was forced by his uncle to marry the 16 years old Elizabeth Tudor, a girl of doubtful legitimacy and questionable religion, who was half-sister of his uncle’s second wife as Emperor Charles needed to prevent his enemies from use her claim on England but Queen Mary cared a lot for her, so marrying her safely and far away from England was the only choice and he was the unlucky groom. Again Elizabeth was smart, beautiful and cultured, like both Isabella and Philippine, and in truth more scared than him, of both marriage and him, but he hated their marriage because he was forced to marry her (not who he had really tried to oppose to his uncle’s will as he was not so crazy to doing it) and was unwilling to give up his relationship with Philippine, who he had hoped to marry. [What Ferdinand do not knew and would not discover is who both his father and uncle knew about his relationship with Philippine and that was another reason for his marriage to Elizabeth Tudor]. Still Elisabeth’s reaction when she discovered the relationship between her husband and Philippine would surprise Ferdinand for his pragmatism (and amused the rest of the family) as she gave to him and Philippine full freedom to pursue their relationship and would accept the latter’s presence (also in their household) if Ferdinand left the ruleship of Tyrol and the education of their children in her hands. The strangest thing of all was who in the end Elisabeth and Philippine would become good friends as they shared a lot of interests (and in truth Elisabeth was grateful for Philippine’s presence as her interest in men and sex was low and so was relieved to share Ferdinand’s bed only occasionally, usually at the urging of his father or brother)
About the Tyrol household
Growing up in the household of Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, Countess of Tyrol was not easy, specially if you had the misfortune of being both her stepdaughter and engaged to her half-nephew, but Archduchess Isabella Beatrice would say who the Countess of Tyrol was far from being her greatest nightmare as her late great-grandmother had been obsessed with recovering the Duchy of Milan and unluckily had transmitted enough of that obsession to her only surviving child to made her maternal grandmother way too much interested in her since Emperor Charles V had named his youngest son Duke of Milan AND betrothed him to her, with the agreement who she was to inherit the Italian lands who belonged to her grandmother, Bona Sforza, Dowager Queen of Poland AND Duchess of Bari and Rossano in her own right.
Both Duchess Beatrice (as she favored her second name having way too many other Isabellas and Elisabeths around), and King Sigismund III of Poland would laugh if someone accused the Countess of Tyrol of being a wicked stepmother: sure Elisabeth’s maternal feelings were quite inexistent but that was true for both her stepchildren and her own children. All the children had quickly learned who if they needed help or suggestions the Archduchess was available, but if they needed comfort or affections then Philippine was the only one source at their disposal as neither the Archduke or the Archduchess were inclined to demonstrate affection and their governesses were pretty strict
Both Duchess Beatrice (as she favored her second name having way too many other Isabellas and Elisabeths around), and King Sigismund III of Poland would laugh if someone accused the Countess of Tyrol of being a wicked stepmother: sure Elisabeth’s maternal feelings were quite inexistent but that was true for both her stepchildren and her own children. All the children had quickly learned who if they needed help or suggestions the Archduchess was available, but if they needed comfort or affections then Philippine was the only one source at their disposal as neither the Archduke or the Archduchess were inclined to demonstrate affection and their governesses were pretty strict
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Elizabeth never wanted children unlike her older half-sister Mary so it is indeed very funny to see her try to be stepmother...
Maria of Portugal, Duchess of Viseu and Queen of Spain
Only daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and his his third wife, Eleanor of Austria, Maria was born only few months before her father’s death and would be separated forever by her mother when she remarried to Francis I of France in 1530, meaning who she would have no memory of her father and very few of mother, who she would meet again only twice and after her own marriage as Eleanor would never return to the Spanish lands after marrying Francis.
Unluckily for Maria, her half-brother John III resented her because he had once hoped to marry Eleanor and had been devastated when politics had dictated her marriage to his own father and so had not cared much for Maria or to arrange her wedding. After Manuel’s death, John’s tentative of renewing his suit, had pushed Eleanor to take her daughter and a small retinue and leave forever Portugal, spending the years of her first widowhood between Spain and Austria. Maria, who would return in Portugal at 9 years old, knew very well who she was to thank her maternal uncle Charles V for having received from her half-brother the Duchy of Viseu, together with her own household and an income after her sixteenth birthday and who her only hope to marrying was tied to her uncle’s political plans so had almost resigned herself to spinsterhood (who in any case was preferable to marrying anyone just for the sake of marrying) when Charles V’s son, the Prince of Asturias, six years younger than her, was widowed at only 18 years old after his wife Maria Manuela died in childbirth. As Maria Manuela had been another Portuguese princess and the Emperor had no wish to see Spain ruled by the sons who he had from his second wedding to the Queen of England and John III had no other daughter, the 24 years old Maria of Viseu was the most logical choice as next Princess of Asturias, with the daughter of the King of France as only credible alternative.
We know from their letters who Eleanor of Austria had used whatever influence she had over brother in favour of her daughter over her step-daughter and who Philip himself was not favorable to a French match and in the end Charles himself believed Maria not only was the better match but would be a kinder stepmother to baby Carlos.
