Mary of Habsburg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mary of Habsburg

Mary of Habsburg, also named Mary, Maria, or Marie of Hungary, of Austria, of Castile, or of Burgundy (18 September 1505 – 18 October 1558) was the Queen consort of Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia, and later governor of the Netherlands for her brother, Emperor Charles V.

[edit] Origins

She was born in Brussels to Philip I of Castile ("the Handsome") and Joanna "The Mad" of Castile. Her paternal grandparents were Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and his first wife Mary of Burgundy. Her maternal grandparents were Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile.

Maria was a younger sister of Eleanor of Habsburg, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Isabella of Habsburg and Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. She was an older sister of Catherine of Habsburg.

[edit] Queen of Hungary

Before Maria closed her first year of life, she was promised as a wife to the first son to be born to Ladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his fourth wife Anne de Foix. This son was born in 1506 and was to become Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia.

They were married on 13 January 1522 in Buda. Their joint portrait still exists. Both his robes and her alleged wedding dress are on display at the National Museum of Hungary.

Maria served as Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia for four years and seven months. On 29 August 1526, Louis was killed in the Battle of Mohács while leading his forces against Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire. They were childless. The joined crowns of Hungary and Bohemia passed to her brother Ferdinand.

[edit] Governor in the Netherlands

Maria would not marry again. Her chance at personal rule came four years later. Her paternal aunt Margaret of Austria died on 1 December 1530, leaving the position of Governor of the Seventeen Provinces vacant. Her brother Charles established Maria as Margaret's successor. She remained on the post until 1555. She was succeeded by Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy.

She died three years later in Cigalos. In her last will she requested that her heart-shaped gold medallion, once worn by her husband, be melted down and distributed among the poor.