Barbara Blomberg
Encyclopedia
Barbara Blomberg was the mother of Don John of Austria.
Blomberg was born in Regensburg
, Germany
, the eldest daughter of Wolfgang Plumberger or Blomberg, a burgher
, and of his wife Sibilla Lohman. A singer, in 1546 she was for a short time the mistress of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
, who was in Regensburg for the meeting of the Reichstag
. On 24 February 1547 Blomberg gave birth to John of Austria who was almost immediately taken from her and sent to be raised in Spain
.
Shortly afterwards Blomberg married Hieronymus Kegel, an imperial official. In 1551 she moved to Brussels
with her husband where Kegel was responsible for the equipment of the imperial mercenary army. They had three children.
When Kegel died in 1569, Blomberg and her children were in reduced financial circumstances. At the request of the governor of the Netherlands, the Duke of Alba
, she was granted a pension by King Philip II of Spain
(her oldest son's agnate half-brother).
In November 1576 Blomberg met her son Juan of Austria for the only time since his birth. Subsequently she went into a Dominican convent in Castile
, 70 km south of Valladolid
. After Juan of Austria died in 1578, Philip II allowed her to choose her own residence. She established herself first in the village of Colindres. In 1584 she purchased an estate in the village of Ambrosero in Cantabria
.
Blomberg died at the age of seventy at her estate in Ambrosero. She is buried in the Church of San Sebastian at the monastery of Montehano (also known as Convento San Sebastián de Hano :es:Convento San Sebastián de Hano), between Ambrosero and Santoña
.
Blomberg was born in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the eldest daughter of Wolfgang Plumberger or Blomberg, a burgher
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, and of his wife Sibilla Lohman. A singer, in 1546 she was for a short time the mistress of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, who was in Regensburg for the meeting of the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
. On 24 February 1547 Blomberg gave birth to John of Austria who was almost immediately taken from her and sent to be raised in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Shortly afterwards Blomberg married Hieronymus Kegel, an imperial official. In 1551 she moved to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with her husband where Kegel was responsible for the equipment of the imperial mercenary army. They had three children.
When Kegel died in 1569, Blomberg and her children were in reduced financial circumstances. At the request of the governor of the Netherlands, the Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
, she was granted a pension by King Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
(her oldest son's agnate half-brother).
In November 1576 Blomberg met her son Juan of Austria for the only time since his birth. Subsequently she went into a Dominican convent in Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
, 70 km south of Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
. After Juan of Austria died in 1578, Philip II allowed her to choose her own residence. She established herself first in the village of Colindres. In 1584 she purchased an estate in the village of Ambrosero in Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
.
Blomberg died at the age of seventy at her estate in Ambrosero. She is buried in the Church of San Sebastian at the monastery of Montehano (also known as Convento San Sebastián de Hano :es:Convento San Sebastián de Hano), between Ambrosero and Santoña
Santoña
Santoña is a town in the eastern coast of the autonomous community of Cantabria, on the north coast of Spain. It is situated by the bay of the same name. It is 45 km from the capital Santander. Santoña is divided into two zones, an urban plain, and a mountainous area, with Mount Buciero at its...
.
In literature
Blomberg has been the subject of a number of novels and plays:- In 1837 Patricio de la Escosura y MorroghPatricio de la EscosuraPatricio de la Escosura Morrogh was a Spanish politician, journalist, playwright and author associated with the Romantic school....
wrote the Spanish-language play Barbara Blomberg: drama en cuatro actos en verso.
- In 1897 Georg EbersGeorg EbersGeorg Moritz Ebers , German Egyptologist and novelist, discovered the Egyptian medical papyrus, of ca. 1550 BCE, named for him at Luxor in the winter of 1873–74...
wrote the German-language novel Barbara Blomberg: ein historischer Roman.
- In 1934 Alice Goldberger Liebling wrote the English-language play An Emperor's Great Love (Barbara Blomberg).
- In 1949 Carl ZuckmayerCarl ZuckmayerCarl Zuckmayer was a German writer and playwright.-Biography:Born in Nackenheim in Rheinhessen, he was four years old when his family moved to Mainz. With the outbreak of World War I, he finished school with a facilitated "emergency"-Abitur and volunteered for military service...
wrote the German-language play Barbara Blomberg: ein Stück in drei Akten.
- In 1953 Heinz Schauwecker wrote the German-language novella Die Sternenstunde der Barbara Blomberg: Novelle um die Geburt des Don Juan d'Austria.
- In 1999 Teresa Alvarez wrote the Spanish-language novel La pasión última de Carlos V.