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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Margaret of Austria, The pearl of Burgundy (Part two)

Read part one here.

Margaret met her future mother-in-law, Queen Isabella I of Castile, in Burgos shortly after her arrival. Margaret tried to kneel and kiss Isabella’s hand, but Isabella raised her up. The Venetian ambassador later wrote, “The Queen’s reception of her was quite a sight. Kissing and hugging many times, she took her with her.”1 Margaret was dressed in a “French-style dress of gold brocade and crimson lined with ermine, topped off by a black felt hat and accompanied by large pearls.”2

Margaret and John as portrayed in Isabel (2012)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

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.”3 Prince John was “a prisoner to his love for the lady, our young prince is once more too pale.”4 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.5 And so, John’s health declined at an alarming rate.

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 for ever.”6

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.”7 The chronicler of the Indies wrote, “The sovereigns showed great patience and, as prudent and spirited princes, consoled all [of Spain’s] peoples in writing.”8 Margaret arranged for a grand tomb for her husband and picked from 20 designs. She paid for it from the widow’s gift she received from Castile. The white marble design was eventually placed in Avila. Even decades later, Margaret still paid to have masses said for her late husband’s soul.

Margaret remained with her in-laws for now and spent much time with Isabella. She even sat in on governmental affairs and learned things that she would benefit from later in life. Isabella even asked her to teach her daughter Catherine French to prepare her for her upcoming marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales. The financial agreements to allow Margaret to return home would take until the end of 1499 to complete. Margaret arrived in Ghent on 4 March 1500, just in time to act as godmother to her newborn nephew, the future Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Afterwards, her brother Philip prepared the Castle of Le Quesnoy for her so that she could rest.

It turned out to be just what Margaret needed, but she knew that it wouldn’t last long. A third marriage was already being planned for her. A husband was found for her in the form of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. He had been married to Yolande Louise of Savoy before her death at the age of 12 in 1499. Philibert’s eldest sister Louise had been raised alongside Margaret in France, and Margaret already knew him as well. Although she was reportedly not very enthusiastic about her new match, she abided by the wishes of her father and brother.

On 27 October 1501, Margaret said goodbye to her family once again. After nearly a month of travelling, Margaret arrived in Dole. She then travelled to Salins, where the proxy wedding took place. Philibert’s half-brother René stood in for the groom during the ceremony on 28 November. During the ceremonial consummation, René, dressed in full armour, laid down beside Margaret in a bed and touched a bare leg to hers. At Romainmôtier, Margaret finally met Philibert again. Around midnight, the in-person ceremony took place. Margaret was quite pleased with her new husband, and the newlyweds did not reappear until noon the following day. On 8 December, they made their grand entry into Geneva. They stayed in Geneva until the spring and continued their grand entries well into the year. Philibert enjoyed hunting, but it had never been Margaret’s thing, which wasn’t surprising considering her mother had died after a hunting accident. Margaret preferred to stay home with her pets (a dog, a guinea pig and a parrot).

There was one issue that bothered her. Philibert preferred to leave the government to his illegitimate half-brother René, which didn’t sit right with Margaret. Representatives of the people turned to her to tell her time and time again that they were tired of the mismanagement. If Philibert did not want to do his duty, Margaret felt she would have to be the one to do it, and René would have to go. She would have to be careful, though, as Philibert trusted his half-brother completely.

Part three coming soon.

The post The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Margaret of Austria, The pearl of Burgundy (Part two) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Meet Princess Isabella of Denmark

Princess Isabella of Denmark was born on 21 April 2007 as the daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. She was their second child and has an older brother, Prince Christian, and two younger siblings, twins Vincent and Josephine.

Due to the introduction of absolute primogeniture in 2009, she kept her place in the line of succession after the subsequent birth of a younger brother.

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Isabella was christened in Fredensborg Palace Chapel on 1 July 2007, and her godparents were her father’s first cousin, Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark; Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Nadine Johnston, Christian Buchwald, Peter Heering and Marie Louise Skeel. Her first name is in honour of the Danish Queen Isabella of Austria. Isabella was confirmed in 2022.

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She began her official schooling in the 0 class at Tranegårdskolen on 3 August 2013. A 12-week stay at an international school was planned in 2020 but this was cancelled due to the pandemic. She began in the th form at Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole in Copenhagen in 2022 and moved to the 1.g at Øregård Gymnasium in Hellerup in 2023.

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Her first official engagement, the baptism of the M/F Prinsesse Isabella ferry, took place on 6 June 2015.

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When her father becomes King on Sunday, she will be second in the line of succession.

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The Counts and Countesses of Monpezat

On 30 April 2008, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark conferred the title of Count of Monpezat to her male-line descendants.

