The Habsburg Sisters, Part I: Eleonore von Habsburg, Queen Consort of Portugal and France

by Heather R. Darsie Most people interested in Tudor history are familiar with names like Charles V, Francis I, or even Christina of Denmark. Charles’ mother Juana of Castile might sound familiar. But what of Juana’s four daughters, Charles V’s sisters? Who were they? Why were they important? How did they fulfill the goals of Charles and his brother Ferdinand in the early 16th century? This article will provide … Continue reading The Habsburg Sisters, Part I: Eleonore von Habsburg, Queen Consort of Portugal and France

Heather R DarsieMarch 23, 2020April 25, 20212 Comments

Women

Juana of Castile and Her Madness

by Heather R. Darsie Juana la Loca, or Joanna the Mad, was the elder sister of Catherine of Aragon and sister-in-law to Henry VIII of England. Juana was born on 6 November 1479, a daughter of the formidable Isabella of Castile and Isabella’s husband Ferdinand of Aragon. Juana was known during her lifetime as Juana of Castile. Juana married Philip von Habsburg, known as the … Continue reading Juana of Castile and Her Madness

Heather R DarsieSeptember 6, 2019September 2, 20199 Comments

Events, This and That

Sebastian Cabot and the Loss of Sancti Spiritu

by Heather R. Darsie On 1 September 1529, Charles V von Habsburg, lost one of his major forts in what is now Argentina. Charles V became King of Spain on 23 January 1516, right before his sixteenth birthday on 24 February. A few years later, on 28 June 1519, Charles effectively inherited the Holy Roman Empire from his paternal grandfather, Maximilian I von Habsburg. The … Continue reading Sebastian Cabot and the Loss of Sancti Spiritu

Heather R DarsieSeptember 1, 2019August 19, 20192 Comments

This and That, Women

The Iberian House of Trastamara

by Heather R. Darsie When thinking about the important players of the Renaissance, particularly during the reign of Henry VIII of England, one recalls the powerful families of the English Tudors, French Valois, and Burgundian Habsburgs. The family that is even more influential, even if quietly, is the overlooked Trastámaras of Spain. This family married into the Tudor, Valois, and Habsburg families, among others, and … Continue reading The Iberian House of Trastamara

Heather R DarsieMarch 12, 2018January 12, 20207 Comments

This and That

The Four Wives of Philip II

by Heather R. Darsie In case you missed it earlier this week on QueenAnneBoleyn.com , have a look! The lives of Henry VIII of England’s six wives are much-chronicled, with myriad books, shows, art, and the like, depicting and dramatizing key moments in each woman’s life. Another man had almost as many wives, though their respective demises were much less salacious than those of Henry’s. … Continue reading The Four Wives of Philip II

Heather R DarsieSeptember 30, 2017July 25, 201913 Comments

Maidens and Manuscripts: Taking a fresh look at people and events from 1347 to 1625, with a focus on women and illuminated manuscripts

Tag: Habsburg Spain