It just so happened that we know much more about Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII and mother of Louis XIV, than about other French queens. This is mainly the merit of Alexandre Dumas, who devoted his most famous and most successful series of novels to the "century of Louis the Great" - about musketeers, and in a sweeping, bright colors described not only the "magnificent four", but also those of that time historical figures- the weak-willed Louis XIII, the "real monarch" Louis XIV, the intelligent, energetic and ruthless Richelieu, the stingy rogue Mazarin, the proud and beautiful Anna of Austria. Moreover, distributing these characteristics, Dumas considered reality very little - for him, History was just a mannequin, which he dressed up in necessary clothes- according to your taste. And his "historical" heroes are in fact only shadows, or even caricatures of themselves. Richelieu was especially unlucky in this sense. Brilliant politician, great statesman, comparable in importance to France only with De Gaulle, he appeared in the novel as an evil intriguer, only thinking how to quarrel the crowned spouses. Anna of Austria, on the contrary, was lucky - an ordinary, easily influenced princess with a difficult fate, thanks to Dumas's talent, became a real romantic heroine. Diamond pendants, the love and death of Buckingham, the jealousy of the king and the hatred of the cardinal - what are the attributes of the life of the fatal beauty, whose son became the most famous French monarch?
In fact, the fate of Anne of Austria was far from being as romantic as Dumas would have liked, although it was no less rich in adventure. Ana Mauricia, the eldest daughter of the Spanish king Philip III, was born in 1601 in the meanest, gloomiest and most religious court in Europe. At that time, the wealth and power of the "empire where the sun never sets" began to slowly deplete. Ana's father was too weak a king to hold power in his hands, and his first minister, the Duke of Lerma, ran all affairs. Lerma did not spare money for his pleasures, but his royal family lived in a Spartan way. True, in Spain they believed that children should be brought up in severity, piety and deprivation. So the princes and princesses received "combat hardening", after which even life in the monastery seemed to them idle and luxurious.
Ana never received a decent education. At that time, it was customary to teach princesses only Latin and the basics of European languages, and they had to spend the rest of the time in prayer. It was supposed to eat something tasty or smartly dressed only on very big holidays. Usually infantines wore black, bulky and monstrously uncomfortable dresses, they were not allowed to run and play (idleness at the Spanish court was considered grave sin), their every action was sternly watched by duennas.
Even with their parents, the children saw each other only on the days established by the regulations. Only Philip III could break it, but he was almost not interested in kids. His wife, Queen Margherita, lived in conditions no less harsh than her daughters. Married at the age of 15, she almost every year gave the king another offspring, and for ten years of married life she hated everything - her rag-husband, which the minister twirled, the minister himself, bathed in luxury, while she almost had to starve, sanctimonious, mired in intrigues spanish court... "Better to be a simple nun in Austria than a Spanish queen!" she complained to the Austrian envoy. The Queen died at the age of 27, almost happy that she was getting rid of a life she hated.
By that time, Anya was not even ten, but she was already betrothed - for the Austrian prince Ferdinand. The prince was her cousin, but this did not bother the parents of the bride and groom: the Habsburgs were used to marrying "between their own", without being interested in what consequences this might lead to. But Ana was lucky. In 1610, in neighboring France, the "face of the state" changed, and instead of the murdered Henry IV, who was at enmity with Spain, his wife Maria Medici, a devout Catholic, who longed for friendship with "the first Christian power in the world," received power. According to the custom of that time, the political union was sealed with a dynastic one: the 10-year-old Infante Philip married one of the French princesses, and the 14-year-old Ana married her peer, the young Louis XIII.
