Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 28

Catherine of Aragon – “A great delight” (Part one)

On 16 December 1485, Queen Isabella I of Castile gave birth to her final child – Catherine – at the Palace of Alcalá de Henares. At the time of her birth, she had four living siblings: Isabella, John, Joanna and Maria. Catherine was received with “great delight”, and a banquet was hosted in her honour.6

Catherine with her father as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

Shortly after her birth, Catherine was baptised by the Bishop of Palencia, for which she wore a gown of white brocade trimmed with gold lace and lined with green velvet. She was assigned a maid, Elena de Carmona, who slept beside the cradle.7 It is not clear if she immediately joined her parents when they travelled or if she remained behind.

The children were certainly all together in Córdoba in March 1487. Depending on their age, they had their lessons or played. When the plague arrived in Córdoba that October, the nursery was packed up and moved. As she grew up, Catherine studied Latin, history, law, scripture, hunting, sewing, embroidery, dancing, and music. She would later also pick up her mother’s habit of sewing her husband’s shirts.

Negotiations for Catherine’s marriage started as early as the spring of 1489 when a delegation of King Henry VII of England arrived, seeking a bride for Arthur, Prince of Wales. The delegation later reported, “It was beautiful to see how the queen held up her youngest daughter, the Infanta Dona Catherine [who was to be], Princess of Wales.”8 An alliance was made, although the date of her departure was not fixed. but it was meant to be “as soon as she had completed her twelfth year of her age.”9 The signing finally took place in September 1490.

Catherine with three of her siblings as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

All of Isabella and Ferdinand’s children were part of marital alliances. Catherine’s eldest sister, also named Isabella, was married in 1490 to Afonso, Prince of Portugal, but he tragically died in 1491. After much soul-searching and pressure from her parents, she remarried in 1497 to Manuel I, King of Portugal. Her brother John and sister Joanna were married in a double alliance to Margaret of Austria and her brother Philip in 1496 and 1497, respectively. Maria would later marry her sister’s widower, King Manuel.

Tragedies began piling up soon after the weddings. In August 1496, Joanna left Castile to be married to Philip, and the wedding took place on 20 October 1496. A few months after their wedding, Philip’s sister Margaret was sent to Castile to marry John. On 19 March 1497, Margaret and John were married, although they had to wait two weeks to consummate the marriage as it was Lent. They took to each other immediately, and physicians began to worry about the time the couple spent in bed together. Margaret wrote home to her father how happy she was and that her tears “were not out of sadness.”10 Prince John was “a prisoner to his love for the lady, our young prince is once more too pale.”11 Physicians advised to separate the two from time to time, but Isabella told them that it was not right for man to separate what God has joined.12 And so, John’s health declined at an alarming rate.

The children of Isabella and Ferdinand as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

Meanwhile, Queen Isabella continued to negotiate with Manuel for him to accept Maria, but he still refused, wishing only for Isabella. Eventually, Isabella agreed to the match, though she asked for as little festivities as possible. She also requested that Manuel would expel all the Castilian conversos (those who had fled from Castile to Portugal due to the Inquisition), and he agreed. He also agreed to expel Jews and Muslims. As her second wedding approached, it became clear that John was very ill. Manuel kept the news from her so that she would not delay the wedding, and they were married on 30 September 1497.

On 29 September, Queen Isabella was informed that her son was dangerously ill, and King Ferdinand arrived just in time to say goodbye to his dying son. On 4 October 1497, John died at the age of 20 at the Bishop’s Palace in Salamanca. They had just learned of Margaret’s pregnancy.

