Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy

Margaret (German: Margarete; French: Marguerite; Dutch: Margaretha; Spanish: Margarita) was born on 10 January 1480. She was the second child on Maximilian of Austria and Mary of Burgundy, co-sovereigns of the Low Countries. She was named after her step-grandmother, Margaret of York. In 1482, Margaret’s mother died and her older brother, Philip the Handsome (aged 3), succeeded her as sovereign of the Low Countries, with his father Maximilian as regent.

In 1482, King Louis XI of France signed the Treaty of Arras, where her father promised to give Margaret’s hand in marriage to Louis’ son Charles. The engagement took place in 1487. Margaret was transferred to the guardianship of Louis XI, who died soon after. She was educated at the French court and prepared for her future role as Queen of France. She was raised as a fille de France, under the supervision of her fiancé’s sister and regent, Anne. 

Margaret developed a genuine affection for Charles. However, in the autumn of 1491, he renounced the treaty and married Anne of Brittany for political reasons. The French court had ceased treating Margaret as Queen early in 1491. Margaret was hurt by Charles’ actions and was left with a feeling of enduring resentment towards France.

In order to achieve an alliance with Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, Maximilian started negotiating the marriage of their son, Juan, Prince of Asturias, to Margaret, as well as the marriage of their daughter, Juana, to Philip. Margaret left the Netherlands for Spain in 1496. The marriage took place in 1497. Unfortunately, Juan died only six months after, on 4 October 1497. Margaret was pregnant, but on 2 April 1498, she gave birth to a premature stillborn daughter. The Dowager Princess of Asturias returned to the Netherlands in early 1500, when her brother and sister-in-law invited her to be godmother to their new-born son, Charles of Austria.

In 1501, Margaret married Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. This marriage was childless, and Philibert died after three years. A grief-stricken Margaret threw herself out of a window but was saved. After being persuaded to bury her husband, she had his heart embalmed so that she could keep it with her forever. She vowed never to marry again and was given the title Dame de Deuil (Lady of Mourning).

During a remarkably successful career lasting from 1506 to 1530, Margaret broke new ground for women rulers. After the early death of her brother Philip, in November 1506, she became the only woman elected as its ruler by the representative assembly of Franche-Comté (her title was confirmed in 1509). Her father named her governor in the Low Countries and guardian of her young nephew, Charles. From her palace at Mechelen, Margaret acted as intermediary between her father and her nephew’s subjects in the Netherlands, negotiated a treaty of commerce with England favourable to the Flemish cloth interests, and played a role in the formation of the League of Cambrai. After his majority in 1515, Charles rebelled against her influence, but he soon recognised her as one of his wisest advisers, and she was again governor of the Netherlands from 1519 until her death. In 1519, together with Louise of Savoy, she negotiated the Treaty of Cambrai, the so-called Ladies’ Peace.

Her reign was a period of relative peace and prosperity for the Netherlands, although the Protestant Reformation started to take root. The first Protestant martyrs were burnt at the stake in 1523.

In November 1530, one of Margaret’s maids broke a glass goblet. A splinter of glass went into Margaret’s foot and the wound became gangrenous. Her doctors strongly recommended that she agree to having her foot amputated. She gave her consent, received the sacrament, and revised her will. Before the amputation could be performed, however, she died, apparently from an overdose of opium given to her in preparation for the operation.

Margaret of Austria died at Mechelen on 1 December 1530, aged 50. She appointed her nephew, Charles V, as her universal and sole heir. She is buried at Bourg-en-Bresse, in a magnificent mausoleum in the Royal Monastery of Brou.

Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy

Pieter van Coninxloo

c. 1500