Young Louis 13th
At first, no one doubted that Ludovic and Ana (who became Anna) would be a friendly and loving couple. The young queen was rightfully considered the most beautiful princess in Europe, and the king (who, by the way, was also good-looking) was ready to blow dust off her. But Anna was still too young to appreciate it. Having moved from prim Madrid to glamorous and profligate Paris, she plunged headlong into the whirlpool of pleasures and merry tricks, which were looked at so askance in Spain. And since her husband was a gloomy loner, the queen found herself another partner for games - the younger brother of King Gaston of Orleans, smiling, elegant, witty, much more suitable for her character. Perhaps Louis would not take his wife's friendship with his brother to heart, but his mother constantly hinted that Anna was a flirtatious tail and she needed an eye and an eye. The mother-in-law was of little interest in the morality of the daughter-in-law - she was simply afraid that Anna would begin to command her weak-willed spouse and deprive her of power.
Maria Medici
Gaston d'Orleans
In 1617, the queen mother was nevertheless removed from power - without any participation of Anna of Austria. Nevertheless, the Medici did not deny herself the pleasure of placing a "time bomb" under her son's marriage. She left at court the daughter of the Duke de Montbazon, a spectacular blonde, the first beauty of France. The queen mother expected that Louis would not resist the charms of an experienced coquette beyond the age - and she was wrong. The king despised overly active women. He passed off de Montbazon, who had become his favorite, for his first minister, de Luyne, and when he died, he advised the widow to leave for the provinces. The king had no idea what dangerous enemy he has amassed himself in the face of an offended beauty. Less than six months later, the widow married the Duke de Chevreuse, returned to court and became the beloved friend of Anna of Austria.
Madame de Chevreuse
It was she who dragged the 24-year-old queen into a love adventure, for which Anna had to pay dearly - the story with the Duke of Buckingham. Almighty favorite English king arrived in France in 1625 - and was captivated by the beauty of the wife of Louis XIII. To impress her, the 32-year-old duke littered with money and was ready for any follies. He charmed the bored Anna of Austria without difficulty. But, having received a strict Castilian upbringing, the queen gave the admirer a maximum of admiring smile. This was not enough for the first dandy of Europe, who changed mistresses like gloves. He was ready to spend half the money of the English crown, so that Anna's favor would be expressed in something more substantial.
In the face of the Duchess de Chevreuse, Buckingham found a true ally. She was ready to spend hours telling the Queen about the beauty and generosity of the Englishman, slowly persuading her to give the admirer a "minute audience." Finally, at a feast in the gardens of Amiens, Anna gave in to temptation and allowed de Chevreuse to take her for a stroll down one of the dark alleys. A few minutes later, a noise was heard from the avenue along which the queen had retired. The fleeing courtiers and servants witnessed an unprecedented spectacle: Her Majesty was very energetically escaping from the arms of the English guest.
The scandal has become worthy 
the whole of Europe. The next day, the duke was forced to leave France, and Anna of Austria was forced to give explanations to her husband. In fact, everything that happened was rather in her favor, but it was impossible to convince the angry Louis of this. Relations between the spouses, which by that time were already cool, deteriorated completely.
Anna considered the new first minister, Armand du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, to be the culprit of her husband's unrelenting fury. Contrary to what Dumas wrote, the conflict between the queen and Richelieu was purely political. The minister pursued an "anti-Spanish" line in politics, and this, of course, did not suit the sister of the Spanish king. In addition, being a devout Catholic, Anna could not understand how the prince of the church could be an ally of the German Protestants in the war against her cousin, the Catholic emperor. And since the concept of "state interests" at that time was not in honor among the nobility, there was only one conclusion: Richelieu is her personal enemy, who wants to destroy her.
From now on, Anna of Austria and her faithful de Chevreuse participated in all conspiracies against the cardinal. These conspiracies, as a rule, ended in failure: the queen and the Duke of Orleans had to make excuses, the Duchess de Chevreuse had to hide abroad, less noble intriguers had to pay with their heads. However, Richelieu has repeatedly proved that he can take revenge, regardless of nobility. Participation in one of the intrigues cost the life of the Duke de Montmorency, another conspiracy forced Louis XIII to expel his own mother from the country, who died in Cologne almost in poverty.