Isabella devoted herself to looking after Margaret. She and Ferdinand wrote, “Our devotion to the princess only grows, as she tries hard and so sensibly, just as [the person] she is, and we will work to console her and to make her happy as if she had lost nothing. She is healthy with her pregnancy, thank God, and we that – by His mercy – the fruit that emerges from her will be consolation and repair for our woes. We care and will care for the princess just as if her husband were still alive, for we hold her in that place and love forever.” 13

After a pregnancy of seven months, Margaret went into premature labour. In April 1498, a stillborn daughter was born. One courtier bluntly wrote, “Instead of bearing the much-desired offspring, she offered us a dead child.”14 This left the younger Isabella as heir to the throne.

By the time Manuel and Isabella returned to Castile to be sworn in as heirs to Castile, she was pregnant. This was a relief for the Aragonese, who would have preferred a man to inherit. If Isabella had a son, he would inherit everything. While at Zaragoza to discuss this matter, Isabella went into labour and gave birth to a son on 23 August 1498.

Part two coming soon.

The post Catherine of Aragon – “A great delight” (Part one) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Catherine of Aragon, “A great delight” (Part one)

On 16 December 1485, Queen Isabella I of Castile gave birth to her final child – Catherine – at the Palace of Alcalá de Henares. At the time of her birth, she had four living siblings: Isabella, John, Joanna and Maria. Catherine was received with “great delight”, and a banquet was hosted in her honour.1

Catherine with her father as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

Shortly after her birth, Catherine was baptised by the Bishop of Palencia, for which she wore a gown of white brocade trimmed with gold lace and lined with green velvet. She was assigned a maid, Elena de Carmona, who slept beside the cradle.2 It is not clear if she immediately joined her parents when they travelled or if she remained behind.

The children were certainly all together in Córdoba in March 1487. Depending on their age, they had their lessons or played. When the plague arrived in Córdoba that October, the nursery was packed up and moved. As she grew up, Catherine studied Latin, history, law, scripture, hunting, sewing, embroidery, dancing, and music. She would later also pick up her mother’s habit of sewing her husband’s shirts.

Negotiations for Catherine’s marriage started as early as the spring of 1489 when a delegation of King Henry VII of England arrived, seeking a bride for Arthur, Prince of Wales. The delegation later reported, “It was beautiful to see how the queen held up her youngest daughter, the Infanta Dona Catherine [who was to be], Princess of Wales.”3 An alliance was made, although the date of her departure was not fixed. but it was meant to be “as soon as she had completed her twelfth year of her age.”4 The signing finally took place in September 1490.

Catherine with three of her siblings as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

All of Isabella and Ferdinand’s children were part of marital alliances. Catherine’s eldest sister, also named Isabella, was married in 1490 to Afonso, Prince of Portugal, but he tragically died in 1491. After much soul-searching and pressure from her parents, she remarried in 1497 to Manuel I, King of Portugal. Her brother John and sister Joanna were married in a double alliance to Margaret of Austria and her brother Philip in 1496 and 1497, respectively. Maria would later marry her sister’s widower, King Manuel.

Tragedies began piling up soon after the weddings. In August 1496, Joanna left Castile to be married to Philip, and the wedding took place on 20 October 1496. A few months after their wedding, Philip’s sister Margaret was sent to Castile to marry John. On 19 March 1497, Margaret and John were married, although they had to wait two weeks to consummate the marriage as it was Lent. They took to each other immediately, and physicians began to worry about the time the couple spent in bed together. Margaret wrote home to her father how happy she was and that her tears “were not out of sadness.”5 Prince John was “a prisoner to his love for the lady, our young prince is once more too pale.”6 Physicians advised to separate the two from time to time, but Isabella told them that it was not right for man to separate what God has joined.7 And so, John’s health declined at an alarming rate.

The children of Isabella and Ferdinand as portrayed in Isabel (2011)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

Meanwhile, Queen Isabella continued to negotiate with Manuel for him to accept Maria, but he still refused, wishing only for Isabella. Eventually, Isabella agreed to the match, though she asked for as little festivities as possible. She also requested that Manuel would expel all the Castilian conversos (those who had fled from Castile to Portugal due to the Inquisition), and he agreed. He also agreed to expel Jews and Muslims. As her second wedding approached, it became clear that John was very ill. Manuel kept the news from her so that she would not delay the wedding, and they were married on 30 September 1497.

