OTD December 1st.1530 Margaret of Austria Duchess of Savoy

January 10th. 1480 marks the birth of Archduchess Margaret of Austria.

Margaret of Austria - Source picture: Wikipedia

She was the second child and only daughter of Maximilian I, 

Holy Roman Emperor and Mary of Burgundy.

Margaret was named after her step grandmother Margaret of York.

In 1482 her father and King Louis XI of France made an agreement

called the Treaty of Arras. Maximilian I promised to gave Margaret's

hand in marriage to Louis' son Charles. Their engagement took place

in 1483 and Margaret was sent to the French Court. There she was 

raised as 'Fille de France' under the supervision of Charles' sister,

Anne of France.

However Charles declined the Treaty and married Margaret's

stepmother: Anne, Duchess of Burgundy. This action hurted

Margaret a lot and her feelings of anger against France stayed

during her whole life.

In 1501 Margaret finally married Philibert II, Duke of Savoy,

who died 3 years later. After his death she vowed never to 

marry again.

Instead Margaret had a very important political role. She even

broke new ground for women rulers! Her father, Maximilian I

named Margaret as governor of the Low Countries and as

guardian of her nephew Charles (the future Emperor Charles V).

Her reign was a period of peace and prosperity in the Netherlands.

She had her court in Mechelen (in English: Mechlin) and was

patron of arts. She also met the great humanists of her time 

including Erasmus.

It was known that Anne Boleyn passed 2 years at the court of
Mechelen to learn court manners under the eye of
Margaret of Austria. 

Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy died on December 1st.

1530 in Mechelen (Mechlin).