Catherine of Austria

Catherine (Portuguese: Catarina) was born on 14 January 1507, in Torquemada, Spain. She was the last child of Queen Joanna of Castile and her husband, Philip I of Castile. She was named after her aunt, Catherine of Aragon. When Catherine was born, her father had already died.

Catherine spent her childhood with her mentally unstable mother until her eldest siblings, Eleanor and Charles, arrived at Spain, coming from Flanders. All of her siblings (except Ferdinand) were born in the Low Countries and had been put into the care of their aunt, Margaret of Austria. However, Joanna kept hold of young Catherine. Catherine stayed with her mother at Tordesillas during Joanna's imprisonment. When the time came for her to marry, Catherine was released from the custody that her mother would endure until her death.

On 10 February 1525, Catherine married her first cousin, King João III of Portugal, becoming Queen of Portugal. Their marriage was marked by the consecutive deaths of their children. 

The firstborn was a boy, named Afonso. He was born on 24 February 1526 and died that same year, in June. The second child was a girl, named Maria Manuela, born on 15 October 1527. She would go on to marry Philip II of Spain, but died giving birth to their son, when she was just 17. Next came Isabel, born on 29 April 1529. She lived only for three months and died on 23 July of the same year. In 1530, Catherine gave birth to another girl, Beatriz. Unfortunately, Beatriz died one year later, on 1 August 1531. Another boy came on 1 November 1531; he was named Manuel and was the new hope for the succession. Manuel was named heir to the throne in 1535, but died on 14 April 1537, aged 5. Catherine gave birth again on 25 May 1533: a boy called Philip. He became the heir in 1537 after the death of his brother, Manuel. Philip would die on 29 April 1539. The seventh child of the couple, Dinis, was born on 16 April 1535, but he would also die just one year later, on 1 January 1537. Another Prince of Portugal was born on 3 June 1537. João Manuel was named the heir to the throne in 1539, after the death of his brother, Philip. He would go on to marry Joanna of Austria, his cousin. When João Manuel died, on 2 January 1554, his wife was pregnant with his son, the future King Sebastião. Catherine would give birth one last time in 1539. António, Infante of Portugal, was born on 9 May of 1539. However died the following year, on 20 January.

After the death of João III in 1557, Catherine was challenged by her daughter-in-law and niece, Joanna of Austria, over the role of regent for her grandchild, the infant King Sebastião. Mediation by the Emperor Charles V resolved the issue in favour of Catherine over his daughter, Joanna, who was needed in Spain in the absence of Philip II.

Catherine served as regent of Portugal from 1557 until 1562. In 1562, she turned over the regency to Cardinal Henrique of Portugal.

Catherine was also known for being a keen collector. She had one of the finest and earliest collections of Chinese porcelain in Europe. She was following a tradition established by King Manuel I, who had purchased porcelain for his wife, Maria of Aragon and Castile, who was Catherine's aunt. Amongst other exotica in Catherine's collection were fossilised shark teeth, a snake's head encased in gold, heart-shaped jasper stones used to stop bleeding, a coral branch used as a protector against evil spirits, bezoar stones, a unicorn's horn (actually a narwhal tusk) and piles of loose gems and stones.

After having the misfortune of seeing all of her children die and her grandson become a reckless King, Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal, died on 6 February 1578. She was 71 years old.

Catherine of Austria

Antonis Mor

c. 1552/3