On 29 September, Queen Isabella was informed that her son was dangerously ill, and King Ferdinand arrived just in time to say goodbye to his dying son. On 4 October 1497, John died at the age of 20 at the Bishop’s Palace in Salamanca. They had just learned of Margaret’s pregnancy.

Isabella devoted herself to looking after Margaret. She and Ferdinand wrote, “Our devotion to the princess only grows, as she tries hard and so sensibly, just as [the person] she is, and we will work to console her and to make her happy as if she had lost nothing. She is healthy with her pregnancy, thank God, and we that – by His mercy – the fruit that emerges from her will be consolation and repair for our woes. We care and will care for the princess just as if her husband were still alive, for we hold her in that place and love forever.” 8

After a pregnancy of seven months, Margaret went into premature labour. In April 1498, a stillborn daughter was born. One courtier bluntly wrote, “Instead of bearing the much-desired offspring, she offered us a dead child.”9 This left the younger Isabella as heir to the throne.

By the time Manuel and Isabella returned to Castile to be sworn in as heirs to Castile, she was pregnant. This was a relief for the Aragonese, who would have preferred a man to inherit. If Isabella had a son, he would inherit everything. While at Zaragoza to discuss this matter, Isabella went into labour and gave birth to a son on 23 August 1498.

Part two coming soon.

The post The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Catherine of Aragon, “A great delight” (Part one) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Christina of Denmark – So great a lady (Part four)

Read part three here.

Unfortunately, by April 1545, Francis was seriously ill again. Some were convinced he had been poisoned, but he was well enough to make his entry into Nancy on 16 April. On the advice of his physicians, he went to Blamont, where the air was better. However, he grew weaker by the day and suffered frequent fainting fits. On 12 May, Christina gave birth to a second daughter, who she named after her sister, Dorothea. The stress over her husband’s health was said to have affected the baby’s health, and she was a “cripple” from birth.1 At the end of May, Francis was carried in a litter to Remiremont, his favourite shooting lodge. He made his will, in which he appointed Christina regent for their son and guardian of their children. He then received the sacraments and died on 12 June 1545. His reign had lasted just one year, and Christina was now a widow again at the age of 23.

Christina’s sole regency was immediately challenged by her brother-in-law, and they eventually agreed to be joint regents. Christina settled into the ducal palace at Nancy, where her sister-in-law, the widowed Princess of Orange, spent a lot of time with her. Soon, there were rumours that Christina was to marry again to Claude of Guise, Duke of Aumale. However, Christina was determined not to marry again. She took on the motto Accipio nullas sordida turris aves (A ruined tower, I gave shelter to no birds), and her device was a solitary tower with doves circling barred windows.

By 1551, there was the threat of a French invasion. Christina anxiously awaited the events as they unfolded and began to fear for her son’s future. Despite having the Holy Roman Emperor as her uncle, there was little he could do. His armies were busy defending the Low Countries. Desperate, Christina sought an audience with King Henry II of France in April 1552. She asked him to take her son into his protection and reminded him of the family bonds – her son’s grandmother was a Princess of the blood – Renée of Bourbon. She then pleaded her case and told him that she had been slandered. One observer wrote, “So great a lady must have been very reluctant to plead so humbly, and I doubt if she would ever have taken a step so contrary to her natural inclination if her uncle had been able to give her help.”2 He replied that he held no ill-will against her but that he needed to protect the borders. He even alluded to a match between his daughter, Claude, and her son.

In the end, the French invaded and King Henry entered Nancy at the head of his army in April. She received him graciously, but she was informed the following day that she was relieved of the regency and that her son was to leave. She drew up a protest, dressed in a black gown and a white veil and threw herself at the French King’s feet. She did not want to be separated from her son, but her protest went unheard. Many tears were shed as they said their goodbyes.

