Maria Christina was born on 10 November 1574, in Graz. She was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria. On 7 February 1595, a formal petition of marriage was made to Maria Christina on behalf of Sigismund Báthory, the ruling Prince of Transylvania. The marriage contract was negotiated, and, on 15 June, Maria Christina and her mother began the journey to Transylvania. In Kachau, Maria Christina fell ill with a fever, which delayed the journey. The formal marriage took place in Weissenburg on 6 August 1595. Soon after, Maria Christina finally arrived in Transylvania. This marriage was regarded as a major political gain as Sigismund (formerly a vassal of the Ottoman Empire) now formed close ties with the Holy Roman Empire. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, appointed Sigismund Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and secured the possession of Transylvania if the couple remained childless. However, this union was completely unhappy – after a disastrous w...