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Eleanor Gonzaga (1630-1686)
Encyclopedia
Eleonora Gonzaga of the ruling house of Mantua
, the Gonzaga
, was the consort of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
.
Her father was a son and co-ruler of Charles I, Duke of Mantua
but predeceased his father. Her paternal grandmother was Catherine of Mayenne. Her maternal grandparents were Francesco IV Gonzaga
and Margaret of Savoy
.
Catherine of Mayenne was a daughter of Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne
and Henriette of Savoy, Marquise de Villars. Margaret was a daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
and Catherine Michelle of Spain.
Catherine Michelle was in turn the second and last daughter of Philip II of Spain
and Elisabeth of Valois
.
. On 30 April 1651 in Vienna
, she married the Emperor Ferdinand III
, thus becoming Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She died in Vienna, surviving her husband by 29 years.
She bore Ferdinand four children, two of whom survived into adulthood:
" (1668).
Duchy of Mantua
The Duchy of Mantua was a duchy in Lombardy, Northern Italy, subject to the Holy Roman Empire.-History:After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Mantua was invaded by Byzantines, Longobards and Franks. In the 11th century it became a possession of Boniface of Canossa, marquis of Toscana...
, the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
, was the consort of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
.
Family
She was a daughter of Charles Gonzaga (1609–1631) and his wife and cousin Maria Gonzaga, heiress to the Duchy of Mantua.Her father was a son and co-ruler of Charles I, Duke of Mantua
Charles I, Duke of Mantua
Charles Gonzaga was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1627 until his death. He was also Duke of Rethel and Nevers, as well as Prince of Arches.-Biography:...
but predeceased his father. Her paternal grandmother was Catherine of Mayenne. Her maternal grandparents were Francesco IV Gonzaga
Francesco IV Gonzaga
Francesco IV Gonzaga , was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat between 9 February and 22 December 1612.-Biography:Born in Mantua, he was the eldest son of Duke Vincenzo I and Eleonora de' Medici....
and Margaret of Savoy
Margarida of Savoy, Vicereine of Portugal
Margaret of Savoy, Duchess Consort of Mantua and Montferrat was best known as the last Spanish Vicereine of Portugal...
.
Catherine of Mayenne was a daughter of Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne
Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne
Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne , or Charles de Guise, was a French nobleman of the house of Guise and a military leader of the Catholic League, which he headed during the French Wars of Religion, following the assassination of his brothers at Blois in 1588...
and Henriette of Savoy, Marquise de Villars. Margaret was a daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel I , known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy from 1580 to 1630...
and Catherine Michelle of Spain.
Catherine Michelle was in turn the second and last daughter of 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....
and Elisabeth of Valois
Elisabeth of Valois
Elisabeth of Valois was the eldest daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.-Early life:She was born in the Château de Fontainebleau...
.
Marriage and children
She was born on 18 November 1630 in MantuaMantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
. On 30 April 1651 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, she married the Emperor Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
, thus becoming Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She died in Vienna, surviving her husband by 29 years.
She bore Ferdinand four children, two of whom survived into adulthood:
- Theresia Maria Josefa, Archduchess of Austria (1652–1653)
- Eleonora Maria of Austria (31 May 1653–1697), who married first Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki, King of Poland, and then Charles LéopoldCharles V, Duke of LorraineCharles V , Karl V. Leopold, , son of Nicolas François, Duke of Lorraine, and Claude Françoise de Lorraine. Karl Leopold was born in Vienna and became the brother in law of Emperor Leopold and son in law of emperor Ferdinand III...
, Duke of Lorraine. - Maria Anna Josepha of AustriaArchduchess Maria Anna Josepha of AustriaMaria Anna Josepha of Austria was the youngest surviving daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his third wife Eleonora Gonzaga.-Biography:Maria Anna Josepha's mother Eleonora was the third wife of Ferdinand...
(30 December 1654–1689), who married Johann Wilhelm, Elector PalatineJohann Wilhelm, Elector PalatineJohann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine was Elector Palatine , Duke Palatine of Neuburg/Danube , Duke of Jülich and Berg , and Duke of Upper Palatinate and Cham...
. - Ferdinand Josef, Archduke of Austria (1657–1658)
Empress
Eleanor is described as cultivated and religious. She protected and developed the cultural establishment in Vienna : she wrote Italian poems, founded a literary academy and despite her strict personal Catholicism, she did not discriminate against Protestant writers. She continued to play a very important part of the court also as a Dowager Empress after 1657, was active as a patron of culture, arranging ballets and festivals. She had the imperial palace, the Hofburg, expanded. She was also active in religion and founded several convents, such as an Ursuline convent in Vienna (1663). She founded the orders Sklavinnen der Tugend for noble ladies (1662) and served as Kaiserin of the Sternkreuzorden, the "Order of the Starry CrossOrder of the Starry Cross
The Order of the Starry Cross was founded by Eleanora Gonzaga of Mantua, dowager empress of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1668. This all female order was confirmed by Pope Clement IX, June 28, 1668, and was placed under the spiritual management of the Prince Bishop of Vienna...
" (1668).