Eleonore Gonzaga
Encyclopedia
For other women of the same name, see Eleanor Gonzaga (disambiguation)
Eleonora Gonzaga (23 September 1598 – 27 June 1655) was the second wife of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
, Archduchess consort of Austria, Queen of Germany, Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia.
in 1598, Eleonora was the youngest daughter of duke Vincenzo I of Gonzaga of Mantua and Eleonora de' Medici
.
Eleonora spent her childhood at the court of Mantua. Famous for her singular beauty, she married Ferdinand in Innsbruck
on 2 February 1622. Ferdinand's previous wife Maria Anna of Bavaria
had died in 1616, but the Gonzaga
family did not — as expected — profit from this connection, because some of Ferdinand's counsellors rejected the marriage. The Imperial troops even captured and destroyed Mantua in the War of the Mantuan Succession
(in 1630).
The papal Nuncio
Caraffa described Eleonora not only as beautiful but also as pious. For example she established Carmelite convent
s in both Graz
and Vienna
.
The royal couple had no children, but Eleonora became stepmother to Ferdinand's four surviving children from his previous marriage.
Eleonora died in Vienna
in 1655 and was first buried in the Carmelite convent of the Austrian capital until her body was transported in 1782 into the St. Stephen's Cathedral of the same city.
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Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
, Archduchess consort of Austria, Queen of Germany, Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia.
Biography
Born 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...
in 1598, Eleonora was the youngest daughter of duke Vincenzo I of Gonzaga of Mantua and Eleonora de' Medici
Eleonora de' Medici
Eleonora de' Medici was the eldest child of Francesco I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria. She was a family member of the famous House of Medici.-Family:...
.
Eleonora spent her childhood at the court of Mantua. Famous for her singular beauty, she married Ferdinand in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
on 2 February 1622. Ferdinand's previous wife Maria Anna of Bavaria
Maria Anna of Bavaria (1574–1616)
Maria Anna of Bavaria was daughter of William V, Duke of Bavaria and Renata of Lorraine.-Marriage and issue:On 23 April 1600, Maria Anna married Ferdinand of Austria...
had died in 1616, but 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...
family did not — as expected — profit from this connection, because some of Ferdinand's counsellors rejected the marriage. The Imperial troops even captured and destroyed Mantua in the War of the Mantuan Succession
War of the Mantuan Succession
The War of the Mantuan Succession was a peripheral part of the Thirty Years' War. Its casus belli was the extinction of the direct male line of the House of Gonzaga in December 1627. Brothers Francesco IV , Ferdinando and Vincenzo II , the last three dukes of Gonzaga, had all died leaving no...
(in 1630).
The papal Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
Caraffa described Eleonora not only as beautiful but also as pious. For example she established Carmelite convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
s in both Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
and 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...
.
The royal couple had no children, but Eleonora became stepmother to Ferdinand's four surviving children from his previous marriage.
Eleonora died 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...
in 1655 and was first buried in the Carmelite convent of the Austrian capital until her body was transported in 1782 into the St. Stephen's Cathedral of the same city.
Ancestry
Portraits of Eleonore Gonzaga
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