| The Princess of Eboli | |
|---|---|
| Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Éboli | |
| Spouse(s) | Ruy Gómez de Silva |
| Full name | |
| Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda | |
| Noble family | House of Mendoza |
| Father | Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Duke of Francavilla |
| Born | June 29, 1540 Cifuentes, Guadalajara, Spain |
| Died | February 2, 1592 (aged 51) Pastrana, Guadalajara, Spain |
Doña Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda, Princess of Eboli, Duchess of Pastrana, (in full, Spanish: Doña Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda, segunda princesa de Melito, tercera condesa de Melito, marquesa de Algecilla, segunda duquesa de Francavilla, tercera condesa de Aliano), (29 June 1540 – 2 February 1592) was a Spanish aristocrat,[1] suo jure 2nd Princess of Mélito, 2nd Duchess of Francavilla and 3rd Countess of Aliano. She was considered one of Spain's greatest beauties, despite having lost an eye in a mock duel with a page when she was young.
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Ana, also known as Princess of Eboli, Countess of Mélito and Duchess of Pastrana, married Rui Gomes da Silva, 1st Prince of Éboli when she was twelve years old (1552), by recommendation of Prince Philip. Her husband was Prince of Éboli and minister to the King. She was considered one of the more accomplished women of her time, and although she had just one eye, Ana was regarded as one of the most beautiful ladies in Spain.
Ana had ten children by this marriage:
After her husband's death in 1573, she spent three years in a convent, but returned to public life in 1576, forming an alliance at Court with the King's undersecretary of state, Antonio Pérez (1540–1615).[2] They were accused of betraying state secrets which led to her arrest in 1579. Ana died 13 years later in prison on 2 February 1592.
There was a character called Princess Eboli based on Ana in Schiller's play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien, and Verdi's opera Don Carlos.[3] She is also the subject of Kate O'Brien's novel That Lady,[4] and the 1955 film adaptation of O'Brien's novel, That Lady. La Tuerta, a stage play charting the life of Ana de Mendoza was performed at Bedlam Theatre as part of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2008. Julia Ormond played her in La Conjura de El Escorial (2008) and Belén Rueda in the TV film La Princesa de Éboli (2010).