True, Richelieu spared Anna of Austria. Although it was easiest for him to get even with her: since the time of the scandal with Buckingham, divorce had been the cherished dream of His Majesty. But the cardinal understood what the offended husband did not want to hear about - the Pope would hardly have agreed to the dissolution of the marriage, which means that Louis could not marry again. France, on the other hand, needed an heir, and not such a nonentity as Gaston of Orleans, who betrayed all his friends and lived on handouts from the Spanish king. Richelieu had little choice, and he hoped that Anna would grow wiser and finally The father will give birth to a son to the king.
It took several years to persuade His Majesty to forgive his wife, and Rish
the oil attracted even the retired favorite of the monarch to this. Finally, Louis succumbed to a moment of weakness, and in due course all of France celebrated the birth of the Dauphin. True, even then rumors spread that the king had been deceived, and the boy who was born was not his son at all. But there was no serious "evidence" against the queen - especially since Richelieu, who was in dire need of an heir, did not even try to look for them. Louis was so happy about the birth of his son that for some time he reconciled with his wife, as a result of which another prince was born - Philip of Anjou.
By that time, Anna had revised her attitude towards Richelieu and realized that the cardinal was more of an ally than an enemy. This was facilitated talented politician, whom Richelieu chose as his successor - Giulio Mazarin, a handsome, although not very noble Italian, who from the end of the 30s became the queen's lover. It was Mazarin who convinced Anna that with her intrigues against the cardinal, she was helping others - but not herself. The queen corrected herself and "surrendered" to Richelieu another conspiracy, providing evidence proving the state 
treachery of the king's brother.
In response, Richelieu, as best he could, tried to reconcile the crowned spouses. Alas, unsuccessfully: the king not only did not want to hear about his wife, but also slowly began to hate his own son. The death of the cardinal in 1642 put Anna's freedom, and even life, in jeopardy - now nothing prevented Louis from imprisoning the queen in a monastery. But Anna of Austria was lucky: just six months after the death of the cardinal, her husband fell ill and died suddenly, without even leaving sensible orders regarding the regency.
Thanks to Mazarin, the regency and power went to Anna. True, the country was restless: the Fronde was raging, a rebellion of princes who dreamed of driving out the "Spaniard and Italian", eliminating the young king and enthroning the weak-willed Gaston of Orleans. The queen was saved only by the fact that her political enemies often adhered to different goals, and constantly moved "from camp to camp" - either to the side of the queen, then to the side of the rebels. Anna and Mazarin used it with might and main: they flattered, persuaded, promised mountains of gold, arrested, threw them into prison, executed ... The queen was infinitely grateful to her first minister. After all, it was Mazarin who eventually brought order to the country, completed Thirty Years' War with Spain, and favorably married the young king to the Infanta. Dying, the cardinal left Louis XIV a peaceful and prosperous kingdom.
Mazarin
After the death of Mazarin, Anna stepped into the shadows. She did not get along very well with the arrogant and selfish Louis and preferred the company of an affectionate and caring younger son to him. Having lived hectic life, the queen, even in her old age, was very pretty and looked much younger than her years. In 1666, she died in the arms of the inconsolable Philip of Orleans, ironically resembling Louis XIII.
The Spanish infanta, French queen, regent and mother of Louis XIV, Anna of Austria never thought about what will remain in the memory of posterity. She could not even imagine that two hundred years after her death, the novelist of all times and peoples Alexandre Dumas would give her something that life does not indulge even queens - eternal youth and beauty, a beautiful and noble lover, as well as four devoted knights of the cloak and sword, ready to die for her life, honor and love - Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d "Artagnan.
The future Queen of France was the daughter of the Spanish King Philip III and was born on September 22, 1601. The fixed epithet "Austrian", although Anna was born in Spain, she inherited through her mother, the wife of the Spanish king - Margaret of Austria - belonging to the Habsburg family, which ruled in Austria since 1282.
At just 14 years old - in 1615 - Anna was married to Louis XIII, who had already ascended the French throne, from whom she gave birth to two sons - the heir to the crown of Louis XIV and Philip I of Orleans.
