Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal

Catherine of Austria
Catherine of Portugal; Anthonis Mor, 1552.
Queen consort of Portugal
Tenure	10 February 1525 – 11 June 1557
Born	14 January 1507 Torquemada, Spain
Died	12 February 1578 (aged 71) Lisbon, Portugal
Spouse	John III of Portugal
Issue	Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal Philip, Prince of Portugal Manuel, Prince of Portugal John Manuel, Prince of Portugal Afonso, Prince of Portugal
House	House of Habsburg
Father	Philip I of Castile
Mother	Joanna of Castile
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Catherine of Austria (Portuguese: Catarina; 14 January 1507 – 12 February 1578) was Queen of Portugal as wife of King John III, and regent during the minority of her grandson, King Sebastian, from 1557 until 1562.

Early life

Altarpiece by Cristóvão Lopes in the Convent of Madre de Deus in Lisbon depicting Catherine of Austria with her namesake, St. Catherine of Alexandria. Currently on display in the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon.

An Infanta of Castile and Archduchess of Austria, Catherine was the posthumous daughter of King Philip I by Queen Joanna of Castile. Catherine was born in Torquemada and named in honor of her maternal aunt, Catherine of Aragon. She remained with her mentally unstable mother until her eldest siblings, Eleanor and the future Emperor Charles V, arrived at Spain, coming from Flanders.

All of her five older siblings, except Ferdinand, were born in the Low Countries and had been put into the care of their aunt Margaret of Austria, but Joanna kept hold of young Catherine. Catherine actually stayed with her mother during imprisonment at Tordesillas during her grandfather Ferdinand of Aragon's time as regent. When the time came for her to marry, Catherine was released from the custody that her mother was to endure until her death.

Queen

On 10 February 1525, Catherine married her first cousin, King John III of Portugal. They had nine children, but only two survived early childhood.

After the death of her husband in 1557, she was challenged by her daughter-in-law and niece, Joan of Austria, over the role of regent for her grandchild, the infant King Sebastian. Mediation by Charles V resolved the issue in favour of his sister Catherine over his daughter Joan, who was needed in Spain in the absence of Philip II.

She then served as the regent of Portugal from 1557 until 1562. In 1562, she turned over the regency to Henry of Portugal.

Issue

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
With John III, King of Portugal (married 10 February 1525)
Prince Afonso	24 February 1526	12 April 1526	Prince of Portugal (1526).
Princess Maria	15 October 1527	12 July 1545	Princess of Portugal (1527–1531). First wife of King Philip II of Spain. She had one child, Don Carlos, and died four days after his birth.
Infanta Isabella	28 April 1529	22 May 1530
Infanta Beatrice	15 February 1530	16 March 1530
Prince Manuel	1 November 1531	14 April 1537	Prince of Portugal (1531–1537). Declared heir in 1531.
Prince Philip	25 March 1533	29 April 1539	Prince of Portugal (1537–1539). Declared heir in 1537.
Infante Denis	6 April 1535	1 January 1537
Prince John Manuel	3 June 1537	2 January 1554	Prince of Portugal (1539–1554). Declared heir in 1539. Married Joan of Spain. Their son Sebastian became king.
Infante Anthony	9 March 1539	20 January 1540

Catherine has no descendants today, as both her grandchildren died childless. Her line of descent went extinct within six months of her death, as the only descendant of hers that survived her, King Sebastian of Portugal, died in August 1578.

Ancestry

Family of Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal

16. Ernest, Duke of Austria               8. Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor                       17. Cymburgis of Masovia               4. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor                             18. Edward of Portugal               9. Eleanor of Portugal                       19. Leonor of Aragon               2. Philip I of Castile                                   20. Philip, Duke of Burgundy               10. Charles, Duke of Burgundy                       21. Isabella of Portugal               5. Mary, Duchess of Burgundy                             22. Charles I, Duke of Bourbon               11. Isabella of Bourbon                       23. Agnes of Burgundy               1. Catherine of Habsburg                                         24. Ferdinand I of Aragon               12. John II of Aragon                       25. Eleanor of Alburquerque               6. Ferdinand II of Aragon                             26. Frederick Enríquez, Count of Melgar               13. Juana Enriquez                       27. Merina de Cordova               3. Joanna I of Castile                                   28. Henry III of Castile               14. John II of Castile                       29. Katherine of Lancaster               7. Isabella I of Castile                             30. Infante João, Lord of Reguengos               15. Isabella of Portugal                       31. Isabella of Barcelos

Sources

Preceded by Eleanor of Austria	Queen consort of Portugal 10 February 1525 – 11 June 1557	Succeeded by Margaret of Austria
Preceded by Infante Peter in 1448	Regent of Portugal and the Algarves 11 June 1557 – 23 December 1562	Succeeded by Infante Henry