So at 25 years old Maria would become Princess of Asturias and then Queen of Spain in 1550 when her father-in-law abdicated the crowns of Castile, Aragon, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia in favour of his 23 years old heir.
Sadly Maria would dying in 1552 in childbirth with her third child, the future Empress Leonora Maria, leaving a very distraught Philip with three little boys (the heir Carlos, plus Maria’s sons Juan and Alfonso) and a newborn daughter.
Maria, who had been a beautiful, smart and kind Queen, would be heavily mourned by her family and subjects as she had been much loved by everyone…
Unluckily for Maria, her half-brother John III resented her because he had once hoped to marry Eleanor and had been devastated when politics had dictated her marriage to his own father and so had not cared much for Maria or to arrange her wedding. After Manuel’s death, John’s tentative of renewing his suit, had pushed Eleanor to take her daughter and a small retinue and leave forever Portugal, spending the years of her first widowhood between Spain and Austria. Maria, who would return in Portugal at 9 years old, knew very well who she was to thank her maternal uncle Charles V for having received from her half-brother the Duchy of Viseu, together with her own household and an income after her sixteenth birthday and who her only hope to marrying was tied to her uncle’s political plans so had almost resigned herself to spinsterhood (who in any case was preferable to marrying anyone just for the sake of marrying) when Charles V’s son, the Prince of Asturias, six years younger than her, was widowed at only 18 years old after his wife Maria Manuela died in childbirth. As Maria Manuela had been another Portuguese princess and the Emperor had no wish to see Spain ruled by the sons who he had from his second wedding to the Queen of England and John III had no other daughter, the 24 years old Maria of Viseu was the most logical choice as next Princess of Asturias, with the daughter of the King of France as only credible alternative.
We know from their letters who Eleanor of Austria had used whatever influence she had over brother in favour of her daughter over her step-daughter and who Philip himself was not favorable to a French match and in the end Charles himself believed Maria not only was the better match but would be a kinder stepmother to baby Carlos.
So at 25 years old Maria would become Princess of Asturias and then Queen of Spain in 1550 when her father-in-law abdicated the crowns of Castile, Aragon, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia in favour of his 23 years old heir.
Sadly Maria would dying in 1552 in childbirth with her third child, the future Empress Leonora Maria, leaving a very distraught Philip with three little boys (the heir Carlos, plus Maria’s sons Juan and Alfonso) and a newborn daughter.
Maria, who had been a beautiful, smart and kind Queen, would be heavily mourned by her family and subjects as she had been much loved by everyone…
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Which Maria is this? And who was the step-daughter mentioned in your post?
Maria of Viseu, naturally, while the step-daughter is obviously Marguerite of France…
In my defense, Philip married two women named Maria, and Mary I of England's name in Spanish is Maria
Cristina of Denmark, Queen of Spain (and formerly Duchess of Milan and Duchess of Lorraine)
Unlike the previous wives of Philip, Cristina had a quite adventurous life (and a lot of sufferance) before marrying him as their wedding was the third for both of them…
As she was the younger daughter of a deposed King, in normal circumstance Cristina would have difficulty in finding a good match, but she had the advantage of being Charles V’s niece and that meant who after their father’s deposition, she and her elder sister Dorothea were raised in the Burgundian lands and would become matrimonial pawns for the Emperor: Dorothea would marry the Elector Palatine in 1535 in a match who would remain childless, while Cristina had already married the Duke of Milan in 1533, when she was barely 12 years old, but the match would never be consummated as Francesco Sforza would die before the 14th birthday of Cristina.
As the Duchy would go back to Emperor for the extinction of the legitimate male line of Ludovico Sforza, Cristina was free to remain there and so she would take her time before returning to the Netherlands… Various matches were prospected to Cristina before the Emperor dictated her remarriage to the Duke of Lorraine in 1541.
This second wedding, like her first one, was happy but short as Francis of Lorraine would die in 1545, leaving Cristina as a widow with three small children (a two years old boy, Charles, who would follow his father as Duke of Lorraine, and two girls Renata and Dorothea) in a difficult position. While her husband had left her as regent for their son, the Estates of Lorraine seeing her as a puppet of the Emperor forced her to share the regency with her brother-in-law Nicholas of Mercoeur, who was more friendly to France. At the beginning of 1552 the King of France, after assuring Cristina who he would have respected the neutrality of Lorraine, instead attacked the Duchy, entering in Nancy, were he informed Cristina who not only she had lost the custody of her son, who would go with the King of France as he would be raised in Paris as his ward, but she was also deprived of any role in the regency and would have to left the Duchy, like all the imperial officers.