Christina later wrote to her aunt Mary, “The extreme grief and distress which the King’s violence has caused me prevent me from writing to you fully as the occasion requires.[..]Now, in reward for the good cheer which I made him, he has carried off my son by force, with a violence which could not have been great if I had been a slave. Not content with this, he has deprived me of the chief part of my authority so that I can hardly remain here with honour and reputation, and, what is worse, I shall no longer have the power of doing Your Majesty service.”3 Even her sister-in-law wrote to Mary about the horrible situation in which Christina had been placed.

Christina, her two daughters, and her sister-in-law headed to Blamont to remain for the time being as they waited out the events. When the French King arrived after a few days, they went to Deneuvre to avoid meeting him. The events had strained Christina’s health, and she became seriously ill. The campaign went on, and when Christina was found to have written a cypher letter, King Henry ordered her to leave Lorraine altogether. She found refuge in Alsace, and her aunt Mary begged her to come to Flanders. Travelling to Flanders would be no easy task.

Instead, Christina and her daughters found a place to stay with her sister Dorothea at Heidelberg, at least until the end of 1552. In early 1553, she was finally able to travel to Brussels and moved into the rooms she had lived in before her marriage to Francis. She received regular updates from her son, but she wanted nothing more than to be reunited with him. She would have to wait for quite a while.

In 1556, Christina’s aunt Mary retired with her brother Charles to Spain, and Christina found that Brussels just wasn’t the same without her. Peace had finally been signed, and she hoped to be able to return to Lorraine.

In May 1558, Christina’s wish finally came true. Shortly after the wedding celebrations for Mary, Queen of Scots and the Dauphin, a meeting was arranged between Christina and her son. She travelled to Cambray with her daughters and sister-in-law and met with Charles on the 15th. Upon arrival, Charles jumped from his horse and rushed into his mother’s arms. Christina burst into tears and was unable to speak for several minutes. His marriage to Princess Claude had been set for the following spring, and he talked about how well he had been treated at the French court. They spent two days together before he returned to court.

Part five coming soon.

The post Christina of Denmark – So great a lady (Part four) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Book News Week 51

*contains affiliate links*

Book News week 51 – 16 December – 22 December 2024

What’s Her Name: A History of the World in 80 Lost Women 

Paperback – 17 December 2024 (US)

The post Book News Week 51 appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Christina of Denmark – The Emperor’s poor servant (Part three)

Read part two here.

Christina was given her own suite of rooms close to her aunt’s rooms, and they often went out together if the weather was nice and if Mary could spare the time from public affairs. Christina attended Mass every morning and dined with Mary in the evenings. While others quarrelled over who her next husband should be, Christina had a special interest in René of Chalon, Prince of Orange, who had once been a playmate of her brother. René could often be found at Mary’s court.

On 24 October 1537, Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII of England, died after giving birth to the future King Edward VI. He was now in need of another wife, and Christina was on the list of suitable options. The English representative in Brussels wrote, “If it were God’s pleasure and the King’s, I would there were some good alliance made betwixt His Highness and the Emperor, and there is none in these parts of personage, beauty, and birth, like unto the Duchess of Milan. She is not so pure white as was the late Queen, whose soul God pardon, but she hath a singular good countenance, and when she chanceth to smile, there appeareth two pits in her cheeks and one in her chin, the which becometh her right excellently well.”1

The following March, King Henry’s painter, Hans Holbein, arrived to make a sketch of Christina and King Henry was very pleased with the outcome. However, he wanted to see Christina in person and requested for her to be brought to Calais. According to Mary, that was out of the question. Negotiations dragged on, and no progress was made. It was not until the following year that Thomas Wriothesley, King Henry’s ambassador in Brussels, finally had an audience with Christina herself. He found her standing under a canopy in a hall hung with black velvet. She asked him the purpose of his errand, and he asked her if she had really said she would not fix her heart this way. She answered, “As for my inclination, what should I say? You know I am at the Emperor’s commandment. You know I am the Emperor’s poor servant and must follow his pleasure!”2

