Plexus bright love stories, intrigues and mysteries in the life of Anne of Austria, wife of King Louis XIII, and to this day inspires writers, artists and poets.What does all of this is true in fact, and that - fiction?
Spanish Infanta Anne of Austria
Anna Maria Maurice, Infanta of Spain, was born September 22, 1601 in the city of Valladolid.Her father was the King of Spain and Portugal, Philip III (Habsburg).Mother became his wife, the daughter of the Austrian Archduke Charles Margaret of Austria.
Anna, as well as her younger sister, Mary, was brought up in an atmosphere of strict morals and strict compliance with the rules of etiquette inherent to the Spanish royal court.Education received Infante, was very decent for its time: she has mastered the basics of the European languages, the scriptures and the genealogy of his own dynasty, he studied needlework and dancing.Anne of Austria, whose portrait was first written when she was only one year old, grew up nice and pretty girl, promising to eventually turn into a true beauty.
fate of the young princess was sealed in its earliest years.In 1612, the year between Spain and France is about ready to break out the war, Philip III and Louis XIII, who was then the French throne, signed the agreement.Infanta of Spain Anna was to be the wife of the French king, Louis XIII and his sister Isabella - to marry the son of the monarch of Spain, Prince Philip.Three years later, the agreement was executed.
Queen and King: Anne of Austria and Louis XIII
In 1615 fourteen Spanish Infanta came to France.October 18 her to marry Louis XIII, who was older than his bride just five days.On the throne of the French State entered the queen, named after Anne of Austria.
Anna initially seemed really fascinated the king - and still family life crowned the couple had no luck.According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the passionate nature of the queen did not like sullen and weak husband.A couple of months after the wedding, the relationship between the spouses noticeably cooled.Louis cheated on his wife, Anna, too, did not keep him faithful.In addition, it performed well in the field of intrigue, trying to hold in France proispanskuyu policy.
situation is exacerbated by the fact that twenty-three years the marriage of Louis and Anna remained childless.Only in 1638, the Queen was finally able to give birth to a son, the future Louis XIV.And two years after it was born, his brother - Philippe I, Duke of Orléans.
"policy you have made a poet ...": Anne of Austria and Cardinal Richelieu
about unrequited love for the beautiful Cardinal powerful queen There are many legends, some of which are reflected in the famous works of art.
history really confirms that from the earliest days of stay in France, Anne of her royal in-law, Marie de Medici, which is the period of Louis XIII was dofinstva regent put to daughter as a confessor of Cardinal Richelieu.Afraid of losing power if Anna will be able to take control of the weak-willed husband, Marie de Medici was counting on the fact that "Red Duke," faithful to her man, will report on each step of the queen.Soon, however, she fell out of favor with his son and went into exile.The heart of the Cardinal, according to rumors, won the young beauty Anne of Austria.
Anna, however, according to the same sources, rejected courtship Richelieu.Perhaps, he played the role of a significant difference in age (the queen was twenty-four, Cardinal - almost forty).It is also possible that she was brought up in a strict religious traditions, just could not see his face in the spiritual man.Were there actually a place personal motives or is reduced solely to a political calculation, not known for sure.However, between the queen and the cardinal feud occurs gradually, based on hatred and intrigue, which sometimes manifests itself quite openly.
When life around the Queen of Louis XIII formed the party of aristocrats dissatisfied rigid rule almighty First Minister.In the words of the King, this party is actually focused on the Austrian and Spanish Habsburgs - the enemies of the Cardinal on the political scene.Participation in the conspiracy against Richelieu finally strained relations king and queen - for a long time they lived completely apart.
Queen and the Duke: Anne of Austria and Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham and Anne of Austria ... excellent biography of Queen Determined romantic legends and mysteries, but it is this novel gained fame as "the century of love."
Tridatitrёhletny handsome Englishman George Villiers arrived in Paris in 1625, with a diplomatic mission - to organize their marriage of Charles, recently came to the throne, with the French monarch's sister Henrietta.The visit of the Duke of Buckingham in the royal residence proved fatal.Seeing Anne of Austria, he spent the rest of his life trying to achieve its location.
about secret meetings of the Queen and the Duke of history is silent, but if you believe the memoirs of their contemporaries, the story of the suspension, as described by Alexander Dumas in the immortal novel of the Three Musketeers, actually took place.However, it is done without the participation of D'Artagnan - Gascon really existed at that time was only five years old ...
Despite the return of decoration, the king with the filing of Richelieu finally quarreled with his wife.Queen Anne of Austria was isolated in the palace, and Buckingham denied entry to the territory of France.Furious Duke vowed to return to Paris in triumph military victory.He befriended a sea rebellious Protestants French fortress port of La Rochelle.However, the French army managed to repel the first attack of the English and take the city under siege.In the midst of preparations for the second attack of the fleet, in 1628, Buckingham was assassinated in Portsmouth officer by the name of Felton.It has been suggested (though it does not prove) that the man was a spy of the cardinal.
news of the death of Lord Buckingham stunned Anne of Austria.Since that time, her confrontation with Cardinal Richelieu reaches its climax and lasts until the latter's death.
Queen Regent.Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin
Richelieu died in 1642, a year later, and did not become king.Anne of Austria received the regency for minor son.Parliament and the nobles who supported the queen hoped to restore their rights, easing Richelieu.
However, this was not to happen.Anna gave her confidence in the successor of Richelieu, Mazarin Italian.The latter, taking the rank of cardinal continued policies of his predecessor.After a hard inner struggle with the Fronde, and a number of foreign policy successes, he is even more strengthened the position of Ministers at the French court.
There is a theory that the queen and Mazarin linked not only friendship, but also a love relationship.Anne of Austria herself, whose biography of places known to us with her words, refutes this.However, the people angry verses and jokes about the cardinal and the queen were very popular.
After the death of Mazarin in 1661 Queen felt that her son is old enough to govern the country independently.She allowed herself to carry out long-held desire - to retire to the monastery of the Val-de-Grace, where he lived for the last five years of his life.January 20, 1666 Anne of Austria was no more.The main mystery - what more happened in the history of the French queen: truth or fiction - and will not be disclosed ever ...