The conclusion of this marriage, as was usual in those years, was not a matter of mutual sympathy and love, but a political calculation. France and Spain were on the brink of war, and conflict between the powers could break out any day. But prudence prevailed - the rulers of the countries entered into a pact on the upcoming marriage of two members of the royal families, as a result of which peace was established between them based on family ties.
An important point of the agreement between Spain and France was that the marriage between Louis and Anna could be carried out only if the Spanish Prince Philip married Louis's sister Isabella.
As numerous chronicles of that time testify, the first few years after the wedding, Louis XIII was simply fascinated by his young wife, who in those days was called the most beautiful queen in all of Europe. But over time, the relationship of the royal couple went wrong, and Anna herself even took part in several conspiracies against the king of France.
Anna was especially annoyed by Cardinal Richelieu, against whom she also initiated several conspiracies and assassination attempts.
It was Anna who tried to strengthen the influence of her native Spain on France, and after learning about the numerous betrayals of Louis XIII, she herself very often started love affairs. Historians do not confirm the forbidden connection between the queen and the real-life Englishman and favorite of the monarch, Buckingham, sung by Alexandre Dumas in The Three Musketeers, but Anna had a lot of favorites.
After the death of Louis XIII, Anna became regent under the minor heir, but after the accession to the throne of the "Sun King" she went to the monastery, where she graduated from her life path in 1666.
Films in which the image of Anna of Austria was used
The very first motion picture with the character of Anna of Austria, played by Mary McLaren, was filmed in 1921 in the USA.
Then the "Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas were filmed several more times, but in all the films, the directors and screenwriters did not disregard the French queen. Anna of Austria was played by Jeanne Deklo (1921), Gloria Stuart (1939), Angela Lansbury (1948), Françoise Christophe (1961), Geraldine Chaplin (1973), Alice Freindlich in famous Soviet films, Catherine Deneuve (2001), Sarah-Jane Potts (2001), Amalia Mordvinova (2005), Juno Temple (2011) and Maria Mironova in 2013.
The adventures of the famous three musketeers are very famous and popular. Dumas' novel has been filmed many times already, and there is no doubt that there will be many more. And this means that more and more new actresses will play Anna of Austria. But for Soviet and Russian viewers, of course, Alisa Freindlich will remain the best performer.
Queen Anna of France is a famous artisan, wise and educated representative of the Habsburg dynasty. The wife of the ruler of France. The image of Anna of Austria was played by world stars in many films and films.
Childhood and youth
Born September 22, 1601 in royal family Habsburgs. The father was the Spanish politician Philip III, who also held the throne of Portugal. Mother Margarita of Austria grew up in the royal family of Austria and tried to be an example for the royal court, adhering to the rules and regulations. The younger sister Maria stood out for her diligence, which was not welcomed in the family.
The father was constantly busy with state affairs, and although he could not bring the country out of lack of money, he devoted very little time to his daughters. Mom, like all noble women, was busy with receptions and the palace, so she constantly gave the girls to be raised by teachers of various crafts.
Anna of Austria tried to get proper education and correspond to the status of an heiress, attended sewing, dance and writing lessons. In addition, she liked to study European languages and Latin, read old books, and was interested in family and dynasty. Thanks to this, in the palace they began to consider her a wise and educated woman.
When the country, under the influence of numerous factors, was on the verge of war with France, the father took a wise step, deciding to marry his daughter to a representative of an enemy family. Thus, he avoided hostilities and battles in his possessions.
Understanding the critical state of the family and the whole family, the girl agrees to the numerous persuasions of the pope on her own terms. Over the years of living in her father's house, Anna of Austria became inseparable from her family, she was distinguished by exceptional ingenuity and cunning. The girl agreed, but only if the younger sister of her future husband marries her brother.
Personal life
At fourteen, with luggage and dowry, the young lady leaves native home and goes to France. On October 18, 1615, he is married according to the agreement between his father and representatives of the French authorities. Louis XIII becomes her lawful husband, and she becomes Queen of France.
