Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland

This article is about the Polish queen consort, from the Habsburg dynasty. For the Portuguese Queen consort in the same dynasty, see Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal.
Catherine of Austria
Queen consort of Poland
Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania
Tenure 1553–1572
Spouse Francesco III Gonzaga
Sigismund II Augustus
House House of Habsburg (by birth)
House of Jagiellon (by marriage)
Father Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Born 15 September 1533
Innsbruck
Died 28 February 1572
Linz

Catherine of Austria (September 15, 1533 – February 28, 1572) was a member of the House of Habsburg, Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania and the last consort of King Sigismund II Augustus.

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Biography

Catherine was one of the fifteen children of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. On October 22, 1549, she married Francesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. He died four months after marriage. On June 23, 1553, she became the third wife of King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland and Lithuania, who was her first cousin once removed.

Catherine became pregnant and miscarried in October 1554. After the miscarriage, the King decided that his marriage was cursed because Catherine was sister of his first wife. He vainly attempted to have the marriage annulled, and in the autumn of 1566, Catherine left Poland and lived until her death in 1572 in Linz.

Catherine of Austria was buried in 1614 in the Sankt Florian monastery near Linz in Austria.

Ancestors

Alternate name spellings

References

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Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland
Born: 15 September 1533 Died: 28 February 1572
Royal titles
Preceded by
Barbara Radziwiłł		 Queen consort of Poland
Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania
1553–1572		 Succeeded by
Anne of Austria