Maria of Spain

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House of Habsburg
Spanish line

Emperor Charles V
(King Charles I)
Children
   Philip II of Spain
   Maria, Holy Roman Empress
   Joan of Spain
   Don John (illegitimate)
   Margaret of Parma (illegitimate)
Philip II
Children include
   Carlos, Prince of Asturias
   Isabella of Spain
   Catherine, Duchess of Savoy
   Philip III of Spain
Philip III
Children include
   Anne, Queen of France
   Philip IV of Spain
   Maria Ana, Holy Roman Empress
   Infante Carlos
   Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Philip IV
Children include
   Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias
   Maria Theresa, Queen of France
   Margaret, Holy Roman Empress
   Charles II of Spain
Charles II

Maria of Spain (Madrid, June 21, 1528 - Villa Monte, February 26, 1603) was the first daughter of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal. She was also the wife of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Infanta Maria of Spain
Infanta Maria of Spain

At the request of her father, she and her husband were regents of Spain, in his absence. In 1552, they moved to live in Vienna. They had sixteen children:

Maximilian II and his family
Maximilian II and his family

Maria of Spain had great influence over her sons, the future emperors Rudolf and Matthias. Maria was a radical Roman Catholic and frequently disagreed with her more tolerant husband.

After her husband's death in 1576, she returned to Spain in 1582. Arriving back in Spain, she commented to be very happy to live in "a country without heretics". She led an unassuming life until her death in 1603.

She was the patron of the noted Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria, and the great Requiem Mass he wrote in 1603 for her funeral is considered among the finest and most refined of his works.

[edit] Ancestors

Maria's ancestors in three generations
Maria of Spain Father:
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Paternal Grandfather:
Philip I of Castile
Paternal Great-grandfather:
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Paternal Great-grandmother:
Mary of Burgundy
Paternal Grandmother:
Joanna of Castile
Paternal Great-grandfather:
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Paternal Great-grandmother:
Isabella of Castile
Mother:
Isabella of Portugal
Maternal Grandfather:
Manuel I of Portugal
Maternal Great-grandfather:
Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu
Maternal Great-grandmother:
Beatriz of Portugal
Maternal Grandmother:
Maria of Aragon
Maternal Great-grandfather:
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Maternal Great-grandmother:
Isabella of Castile
Preceded by
Isabella of Portugal
Holy Roman Empress, Archduchess consort of Austria
1564-1576
Succeeded by
Anna of Tyrol
Preceded by
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
German Queen
1564–1576
Queen consort of Hungary, Queen consort of Croatia and Slavonia
1563-1572
Queen consort of Bohemia
1562–1576