Those skills that she acquired by attending numerous lessons were very necessary in life. She charmed her husband and the entire male half of the palace. Wise and restrained Anna of Austria did not succumb to the provocations of her enemies. But the king was completely unprepared for serious relationship and family life. Therefore, the girl found consolation in numerous betrayals.
The young husband did not allow such a loss, because she was still considered a girl of irresistible beauty and was a role model for fashionistas, the envy of ill-wishers.
Every year she felt more and more cold from her husband, answering the same. Over time, having received endless trust and respect from the French, she began to conduct Spanish politics, which even he himself was dissatisfied with. The cardinal knew that this would not end well, but he also tried to avoid intrigues where the girl was involved.
The king's mother, throughout the marriage, further exacerbated the situation with gossip and endless hints that her daughter-in-law was behaving like an immoral girl. Although she, in turn, tried to please the old queen.
Despite numerous quarrels, the time has come to think about the heirs, but, as it turned out, the man's infertility did its job. After 23 years of attempts and efforts, several pregnancies that ended in failure, 2 sons were born.
(1638) and Philippe d'Orleans (1640) were copies of their mother. Eight years of raising young sons, she alone coped with big state. Mazarin became her faithful assistant.
The minister took all political affairs into his own hands. After death overtook him, her eldest son ascended the throne. It was then that she moved away from the affairs of the country and, unable to withstand such a restriction of rights, decided to leave for a monastery called "Val de Grace".
At 64, she died a terrible death, in agony from a serious illness of the chest and mammary glands. Cancer took her life on January 20, 1666. Many consider Anna of Austria an intriguer, while others say that she played an important role in the fate of Europe.
Another story from the biography of the queen has the right to life. According to the facts, the rich Duke of Buckingham, when he first saw Anna of Austria, fell in love at first sight and spent many years trying to win her recognition. The mysterious meetings and dates of the couple have been declassified. There is still no exact answer on the subject of their relationship, but the queen still bothered to give him diamond pendants.
Memory
The relationship with her husband was later described in scripts and films. The directors tried to convey her image as clearly as possible to the smallest detail. The novel "Three Musketeers" became a bright plot decision. There Anna of Austria is described in exactly the same way as she was in life. The names of some nobles and even prerequisites for traitors, which were previously kept in strict confidence, surfaced. The film became popular and loved by everyone, not only because of the brilliant acting of the actors, but also because it was partly based on the events of the characters' lives.
Colette Emmanuel played a role in a film called "The King Dances". The film became famous for the acting, costumes and scenery. Filmed in 2000.
Dominique Blanc became famous in the television series "Versailles", France-Canada, 2015
Cecile Bois became the embodiment of the image of Anne of Austria in the TV movie "Richelieu, purple and blood" (Richelieu, la pourpre et le sang), France, 2014
Later, the book became a high-profile event. English writer Evelyn Anton titled "Love of a Cardinal", where the gripping plot helped refresh readers' memory of Anne of Austria.
A scandalous work was a picture called "The Queen's Bedroom", where the girl was presented in the role of a skillful traitor, who now and then accepted insatiable men in her chambers. Some readers and viewers condemned such actions, others denied all the facts presented, but no one left her person without attention.
In films where the name of Anna of Austria was mentioned, the same young passionate girls were taken for her role, who created the impression of wise, but cunning rulers.
Recognition came to her after death. The queen was so interested in readers and TV viewers in France and Spain that she was mentioned in dozens of films and retellings.
The Three Musketeers series was filmed by directors from all over the world. A dozen versions were reproduced only in France itself. Her role went to the famous actresses of the time, Mary McLaren, Jeanne Declo, Marguerite Moreno and other equally talented people.
In 1929, the film "Iron Mask" was presented, where the passionate Daris Kenyon was taken to the role of the French queen. The original title of the film was: The Man in the Iron Mask, directed by James Weil.
The queen did not bypass the glory in the film "Cyrano and d" Artagnan "under French name Cyrano et d'Artagnan. The film starred the brilliant Laura Venezuela.
