Johanna of Austria
Encyclopedia
Joanna of Austria was born an Archduchess of Austria
as the youngest daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
. By marriage, she was the Grand Princess of Tuscany and later the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. One of her daughters was the famous Marie de Medici, second wife of King Henry IV of France
.
as the youngest of 15 children. She never knew her mother and eldest sister as her mother died 2 days after Joanna's birth and her sister Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Poland, died two years before Joanna was born.
Her paternal grandparents were Philip I of Castile
and Joanna of Castile
. Her maternal grandparents were King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary
, and Anna of Foix-Candale
. Through her father, Johanna was also a descendant of Isabella I of Castile
and Mary of Burgundy
.
, took place on 18 December 1565 in Florence
, after she solemnly arrived in the city by the Porta al Prato. Giorgio Vasari
and Vincenzo Borghini, with the help of Giovanni Caccini made big festivities for these event.
Nevertheless, Joanna was homesick and unhappy. Ignored by her husband, and despised by the Florentines for her Austria
n hauteur, she never felt at home in Florence
.
Her father-in-law, Cosimo I de' Medici
, was reasonably kind to Joanna. He had the courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio
specially decorated for her; the lunettes were painted with murals of Austria
n towns by pupils of Vasari, and Verrocchio's Putto with Dolphin fountain was brought down from the Careggi villa
where it had been set up in the garden by Lorenzo de' Medici
.
The position of Joanna in the Florentine court was difficult during most of her marriage: between 1566 and 1575, she gave birth to six daughters, of whom only three survived infancy. The absence of a male heir to continue the dynasty was the cause of constant conflict with her husband, who preferred the company and love of his mistress Bianca Capello, who - although some call it a fraud- gave birth a son, Antonio, in 1576.
Finally, in 1577 Joanna gave birth to the long-awaited heir, baptized Filippo in honour of the King Philip II of Spain
, Joanna's first cousin. The birth was celebrated with great joy by all the court, because thus was secured the succession of the Grand Duchy for another generation and eliminated all the hopes of Bianca Capello to have her "son" Antonio as heir of Tuscany. At the end, it was Joanna's brother-in-law, Ferdinando
, who succeeded Francesco as Grand Duke.
. Some hours later, she gave birth to a son, who, born prematurely, died immediately. She died the next day on 11 April. Francesco subsequently married his mistress, Bianca Cappello
.
The mysterious circumstances around this accident caused rumours accusing her husband and his mistress of murdering Joanna, so that they could be married. However, modern medical investigation of her remains confirm the official reports of her death as caused by the birth (the child presented arm first, and Johanna suffered a ruptured uterus). Johanna suffered from scoliosis
: her spine and pelvis were severely deformed. It is clear from the condition of her pelvis that her previous births had been difficult, and it seems remarkable that she had survived them.
Out of a total of seven children, only two daughters, Eleonora
and Marie
lived to adulthood, the rest of the children died young. Anna
the second eldest daughter died at the age of fourteen.
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
as the youngest daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary, also sometimes known as Anna Jagellonica was, by marriage to Ferdinand I, King of the Romans and later Holy Roman Emperor, Queen of the Romans.-Family:She was the elder child and only daughter of king Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his third...
. By marriage, she was the Grand Princess of Tuscany and later the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. One of her daughters was the famous Marie de Medici, second wife of King Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
.
Family
Joanna was born in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
as the youngest of 15 children. She never knew her mother and eldest sister as her mother died 2 days after Joanna's birth and her sister Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Poland, died two years before Joanna was born.
Her paternal grandparents were Philip I of Castile
Philip I of Castile
Philip I , known as Philip the Handsome or the Fair, was the first Habsburg King of Castile...
and Joanna of Castile
Joanna of Castile
Joanna , nicknamed Joanna the Mad , was the first queen regnant to reign over both the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon , a union which evolved into modern Spain...
. Her maternal grandparents were King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary
Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary
Vladislaus II, also known as Ladislaus Jagiellon ; was King of Bohemia from 1471 and King of Hungary from 1490 until his death in 1516...
, and Anna of Foix-Candale
Anna of Foix-Candale
Anna of Foix-Candale was a Queen consort of Hungary as the third consort of King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary.-Life:Anne was the daughter of Gaston of Foix, Count of Candale, and Infanta Catherine of Navarre...
. Through her father, Johanna was also a descendant of Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
and Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy ruled the Burgundian territories in Low Countries and was suo jure Duchess of Burgundy from 1477 until her death...
.
Marriage
Her marriage to Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyFrancesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 to 1587.- Biography :...