The marriage negotiations came to a halt when King Henry was excommunicated in 1539, and Emperor Charles refused to allow the marriage to proceed without the Pope’s dispensation. A few months later, two clergymen were travelling together when one asked the other if he knew why King Henry’s marriage had not happened. One of them was familiar with the gossip from the court at Flanders, and he told the other that Christina had refused to marry King Henry. He said, “She sayeth, since the King’s Majesty was in so little space rid of three Queens, she dare not trust his Council, even if she dare trust His Majesty. For in Flanders, the nobles suspect that her great-aunt, Queen Catherine, was poisoned, that Anne Boleyn was innocent of the crimes for which she was put to death, and that the third wife, Queen Jane, was lost for lack of attention in her childbed.”3 The gossiper later spent several months in the Tower.

Despite these negotiations coming to an end, there were still plenty of options for Christina. René of Chalon was being privately encouraged by Christina’s sister, Dorothea and even Mary liked the Prince. However, in June 1540, it became clear that René had been precontracted to Anna of Lorraine, and Charles needed René’s loyalty as Anna’s father was seriously grieved in a dispute over lands. And so, he dutifully married Anna. If Christina expressed any grief over René, she did so in private.

The following year, a match was finally arranged for Christina. The groom was the future Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, who was a first cousin of Mary of Guise, Queen of Scots. They were married on 10 July 1540 in Brussels. They were known as the Duke and Duchess of Bar until 1544. They spent some time travelling around the Low Countries before departing for Lorraine in August. Her new husband even took her to see his grandmother, Philippa of Guelders, who had become a nun 20 years earlier. When Christina finally arrived in Nancy, she was presented with baskets of flowers, strawberries and cherries by the local peasant women. Nancy was to be her new home. Despite some troubles at the French court, Christina was writing about her “present great happiness” by February 1542.4

During one visit to the French court, one lady asked Christina why she had rejected King Henry VIII of England’s suit. Christina replied that, unfortunately, she only had one head but that if she had possessed two, one might have been at His Majesty’s disposal. This was shortly after the execution of King Henry’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard.5

On 18 February 1542, Christina gave birth to her first child – a son named Charles. He was christened with the greatest rejoicing. Two years later, on 20 April 1544, she gave birth to a daughter named Renata or Renée, after her late mother-in-law. However, it soon became apparent that her father-in-law, Antoine, was very ill. The family hastened to be at Antoine’s bedside, and he died on 19 June 1544, making Christina and Francis the new Duke and Duchess of Lorraine. The country was in a state of war, and Francis was desperate for peace. In July, Christina’s former love, René of Chalon, died following the siege of St. Dizier. Peace was signed in September, and Christina and Francis were invited to Brussels to celebrate it. However, they did not arrive until November as Francis had fallen ill. Afterwards, they spent a happy winter in Nancy and began to plan for the future. Christina was also pregnant again.

Part four coming soon.

The post Christina of Denmark – The Emperor’s poor servant (Part three) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Queen Isabella I of Castile’s Proclamation and Coronation

Following the death of her half-brother, King Henry IV of Castile, Isabella knew she had to act quickly.

She received the news on 12 December and acted as the chief mourner at the Cathedral of Segovia, wearing all black. Within hours of being informed of his death, letters were being sent out informing the cities of the death and calling for funeral services. Following the service at the cathedral, an official called out to the crowd that King Henry had died without a legitimate successor and that his sister Isabella would assume the throne.

