Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain
Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain, and
the Court of Philip II: From numerous
unpublished sources, in the archives of
France, Italy, and Spain. Vols 1 and 2
Married at 14 to a foreigner she had
and more than twice her age, and one
disdainful of every person and thing
surprising that Elizabeth was filled
journey towards her new husband.
never met — a man twice-widowed
reputed to be stern and reserved,
not Spanish — it is not
with dread during her lengthy
This double volume begins with Elizabeth the child — her birth and
baptism; growing up with the young Mary Queen of Scots; her wedding
and the traumas of adjusting to the rigid etiquette of the Spanish
court. But the greater part of the book focuses on Elizabeth the Queen
— beautiful, gracious, beloved by the husband she’d once feared, and
equally devoted to him.
My knowledge of Philip II, before editing this book, was limited to
his marriage to Queen Mary of England — a time of mutual hostility
between Spanish and English, with the exception of the poor Queen. I
found myself warming to the Philip described in this book and
sorrowing with him about the degeneration of his son Carlos into
insanity, followed soon by the early death of Elizabeth.
I can’t resist sharing with you this extract about Isabella, eldest
daughter of Philip and Elizabeth:
This little daughter always remained the king’s
idol throughout life; and next to Elizabeth, who
was loved by Philip with a devotion he never
afterwards bestowed upon another, the infanta
eventually possessed more of her father’s
confidence than any other personage. In his old
age, it was upon the arm of Elizabeth’s daughter
that Philip loved to rest: and to the eldest child
of his most beloved consort, the king by his will
made the splendid bequest of the Low Countries in
heritage. When Isabel was little more than three
months old, Philip caused her to be affianced to
the archduke Rodolph, eldest son of the Emperor; yet
such was the king’s attachment for his daughter
that, during her father’s life, the infanta
remained unmarried that she might not be compelled
to quit Spain. For the advancement and prosperity
of the infanta, Philip undertook some of his most
famous enterprises. He promoted the civil wars of
the League in France against Henri IV, chiefly with
the view of placing the diadem of her mother’s
ancestors on the brow of Isabel. When this design
failed in consequence of the universal acceptance
by the French nation of the chivalrous Henri for
their sovereign, Philip was heard to express regret
that his son, the offspring of a fourth alliance,
was destined to wear the crown of Spain to the
exclusion of his beloved daughter.
In his will, Philip commits his daughter to the
care and affection of her brother, the future king,
in these words: “Take care of your sister so dearly
beloved by me; for she was my joy and the very
light of my eyes.”
The Dunnett connection: the first part of this book – from Elizabeth’s
childhood to the marriage of her companion, Mary Queen of Scots
– gives background to books 2 and 6 of the Lymond series, and gives a
deeper understanding of some of the senior members of the Court of
France.
Amazon
Philip
Amazon
Philip
US: Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain, and the Court of
II
UK: Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain, and the Court of
II