Archduchess Eleanor of Austria

Not to be confused with Archduchess Eleanor of Austria (1582–1620) or Eleanor of Austria.

Archduchess Eleanor of Austria (2 November 1534 – 5 August 1594) was Duchess of Mantua by marriage to William I, Duke of Mantua. She was the daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary.

Eleanor of Austria
Duchess consort of Mantua and Montferrat
Tenure	26 April 1561 – 14 August 1587
Born	(1534-11-02)2 November 1534 Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	5 August 1594(1594-08-05) (aged 59) Mantua, Duchy of Mantua
Spouse	William I, Duke of Mantua ​ ​ (m. 1561; died 1587)​
Issue	Vincent I, Duke of Mantua Margherita, Duchess of Ferrara Anna Caterina, Archduchess of Austria
House	Habsburg
Father	Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Anna of Bohemia and Hungary

Life

Eleanor as a child

Eleanor was the eighth child and sixth daughter out of fifteen children born to King Ferdinand of Bohemia and Hungary (before his succession as Holy Roman Emperor) and his wife Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. She was a sister of Johanna of Austria, who married Francesco I de' Medici, thus making Eleonora the aunt of Marie de' Medici, Queen of France.

Life in Mantua

She married William I, Duke of Mantua on 26 April 1561.

At about age five, Eleanor's daughter Anne Caterina became severely ill and nearly died. She contracted a high fever and her extremities began to swell. For two years she was ill. Finally Eleanor and William appealed to the Virgin Mary with deep prayer, promising to raise Anne as a child of Mary if she lived on. Soon Anne became healthy again. Eleanor and William told their daughter of the Virgin Mary's intervention on her behalf and the promise they had made. From there out Eleanor educated and guided Anne Catherine in the cultivation of devotion to Mary. Throughout childhood Anne Catherine displayed a consistent sense of piety.

Eleonor died on 5 August 1594 at the age of 59, she had been a widow since 1587 when her husband died. She was one of the last children of Ferdinand and Anna alive at the time, the only other sibling alive at the time of her death was her brother Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria who only died one year later.

Issue

Her children were:

• Vincent I, Duke of Mantua (21 September 1562 – 9 February 1612). Married Eleonora de' Medici (Eleanor's niece).
• Margherita Barbara Gonzaga (27 May 1564 – 6 January 1618). Married Alfonso II d'Este.
• Anna Caterina Gonzaga (17 January 1566 – 3 August 1621). Married her maternal uncle Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Archduchess Eleanor of Austria

8. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor[1] 4. Philip I of Castile[2] 9. Mary, Duchess of Burgundy[1] 2. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor 10. Ferdinand II of Aragon[2] 5. Joanna I of Castile[2] 11. Isabella I of Castile[2] 1. Eleanor of Austria 12. Casimir IV Jagiellon[3] 6. Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary[3] 13. Elisabeth of Austria[3] 3. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary 14. Gaston de Foix, Count of Candale[4] 7. Anne of Foix-Candale[3] 15. Catherine of Foix[5]