On 13 December, Isabella reemerged from another service at the cathedral as she took off her black mourning clothes and appeared in “a rich outfit, adorned with glittering jewels of gold and precious stones that heightened her magnificent beauty.”22 In front of the crowds, she swore to protect the people and respect the church. There were cries of “Castile! Castile! Castile! For our Queen and lady, Queen Isabella, and for King Ferdinand as her legitimate husband!”23 Her four-year-old namesake daughter was lifted up and presented to the crowds as the next heiress.

She shocked the crowds by processing through the streets with the sword of justice in front of her. The sword was held by the point, with the hilt upwards, “in the Spanish fashion, so that all, including those furthest away, could see that she who approached could punish the guilty on Royal authority. Some of those in the crowds muttered that they had never seen such a thing,”24

After the ceremony, Isabella wrote to the cities that they, too, should recognise her as Queen. She wrote, “I order you to raise flags for me, recognising me as your Queen and natural mistress and also the high and mighty prince, King Ferdinand… as my legitimate husband. Otherwise, you will fall foul of the penalties contained in our laws.”25 Ferdinand was notably absent, as he was in Zaragoza on a campaign, and he would only return in the new year.

Meanwhile, King Henry’s daughter Joanna sent out letters to the cities and towns of Castile which read, “During his lifetime, he always wrote and swore, both in public and in private, to all those prelates and grandees who asked about it and to many other trustworthy people that he knew me to be his true daughter.”26 She also claimed that her father had named her as his heiress on his deathbed and that he had been poisoned by Isabella and her husband, Ferdinand. She called for Isabella to be punished, saying, “You must all rise and join, serving, helping and ensuring that this abominable, detestable action be punished.”27

The war over the succession would continue for four years and would not be easy.

The post Queen Isabella I of Castile’s Proclamation and Coronation appeared first on History of Royal Women.

The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The Proclamation and Coronation

Following the death of her half-brother, King Henry IV of Castile, Isabella knew she had to act quickly.

She received the news on 12 December and acted as the chief mourner at the Cathedral of Segovia, wearing all black. Within hours of being informed of his death, letters were being sent out informing the cities of the death and calling for funeral services. Following the service at the cathedral, an official called out to the crowd that King Henry had died without a legitimate successor and that his sister Isabella would assume the throne.

On 13 December, Isabella reemerged from another service at the cathedral as she took off her black mourning clothes and appeared in “a rich outfit, adorned with glittering jewels of gold and precious stones that heightened her magnificent beauty.”1 In front of the crowds, she swore to protect the people and respect the church. There were cries of “Castile! Castile! Castile! For our Queen and lady, Queen Isabella, and for King Ferdinand as her legitimate husband!”2 Her four-year-old namesake daughter was lifted up and presented to the crowds as the next heiress.

She shocked the crowds by processing through the streets with the sword of justice in front of her. The sword was held by the point, with the hilt upwards, “in the Spanish fashion, so that all, including those furthest away, could see that she who approached could punish the guilty on Royal authority. Some of those in the crowds muttered that they had never seen such a thing,”3

After the ceremony, Isabella wrote to the cities that they, too, should recognise her as Queen. She wrote, “I order you to raise flags for me, recognising me as your Queen and natural mistress and also the high and mighty prince, King Ferdinand… as my legitimate husband. Otherwise, you will fall foul of the penalties contained in our laws.”4 Ferdinand was notably absent, as he was in Zaragoza on a campaign, and he would only return in the new year.

Meanwhile, King Henry’s daughter Joanna sent out letters to the cities and towns of Castile which read, “During his lifetime, he always wrote and swore, both in public and in private, to all those prelates and grandees who asked about it and to many other trustworthy people that he knew me to be his true daughter.”5 She also claimed that her father had named her as his heiress on his deathbed and that he had been poisoned by Isabella and her husband, Ferdinand. She called for Isabella to be punished, saying, “You must all rise and join, serving, helping and ensuring that this abominable, detestable action be punished.”6

The war over the succession would continue for four years and would not be easy.

The post The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The Proclamation and Coronation appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Christina of Denmark – The little widow of Milan (Part two)

Read part one here.