, took place on 18 December 1565 in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, after she solemnly arrived in the city by the Porta al Prato. Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, writer, historian, and architect, who is famous today for his biographies of Italian artists, considered the ideological foundation of art-historical writing.-Biography:...
and Vincenzo Borghini, with the help of Giovanni Caccini made big festivities for these event.
Nevertheless, Joanna was homesick and unhappy. Ignored by her husband, and despised by the Florentines for her Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n hauteur, she never felt at home in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
Her father-in-law, Cosimo I de' Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Cosimo I de' Medici was Duke of Florence from 1537 to 1574, reigning as the first Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1569.-Biography:...
, was reasonably kind to Joanna. He had the courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany...
specially decorated for her; the lunettes were painted with murals of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n towns by pupils of Vasari, and Verrocchio's Putto with Dolphin fountain was brought down from the Careggi villa
Villa Medici at Careggi
The Villa Medici at Careggi is a patrician villa in the hills near Florence, Tuscany, central Italy.-History:The villa was among the first of a number of Medici villas, notable as the site of the Platonic academy founded by Cosimo de' Medici, who died at the villa in 1464...
where it had been set up in the garden by Lorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance. Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists and poets...
.
The position of Joanna in the Florentine court was difficult during most of her marriage: between 1566 and 1575, she gave birth to six daughters, of whom only three survived infancy. The absence of a male heir to continue the dynasty was the cause of constant conflict with her husband, who preferred the company and love of his mistress Bianca Capello, who - although some call it a fraud- gave birth a son, Antonio, in 1576.
Finally, in 1577 Joanna gave birth to the long-awaited heir, baptized Filippo in honour of the 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....
, Joanna's first cousin. The birth was celebrated with great joy by all the court, because thus was secured the succession of the Grand Duchy for another generation and eliminated all the hopes of Bianca Capello to have her "son" Antonio as heir of Tuscany. At the end, it was Joanna's brother-in-law, Ferdinando
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I.-Biography:...
, who succeeded Francesco as Grand Duke.
Death
On 10 April 1578, Joanna - heavily pregnant with her eighth child - fell from the stairs in the Grand Ducal Palace in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Some hours later, she gave birth to a son, who, born prematurely, died immediately. She died the next day on 11 April. Francesco subsequently married his mistress, Bianca Cappello
Bianca Cappello
Bianca Cappello was an Italian noblewoman who was the mistress, and afterward the second wife, of Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.-Biography:...
.
The mysterious circumstances around this accident caused rumours accusing her husband and his mistress of murdering Joanna, so that they could be married. However, modern medical investigation of her remains confirm the official reports of her death as caused by the birth (the child presented arm first, and Johanna suffered a ruptured uterus). Johanna suffered from scoliosis
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line...
: her spine and pelvis were severely deformed. It is clear from the condition of her pelvis that her previous births had been difficult, and it seems remarkable that she had survived them.
Issue
The seven children of Francesco and Joanna were:- Eleonora de' MediciEleonora de' MediciEleonora 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:...
(28 February 1567 – 9 September 1611), who married Vincenzo I Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and had issue. - Romola de' Medici (20 November 1568 – 2 December 1568) died in infancy.
- Anna de' MediciAnna de' MediciAnna de Medici was the third child of Francesco I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria. Her maternal grandparents were Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary while her paternal grandparents were Cosimo I de' Medici and Eleonora di Toledo.-Life:In 1578 when Anna was nine her...
(31 December 1569 – 19 February 1584) died unmarried. - Isabella de' Medici (30 September 1571 – 8 August 1572) died in infancy.
- Lucrezia de' Medici (7 November 1572 – 14 August 1574) died in infancy.
- Maria de' MediciMarie de' MediciMarie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
(26 April 1575 – 3 July 1642) married Henri IV of France and had issue. - Filippo de' MediciFilippo de' MediciFilippo de' Medici was the youngest child of Francesco I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria. He was the heir to the Tuscan throne.-Life:Filippo received his name in honour of the King Philip II of Spain...
(20 May 1577 – 29 March 1582) died in infancy.
Out of a total of seven children, only two daughters, Eleonora
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:...
and Marie
Marie de' Medici
Marie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
lived to adulthood, the rest of the children died young. Anna
Anna de' Medici
Anna de Medici was the third child of Francesco I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria. Her maternal grandparents were Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary while her paternal grandparents were Cosimo I de' Medici and Eleonora di Toledo.-Life:In 1578 when Anna was nine her...
the second eldest daughter died at the age of fourteen.
Ancestry
Titles and Styles
- 24 January 1547 – 18 December 1565 Her Highness Archduchess Joanna of Austria
- 18 December 1565 – 21 April 1574 Her Highness the Grand Princess of Tuscany
- 21 April 1574 – 11 April 1578 Her Highness the Grand Duchess of Tuscany