Routledge - Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress Biography

Discover the hidden history of one of the longest surviving Renaissance Empresses. Maria of Austria (1528-1603) has long been overlooked by biographers, but this Routledge volume brings her significant influence to light. This book examines her life and her management of domestic affairs, illustrating how an Empress could exercise power through alternative spheres of influence. The narrative follows her journey from a Castilian orphan infanta, raised by Portuguese ladies-in-waiting, to her thirty-year marriage spent within the imperial courts of Prague and Vienna. By studying her role, readers gain a deeper understanding of the complex dynastic functions of the Habsburgs. This biography provides a necessary look at a woman who navigated the highest levels of European royalty and helped shape the political landscape of her era.