The family gathered in Brussels to celebrate Christmas in December 1531 with Emperor Charles. Dorothea sat next to her illustrious uncle during the festivities. Two weeks later, Emperor Charles left Brussels and took John with him on his trip to Regensburg, where the Imperial Diet was set to open in May. The weather proved to be quite terrible, and many fell ill, including the Emperor and Prince John. Charles left town to take the waters and returned to find John delirious with a fever. The doctors soon gave up all hope, and Charles left again, saying he could not bear to see him die.1 John fell into unconsciousness and died in the early hours of 11 August 1532. He was only 14 years old.

Charles wrote Mary to inform her of John’s death and added, “I am writing to my little nieces, as you see, to comfort them. I am sure that you will try and do the same. The best remedy will be to find them two husbands.”2 Dorothea and Christina were still young, but their future marriages had already been under discussion for some time.

A suitor came forward in the form of Francesco II Sforza, Duke of Milan, who was 27 years older than Isabella. He was initially looking for the hand of her elder sister, Dorothea, who had inherited their brother’s claims, but he was told that she was promised to the King of Scots. On 10 June 1533, the wedding contract was signed by Emperor Charles, as their father was imprisoned following his attempt at regaining his kingdoms. Their aunt Mary was horrified that Christina was to marry so young and wrote to her brother, “Monseigneur, since the words of the treaty clearly show that the marriage is to be consummated immediately, and she will have her departure without delay, I must point out that she is not old enough for this, being only eleven and a half, and I hold that it would be contrary to the laws of God and reason to marry her at so tender an age.”3 Charles was not impressed and wrote back, “As for the question of issue, I fear the Duke’s advanced years will prove a greater barrier than my niece’s tender youth.”4 Nevertheless, Mary was determined to delay the wedding as long as possible, and she got her way.

The proxy wedding took place on 28 September 1533, and the ambassador for the Duke of Milan later wrote, “She is hardly shorter than her sister, and much handsomer and more graceful, and is indeed as well built and attractive a maid as you could wish to see. God grant this may lead to a happy marriage!”5 Mary refused to set a date for Christina’s departure and would not even consider letting her travel during the winter months. Eventually, Christina set out on 11 March 1534 in a black velvet litter drawn by four horses.

Francesco rode ahead to surprise Christina before her official entry into Milan. He showed her every kindness, but she would have noticed his walking stick and grey hair. On 3 May, Christina made her official entry into Milan, and she was welcomed by her husband’s half-brother. Christina was a vision in a white brocade gown and a long veil over her flowing hair, sitting on a white horse. One chronicler proclaimed her “a vision more divine than human.”6 The following day, the in-person wedding took place in the hall of the Rocchetta. Christina wrote to Dorothea, “We are as happy and contented as possible.”7

Christina soon won the hearts of the people, and her husband showered her with kindness. However, his health had been a concern for some time, and he suffered from catarrh and recurring fevers that often left him confined to his bed. In September 1535, Francesco again fell ill with a fever, and he lost the use of most of his limbs. He steadily became worse throughout September and October, and it became clear that he wasn’t going to survive. Christina was by his side until the end. He died on 2 November 1535. Christina was now a 13/14-year-old widow after just 18 months of marriage. Almost immediately, Christina was back on the marriage market, and new suitors were being discussed for the “little widow of Milan.”8

Suitors included the Prince of Piedmont, who died in 1536, and the future Charles II de Valois, Duke of Orléans. Emperor Charles wanted to “find a noble and suitable husband for our niece, the Widow of Milan, who is to us almost a daughter, and who has always shown herself so discreet and so obedient to our wishes.”9 Christina briefly met her uncle at Pavia the following May. Otherwise, she remained in Milan and solemnly remembered the first anniversary of her husband’s death in November 1536. At the end of the year, Christina was conducted to Pavia on the Emperor’s orders. She remained there for a few months and fell ill there with a fever during the summer months. By the end of August, her recovery was reported.