The family of Queen Margrethe’s husband, Prince Henrik, had styled themselves at “Comte de Laborde de Monpezat”, although their right to use this title is disputed.

The Cabinet Secretary, Henning Fode, explained that the Queen and Prince wanted to reestablish the connection to their sons’ paternal French heritage. “The queen and the prince consort have considered this for a long time, and it has led to the fact that people think it was the right thing to do.”1

While Queen Margethe’s two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, and their children also held a princely title, the comital title was added. At the end of 2022, it was announced that Prince Joachim’s children would no longer be titled as Prince or Princess of Denmark. This left the title of Count or Countess of Monpezat as their most senior title. They also lost the style of Highness and would instead be addressed as Excellency.

The press release added, “With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves. All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession.”2

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The Queen’s Crown

While we won’t see Queen Mary being crowned with the Queen’s Crown, it was used for the Queen’s coronation for over 100 years.

This crown was made in 1731 for Queen Sophie Magdalene (born of Brandenburg-Kulmbach) as she refused to wear the crown of her predecessor, Anna Sophie Reventlow, whom she hated.

The Coronation of Christian VI and Sophie Magdalene (public domain)

The crown was made by the court jeweller Frederik Fabritius, and the stones are believed to have come from the crown of Queen Sophie Amalia (born of Brunswick-Calenberg).

It was last used for the coronation of Queen Caroline Amalie (born of Augustenburg) in 1840.

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Margaret of Austria, The pearl of Burgundy (Part one)

Margaret of Austria was born on 10 January 1480 as the daughter of Mary, Duchess of Burgundy and the future Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. Her elder brother, Philip, would go on to become King of Castile by right of his wife Joanna.

Margaret was just two years old when her mother tragically died after a fall from her horse. That very same year, the Treaty of Arras promised her hand in marriage to the future King Charles VIII of France, who was twelve years old at the time. At the time, both Philip and Margaret were being held hostage in Ghent. After the children were reunited with their father, it was time to act on the treaty. Margaret, by now three years old, was to move to France. Her physicians were worried about her health and managed to delay her departure until April 1483, but by the 24th, it was time to leave.

Margaret with her step-grandmother Margaret of York in The White Princess (2017)(Screenshot/Fair Use)

With a vast retinue, three-year-old Margaret departed, dressed in black satin with gold thread.1 Upon arrival at Hesdin, she was greeted by Anne of France, Duchess of Bourbon, eldest daughter of King Louis XI and thus Margaret’s future sister-in-law. It was Anne who inspected little Margaret for any physical deformities, and she found none. After a grand welcome in Paris on 2 June, Margaret was taken to the Chateau d’Amboise, where she would be formally betrothed to Charles.

Due to her age, the actual wedding ceremony would not take place for a while yet, and meanwhile, Margaret received an excellent education under the supervision of Anne. In August 1483, King Louis XI died, and Anne became regent for her brother Charles. Margaret’s daily care was in the hands of Madame de Segré. Margaret learned to read and write in French and was also taught embroidery, needlework, music and painting. She also had a custom-made bow for archery competitions. She grew up alongside other noble and royal children, such as Louise of Savoy, who would go on to become the mother of King Francis I. These were happy years for the young Margaret, but it would all come to an abrupt end.

Charles repudiated Margaret in 1491 to marry Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Margaret’s father, who had been married by proxy to Duchess Anne, was furious. Anne had been forced to set aside this proxy marriage to marry the French King and keep her lands. To make matters worse, Margaret could not return home until the matter of her dowry was settled, and until then, she was effectively a prisoner. Madame de Segré attempted to console the heartbroken would-be Queen. Although Margaret was described as dignified throughout the entire ordeal, she reportedly commented, “Do not be surprised if the wine is green this year, considering not a single oath is fulfilled”, after the grape harvest failed.2 She later desperately wrote her father, “I want to go home, even if it is only in my chemise.”3

Finally, on 23 May 1493, the Treaty of Senlis was signed, in which Charles agreed to release Margaret and her dowry to her father. The 13-year-old Margaret was finally allowed to go home. Despite the snub, King Charles gave Margaret a magnificent farewell and on 12 June, she was officially transferred into the custody of her father’s ambassadors. Saying goodbye to her French retinue was difficult for her, and she gave Madame de Segré several expensive gifts. At the head of the Burgundian welcoming party stood Margaret of York, her step-grandmother. Her brother Philip welcomed her in the city of Bergen, and they returned to court at Mechelen. The would-be Queen of France was home again.

