Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Spain married on 20 February 1631. As was often the case among the Spanish and Austrian branches of the Habsburgs, they were closely related on both their fathers’ and mothers’ sides. The most renowned of Maria Anna’s siblings was probably her elder sister, Anna, who married Louis XIII of France and became the mother of the Roi Soleil.
However, as a model princess, Maria Anna’s own destiny left nothing to be desired either. From an early age, she was a significant pawn in the European matrimonial network. For nearly ten years, she was seriously considered as a potential bride for the Prince of Wales, later Charles I. This plan, known as the Spanish Match, ultimately came to nothing due to political and religious differences.
After another years-long negotiation, she finally married Archduke Ferdinand, then heir to the imperial throne. Before their wedding, an episode straight out of a fairy tale occurred — a disguised prince visiting incognito to see the beauty of his future bride. That is exactly what Ferdinand did, and he immediately fell in love with Maria Anna. Fortunately, the feelings were mutual. They had several children together and enjoyed a happy, though not very long, marriage, as Maria Anna died in 1645.
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