Maria of Austria
Maria of Austria (
18 September,
1505 –
18 October,
1558) is also known variously as Mary, Marie or Maria of
Hungary (after her marriage), of
Austria (due to her country of origin), of
Habsburg (after her family), or of
Spain (since her parents where king and queen of Spain).
She was born in
Brussels to
Philip I of Castile ("the Handsome") and
Juana of Castile ("the Mad"). 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
Eleonore of Austria,
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor,
Isabella of Burgundy and
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. She was an older sister of
Catherine of Habsburg.
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.
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 his
regent of the
Netherlands. She remained on the post until
1555. She was replaced by
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy.
She died three years later in Cigalos. In her last will she ordered to thaw her golden heart-shaped medallion once worn by her husband to distribute among the poors.