For now, the excellent education she received in France was continued under the watchful eye of Margaret of York. In 1494, she got to know the Low Countries a bit more during the celebrations for her brother’s majority. They travelled to Antwerp, Brussels and Maastricht. In Antwerp, Margaret witnessed the welcoming ceremony for her father’s new wife, Bianca Maria Sforza. Meanwhile, he was also looking for a new strong alliance, and he found it with Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. A double marriage between Philip and the couple’s second daughter, Joanna, and Margaret and the couple’s only son and heir, John, was planned. Once again, Margaret could become a Queen.

On 5 November 1495, both weddings took place by proxy at the Saint Peter’s Church in Mechelen. Margaret was given a dowry of 200,000 ducats, although she did have to give up her rights in Burgundy. Joanna would be the first to travel to the Low Countries to marry Philip in person before Margaret would travel to Castile to marry John. Joanna left Laredo on 22 August 1496 and arrived at Walcheren on 9 September. The in-person wedding took place on 18 October in the Saint Gummarus Church in Lier. Margaret would now travel to Castile in the same fleet that had brought Joanna. However, the weather was quite adverse, but a route over land was not possible due to the political tensions.

On 22 January 1497, it was decided to set sail, even though the weather was still not ideal. The ships were forced to land near the English coast during a storm. King Henry VII immediately sent food and aid, and the ships were forced to wait for three weeks. During a second attempt, Margaret’s ship hit another ship, and a terrified Margaret jumped from the ship into a boat. During the third attempt, many ships in the fleet were destroyed during subsequent storms, and Margaret wrote this melancholic verse, “Here lies Margaret, the willing bride, twice married but a virgin when she died.”4

On 6 March 1497, two ships limped into the harbour of Santander, and one of them carried Margaret.

Part two coming soon.

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The Queen’s Coronation Chair

To the right of the Danish Coronation Chair stands the silver Queen’s Coronation Chair.

King Christian VIII and his wife, Caroline Amalie of Augustenborg (public domain)

The Queen’s Coronation Chair was made by Nils Jonson for the 1731 coronation of Queen Sophie Magdalene (born of Brandenburg-Kulmbach). It matches the King’s chair in height.

The Coronation of Christian VI and Sophie Magdalene (public domain)

The Queen’s Coronation Chair is currently on display next to the King’s chair at Rosenborg Castle.

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The Danish Emerald Parure

The Emerald Parure is part of the Danish Crown Jewels, so we might soon see Queen Mary wearing this.

The set consists of a tiara, necklace, brooch and earrings. It was made in 1840 by CM Weisshaupt on the orders of Queen  Caroline Amalie (born of Augustenburg, although the emeralds were originally a gift from King Christian VI to his wife, Queen Sophie Magdalene (born of Brandenburg-Kulmbach) in 1723 for the birth of their son, the future King Frederik V.

Photo by Moniek Bloks

These jewels are for the use of the Queen alone and are not allowed to leave the country. If the parure is not in use, it is on display at Rosenborg Castle.

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The Danish Coronation Chair

While we won’t see the new King Frederik X of Denmark using the Coronation Chair, it was used for coronations for nearly 200 years.

Legend has it that the throne is made of the horns of unicorns, but it was really made from narwhal tusks. The chair is guarded by three silver lions. Both the chair and the lions were inspired by the biblical throne of Solomon.

King Frederick III ordered the coronation chair after the absolute monarchy was introduced in Denmark and Norway. It was made between 1662 and 1671 by Bendix Grodtschilling. The gilt figures were added to the chair during the reign of his son, King Christian V.

The chair continued to be used until 1840, and the last monarch to use it was King Christian VIII of Denmark. Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849, and the monarchs no longer received a coronation.

King Christian VIII and his wife, Caroline Amalie of Augustenborg (public domain)

The Coronation Chair is currently on display at Rosenborg Castle.

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The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Isabella & King Henry IV (Part two)

Read part one here.

Henry was told that the best way to squash the rebellion was to marry Isabella off to Pedro Girón, one of the rebels. Pedro came with a good offer, which Henry agreed to, and Henry urged him to come as soon as possible. Isabella was horrified by the match, and she sank to her knees and prayed to God to release her from this match. Pedro fell ill on his way to her, and he died just ten days later. Isabella was delighted by this outcome, although Henry was crestfallen as this meant that the civil war would drag on. The battle at Olmedo in August 1467 was a narrow but inconclusive victory for Henry. Just one month later, as Queen Joan fled, Alfonso rode into Segovia almost without a fight.

Isabella was conflicted but ultimately did not go with the Queen. She later wrote, “I stayed in my palace, against the Queen’s will, in order to leave her dishonest custody that was bad for my honour and dangerous for my life.”1 She was later happily reunited with Alfsono. However, she also informed him and the other rebels that she would only come if she wasn’t going to be forced into a marriage and she wanted to return to her mother. Queen Joan chose this moment to live her own life as well, and she began a relationship with Pedro de Castilla, the nephew of the Archbishop of Seville. They went on to have two sons, which did her husband’s reputation no good at all, although he continued to send her gifts.

