Maria Leopoldine of Austria-Este was born on 10 December 1776. Through her father, Ferdinand, Duke of Milan, she was a granddaughter of Empress Maria Theresa. From her teenage years, she was described as pretty, lively, and well educated — Italian rather than German in temperament. For a princess of such qualities, a prestigious marriage was […]
Francis I Stephan, the Holy Roman Emperor, was born on 8 December 1708. In his youth, he was expected to inherit the Duchy of Lorraine one day. Instead of that rather modest destiny, he became the husband of Maria Theresa and the highest sovereign of the Western world. In history books, Francis Stephan has long […]
Empress Eleonora Gonzaga, called the Younger, died on 6 December 1686. She should not be confused with her namesake and godmother, known as the Elder. The two Empresses were grandaunt and grandniece, wives of Emperors Ferdinand II and Ferdinand III, respectively. When Eleonora married Ferdinand III, he had already been widowed twice and had children […]
Emperor Matthias I and Anna of Tyrol were married on 4 December 1611. I cannot help but suspect that it was something of a hurried wedding — not due to any suspicion of premarital haste, as one might mischievously imagine, but because of the political circumstances of the moment. Only a few months earlier, Matthias […]
From an eagle’s perspective, today marks a significant loss in Habsburg political history. Two princesses — Archduchess Margaret of Austria and Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain — passed away on 1 December 1530 and 1633, respectively. These politically gifted ladies governed the Netherlands on behalf of the Austrian and Spanish branches of the dynasty […]
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