Abstract
On July 13, 1621, Archduke Albert of Austria died, leaving his wife sole heir to the Spanish Netherlands. After the Archduke’s death, Philip IV of Spain appointed Isabella Clara Eugenia Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, a title acceptable for the rule of a woman. Though she was no longer co-monarch with her husband, her new title did not change the fact that she was very much in charge of the realm until her death in 1633. Furthermore, with the death of her husband, hostilities between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands resumed, forcing her to play a more diplomatic role between Spain and the Low Countries. Through key sources, this chapter studies her involvement in state and foreign affairs.
Will the Infant have more power than the Governors without any royal blood? It seems that it will be the case, because of her age, of her quality […] However, her authority has to be limited. 1
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Paranque, E. (2017). Isabel Clara Eugenia, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands: Trade, Politics, and Warfare, Ruling like a King 1621–1633. In: Paranque, E., Probasco, N., Jowitt, C. (eds) Colonization, Piracy, and Trade in Early Modern Europe. Queenship and Power. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57159-1_4
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