Cristina was desperate but unable to do anything, except taking her daughters and search refuge at her sister‘s court before returning in the Netherlands, together with her sister-in-law Anne and the latter’s daughter, Maria of Châlon, Princess of Orange (who would eventually marry Karl of Julich-Cleves-Berg, four years younger than her and son of a cousin of Cristina), under the protection of her uncle, who had recently established his main seat there (with frequent visits in his wife’s kingdom over the water) and were her aunts Eleanor and Mary would comfort her. Cristina had refused many offers of marriage after her second husband‘s death as she had no intention to remarry again, but few months after her arrival in the Netherlands she would catch the interest of her cousin Philip, recently widowed, who at 25 years old and with four kingdoms to rule needed a new wife, as the support of his sister Joanna was not enough for him. Cristina deeply fascinated him and the fact who she was already in her 30’s was not seen as a big disadvantage: she was his cousin, was smart and brilliant, and while Emperor Charles would have liked seeing more children of Philip between his English children and the Spanish crown, Philip‘s priority was give a loving stepmother and a stable family to his children and in any case he had already three sons and Cristina was not too old for giving him more children.
Cristina, after an initial refusal, in the end would reluctantly accept Philip’s suit, under the pressure of her uncle and aunts, and would not regret it, as she would find again happiness in Spain, with her daughters, her four stepchildren and would give two more children to Philip: a daughter, Isabella Clara Eugenia, and a son who would be called Ferdinand, who in the end would become unexpectedly King of Spain jure-uxoris, after marring his half-niece…
Cristina would be able to see again her son only once, after he had married a daughter of the French King, but she and Felipe would have a loving marriages and she would quickly become his most trusted advisor, with her sister-in-law Juana just behind her in that role…
As she was the younger daughter of a deposed King, in normal circumstance Cristina would have difficulty in finding a good match, but she had the advantage of being Charles V’s niece and that meant who after their father’s deposition, she and her elder sister Dorothea were raised in the Burgundian lands and would become matrimonial pawns for the Emperor: Dorothea would marry the Elector Palatine in 1535 in a match who would remain childless, while Cristina had already married the Duke of Milan in 1533, when she was barely 12 years old, but the match would never be consummated as Francesco Sforza would die before the 14th birthday of Cristina.
As the Duchy would go back to Emperor for the extinction of the legitimate male line of Ludovico Sforza, Cristina was free to remain there and so she would take her time before returning to the Netherlands… Various matches were prospected to Cristina before the Emperor dictated her remarriage to the Duke of Lorraine in 1541.
This second wedding, like her first one, was happy but short as Francis of Lorraine would die in 1545, leaving Cristina as a widow with three small children (a two years old boy, Charles, who would follow his father as Duke of Lorraine, and two girls Renata and Dorothea) in a difficult position. While her husband had left her as regent for their son, the Estates of Lorraine seeing her as a puppet of the Emperor forced her to share the regency with her brother-in-law Nicholas of Mercoeur, who was more friendly to France. At the beginning of 1552 the King of France, after assuring Cristina who he would have respected the neutrality of Lorraine, instead attacked the Duchy, entering in Nancy, were he informed Cristina who not only she had lost the custody of her son, who would go with the King of France as he would be raised in Paris as his ward, but she was also deprived of any role in the regency and would have to left the Duchy, like all the imperial officers.
Cristina was desperate but unable to do anything, except taking her daughters and search refuge at her sister‘s court before returning in the Netherlands, together with her sister-in-law Anne and the latter’s daughter, Maria of Châlon, Princess of Orange (who would eventually marry Karl of Julich-Cleves-Berg, four years younger than her and son of a cousin of Cristina), under the protection of her uncle, who had recently established his main seat there (with frequent visits in his wife’s kingdom over the water) and were her aunts Eleanor and Mary would comfort her. Cristina had refused many offers of marriage after her second husband‘s death as she had no intention to remarry again, but few months after her arrival in the Netherlands she would catch the interest of her cousin Philip, recently widowed, who at 25 years old and with four kingdoms to rule needed a new wife, as the support of his sister Joanna was not enough for him. Cristina deeply fascinated him and the fact who she was already in her 30’s was not seen as a big disadvantage: she was his cousin, was smart and brilliant, and while Emperor Charles would have liked seeing more children of Philip between his English children and the Spanish crown, Philip‘s priority was give a loving stepmother and a stable family to his children and in any case he had already three sons and Cristina was not too old for giving him more children.
Cristina, after an initial refusal, in the end would reluctantly accept Philip’s suit, under the pressure of her uncle and aunts, and would not regret it, as she would find again happiness in Spain, with her daughters, her four stepchildren and would give two more children to Philip: a daughter, Isabella Clara Eugenia, and a son who would be called Ferdinand, who in the end would become unexpectedly King of Spain jure-uxoris, after marring his half-niece…
Cristina would be able to see again her son only once, after he had married a daughter of the French King, but she and Felipe would have a loving marriages and she would quickly become his most trusted advisor, with her sister-in-law Juana just behind her in that role…
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do you have a source for this? because it's the first I've heard about it
would love to see what this means for Spain. And the Netherlands, going forward. I know that Karl V and Mary's kids will get the latter, but Kristina's something of a favourite historical character of mine