1973 - "The Four Musketeers - Milady's Revenge", 1974 - "The Return of the Musketeers", where the daughter, a British actress, was so imbued with the role that she conveyed every emotion of the girl.
Anna of Austria: queen with diamond pendants
Thanks to Alexandre Dumas, she became one of the most famous queens in the history of mankind. And this is not an exaggeration. All over the world, for generations, teenagers have been reading and adults have been rereading The Three Musketeers with pleasure. And if someone didn’t read it, then they definitely saw the film, because this book was filmed at least fifteen times a year. different countries, at different times. Therefore, everyone heard about Anna of Austria. About the queen, who was loved by the English Duke of Buckingham. About the queen, whom he hated, secretly lusting after her, Cardinal Richelieu. About the queen, to whom her husband gave diamond pendants - and she gave them to Buckingham - and the cardinal found out about it. Diamond pendants on a blue brocade bow... Because of them, there was so much fuss in the novel - and in the films! And more about it, as a rule, they do not know anything. For most, she remained the heroine of Dumas - the queen with diamond pendants.
"If the king seemed to be the noblest nobleman of his kingdom, then the queen was undeniably the most beautiful woman in France."
Alexandre Dumas "Three Musketeers"
Anna was born in August 1601 in Spain, and she was called "Austrian" all her life because her mother, Princess Marianne, was from Austria, from the house of the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs are by origin an Austrian dynasty, however, "Austrian" (as she was called by the people) Anna has never been in Austria in her life. Unlike another French queen from the Habsburg dynasty - Marie Antoinette, who in France will also be called "Austrian", but she is already by right of origin.
From her mother, Anna inherited her dazzling white, delicate, transparent skin, luxurious reddish-blond hair and a large, very bright mouth with full lower lip: this lip was hallmark of the entire family of Habsburgs, for some - like Anna - it seemed "arrogantly turned inside out", for others - "saggy".
From her father, the Spanish King Philip III, Anna inherited high growth, a chiseled hooked nose and large, slightly protruding, bright blue eyes.
But in general, she was a beautiful girl, and with age she turned into an even more beautiful woman. All contemporaries - even those who had no reason to flatter - noted her tall stature, regal posture, magnificent figure, seductive fullness of her chest and shoulders, and the extraordinary beauty of her hand. But Anna of Austria received especially many compliments thanks to her skin. Some even said that her skin is so transparent that when the queen drinks red wine, you can see how it flows in her throat ... Now this compliment seems doubtful and not even very appetizing. But then the tenderness of the skin was a sign of indisputably aristocratic origin - remember at least "The Princess and the Pea"! - only real princesses have skin so tender that they feel a pea through twelve mattresses and twelve featherbeds! The skin of Anna of Austria was so sensitive that the touch of an ordinary linen irritated her. She did not recognize other underwear and bed linen, except for cambric. The sheets, which were made to order for Anne of Austria, were so thin that each one could be pulled through the ring. Cardinal Mazarin, her beloved and secret husband, once said: “If you, madam, go to hell, then instead of the torment promised to all sinners, it will be enough for you to lay canvas sheets on your bed!” Anna found this joke exquisite and sweet ...
Anna of Austria loved comfort and luxury.
It would seem - who does not love them? But this queen's tastes were especially refined.
Her biggest passion - after thin linen - was incense: Anna collected them, and perfumers tried to outdo each other in order to win the favor of the Queen of France, and merchants and those who had visited distant countries the nobles considered it obligatory to bring some fragrant curiosity to the queen: aromatic incense, sandalwood figurines or sheep wool balls soaked in fragrant oils - Arab women wear them in precious aromatic bottles on their chests, they retain their properties for many years.
Anna also adored fragrant flowers, and several greenhouses were set up for her alone - she wanted to see a fresh bouquet in her boudoir every morning!
The only thing - she could not stand the smell of roses. So much so that, even seeing a rose in the picture, she fainted at the mere thought of her smell. In modern psychiatry, this phenomenon is called "idiosyncrasy" and is considered a disease. However, even the illness of Anna of Austria - the cause of which must have been several centuries related marriages between the Habsburgs! - refined: idiosyncratic to roses - what could be more romantic...