Emperor Charles wanted Christina to return to his sister in Flanders, and plans were finally finalised in October. On 15 October, the widowed Duchess left Pavia, and she travelled by way of Heidelberg, where her sister Dorothea lived with her husband, Frederick. Christina was magnificently entertained with banquets, jousts and dances. They had so much that Christina was invited to stay over for Christmas. However, Mary demanded that Christina return to Flanders as quickly as possible, and so the sisters parted ways again. On 8 December 1537, Christina once more set foot in the palace she had grown up in.

Part three coming soon.

The post Christina of Denmark – The little widow of Milan (Part two) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Queen Isabella I of Castile & The death of King Henry IV

At the end of December 1473, King Henry IV of Castile had several meetings with his half-sister Isabella in Segovia.

He agreed to meet with her at the Alcazar, which was reportedly quite cordial. Isabella had gone from his chosen heiress to a repudiated heiress in the last years, and their relationship had been complicated. Isabella expressed her wish to succeed her brother rather than his supposed daughter, Joanna la Beltraneja. He could not confirm this but invited her and her husband, Ferdinand, to dinner days later. After dinner, Henry suddenly felt a pain in his side and was forced to retire to bed. He was very ill for several days and only partially recovered. Even during his illness, he refused to recognise Isabella as his heiress.

Over the following months, Henry tried to smooth over the succession in favour of his daughter. However, he only further alienated those nobles who would have been her supporters. Isabella had most of the great nobles on her side.

Early in the winter of 1474, Henry, who had still not fully recovered and was still vomiting blood, went hunting in the forest of El Pardo. He fell from his horse and returned to Madrid bruised and chilled to the bone. Exhausted, he took to his bed and died there on 11 December 1474 as his confessors waited to hear who he would name as his successor. He either did not confirm a successor, or his confessors did not want to say. In theory, he had been succeeded by Joanna.

King Henry’s modest funeral was mocked, and he was buried in ordinary clothes and leather gaiters.

A messenger rushed to bring the news of the King’s death to Isabella, who was in Segovia. Isabella received the news of her half-brother’s death with “profound sadness” the following day. 35 Despite her grief, she knew she had to act quickly.

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The death of King Henry IV

At the end of December 1473, King Henry IV of Castile had several meetings with his half-sister Isabella in Segovia.

He agreed to meet with her at the Alcazar, which was reportedly quite cordial. Isabella had gone from his chosen heiress to a repudiated heiress in the last years, and their relationship had been complicated. Isabella expressed her wish to succeed her brother rather than his supposed daughter, Joanna la Beltraneja. He could not confirm this but invited her and her husband, Ferdinand, to dinner days later. After dinner, Henry suddenly felt a pain in his side and was forced to retire to bed. He was very ill for several days and only partially recovered. Even during his illness, he refused to recognise Isabella as his heiress.

Over the following months, Henry tried to smooth over the succession in favour of his daughter. However, he only further alienated those nobles who would have been her supporters. Isabella had most of the great nobles on her side.

Early in the winter of 1474, Henry, who had still not fully recovered and was still vomiting blood, went hunting in the forest of El Pardo. He fell from his horse and returned to Madrid bruised and chilled to the bone. Exhausted, he took to his bed and died there on 11 December 1474 as his confessors waited to hear who he would name as his successor. He either did not confirm a successor, or his confessors did not want to say. In theory, he had been succeeded by Joanna.

King Henry’s modest funeral was mocked, and he was buried in ordinary clothes and leather gaiters.

A messenger rushed to bring the news of the King’s death to Isabella, who was in Segovia. Isabella received the news of her half-brother’s death with “profound sadness” the following day. 1 Despite her grief, she knew she had to act quickly.

The post The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The death of King Henry IV appeared first on History of Royal Women.