Isabella and Alfonso celebrated his 14th birthday with their mother in Arévalo. They were eventually forced to leave there after an outbreak of the plague. However, en route, Alfonso became ill, and it soon became clear that he was dying. Isabella now took control and wrote, “And you all know that in the moment that the Lord decides to take his life, succession of the kingdom and royal lands of Castile, and Leon will, as his legitimate heiress and successor, pass to me.”2 Alfonso died the following day.

Henry did not want to miss an opportunity to make peace, and the two opposing parties agreed to meet. Isabella and Henry greeted each other cordially and eventually came to an agreement. Among other things, she was to be named the hereditary princess, while Henry was to be her king, lord and foster father. Isabella agreed to work on bringing the remaining rebels back into the fold. Any marriage plans had to come from Henry, while Isabella had the right of veto. The agreement also stated that Henry was informed that he had never been legally married to Joan. This meant that Joanna’s paternity wasn’t put into question, but rather, as she was illegitimate, she could not be the next Queen. Henry’s supporters were baffled by the agreement, but for now, peace was brokered.

Isabella had probably already begun plotting for the marriage candidate of her choice, Ferdinand of Aragon, who was then known as the King of Sicily. Meanwhile, Henry again attempted to bring the King of Portugal into the mix. On 7 March 1469, a secret marriage agreement between Isabella and Ferdinand was signed. Henry brought forth another candidate, the French Prince Charles, Duke of Berry. She reportedly declined in such a manner that the ambassador became angry.3

Her marriage to Ferdinand did not come as a complete surprise. A month before the wedding, she had written to Henry claiming that she, Henry and the nobles had agreed to study four candidates: Ferdinand, the King of Portugal, the Duke of Berry and the future King Richard III of England. She claimed that after her own consultations with the nobles, they had approved of Ferdinand, while she angrily rebuked Henry for pushing the Portuguese match. On 12 October 1469, she wrote that Ferdinand was in Castile and that he came in peace. Two days later, the two met for the very first time. Henry did not bother to reply, it would be too late to protest anyway.

On 19 October, they were married with a supposed papal bull in hand needed to cover the forbidden degree of consanguinity, as they were second cousins. An agreement about Isabella and her future as Queen of Castile was also read out. She later bluffed about the fake papal bull, “My conscience is fully clean, as can be shown by the authentic bulls and documents, whenever and wherever necessary.”4 The following year, the agreement making Isabella the heiress was overthrown by Henry.

Meanwhile, Isabella gave birth to her first child on 2 October 1470. It was a daughter who was also named Isabella. She now waited and quietly worked to bring the nobles back to her side. Henry saw his supporters leave one by one and was desperately trying to find a suitable husband for Joanna.

At the end of 1473, Henry and Isabella met several times in Segovia. Isabella told him she wished to succeed him, but he would not confirm this. Nevertheless, he also agreed to meet Ferdinand, and the three had dinner together. Henry fell ill shortly after, and the couple pleaded for his recognition during his illness. Fortunately, Henry recovered. However, he would not live another year, and he died on 11 December 1474.

One observer reported, “She [Isabella] was upset and saddened, and with good reason because she not only esteemed him as her brother but also considered him like a father.”5

A war of succession would now begin.

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Helena of Austria – Daughter of the Emperor

Archduchess of Helen of Austria is one of those women of whom we know very little. She was born on 7 January 1543 as the second youngest child of Anne of Bohemia and Hungary and the future Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. She was born in Vienna or possibly in Innsbruck1 and was baptised later that evening.2

She had 13 elder siblings, of which 12 were still alive at the time of her birth. A final sibling, Joanna, was born in 1547. Tragically, this birth would cost her mother her life. Helena’s elder brother Maximilian would succeed their father as Holy Roman Emperor in 1564.

Due to her weak constitution, her father did not think she was suitable for marriage, and he even rejected the marriage proposals of two kings.3

She founded the Ladies’ Convent of Hall, together with two of her sisters, Magdalena and Margaret. The convent opened in 1568, and she entered the convent with her sister Magdalena on 5 December 1569.4 Tragically, her sister Margaret had died the year before. They moved in alongside 40 canonesses. Their aim in life was to practise devotion and charity.

She reportedly believed the lungs of foxes were good against coughing and consumption. On her order, two foxes were killed, and their lungs were prepared in the pharmacy.5

Nevertheless, Helena died at the convent on 5 March 1574 at the age of 31. Her brother, also named Ferdinand, attended the funeral in Hall. She was interred alongside her sister Margaret in the crypt of the convent church, who had been interred there five years after her death. Magdalena survived her sisters until 1590 and was eventually interred alongside them.6

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