Two and a half centuries later, the son of the writer who immortalized Anna of Austria, Alexander Dumas, son, will immortalize her illness: in The Lady of the Camellias, the beautiful Marguerite Gauthier cannot stand the smell of roses.
In August 1612, just after Anne was eleven years old, her father signed a marriage contract with Marie de Medici, the French Queen Regent: the lovely little princess was intended to marry her peer, the French king Louis XIII.
The wedding took place three years later.
Anna was a cheerful and carefree girl - a trip to France seemed to her a wonderful walk.
But Louis - a closed, gloomy, insecure teenager - was afraid of the upcoming wedding.
The fact is that Marie Medici instructed de Luyne, known at court for his debauchery, to explain to Louis the essence of marital relationships ... And the discoveries he made deeply shocked the young king. With anguish, Louis said: “I don’t know her at all, without me she was chosen as my wife, and whatever she is - ugly or beautiful - I still have to put her in my bed and kiss, hug and love until the end of my life. … Is it fair?” He was very afraid that the Spanish Infanta would be ugly. He, of course, received a portrait, but he understood that court painters most often flatter crowned models. And he could only see the bride on the day of the wedding.
Luyin had heard a lot about the beauty of Anna of Austria and invited the king to dispel his fears with the only possible way- secretly look at the infanta. The king agreed, and the friends went to Castres, where the infanta's cortege stopped to rest. From the window of the hotel, they managed to see Anna getting into the carriage, but it was only a brief moment - the king almost did not see his betrothed. The infanta's motorcade set off, and therefore the king got into his own carriage and ordered to catch up with the Spaniards. When a strange carriage at full gallop caught up with the carriage in which the infanta rode, the girl looked out to get a good look at the impudent one. And Louis, struck by her beauty and embarrassed by his own courage (unthinkable before for the son of the imperious Marie de Medici), shouted to her: "I am the king incognito!" That same evening, Anna and Louis met in the palace of the Bishop of Bordeaux. They liked each other, and the king courted his bride very nicely. It seemed that he finally grew bolder and even became interested in this charming girl.
The wedding took place on November 25th. The wedding ended at five o'clock in the afternoon, the day was exhaustingly hot, and even the wedding feast - contrary to tradition - was canceled. The tired newlyweds kissed each other - and each went to his bedchamber, where they immediately fell into a sound childhood sleep.
But Marie de Medici believed that Louis must certainly fulfill his marital debt on the very first night. She herself woke the young man and said: “My son, the wedding ceremony is just a prelude to marriage. You must go to the queen, your wife. She is waiting for you…”
Louis was used to obeying his mother in everything, so he dutifully replied: “Madame, I was just waiting for your order. I will go to my wife with you, if you like."
Throwing on a dressing gown and thrusting his feet into slippers, he went to Anna's bedchamber.
Behind him came Marie de Medici, two wet nurses, the king's tutor, Mr. Souvre, the physician Héroard, the Marquis de Rambouillet, the keeper of the royal wardrobe with a drawn sword in his hand, the senior valet Berengien with a candlestick, the Comte de Guise, the Comte de Grammont and several others. courtiers.
Anna of Austria, contrary to the assertions of her mother-in-law, did not wait for her husband at all, but was fast asleep, and was amazed and even frightened when she saw this whole procession entering her chambers.
“My daughter, I brought you the king - your husband. I beg you: accept it and love it!” Marie Medici said loudly.
And Anna, blushing with embarrassment, muttered in Spanish: "I have no other desire, madam, but to obey His Majesty, my husband, and please him in everything."
Fortunately, there were also several maids and court ladies chosen by Philip III for his daughter from among the Spanish women who knew French. They translated the words of the young queen.
In the presence of many witnesses, the king threw off his robe and lay down next to his wife. Both of them looked confused and unhappy. Marie de Medici approached the box and quietly uttered a few phrases. What exactly she said is unknown. But, apparently, she gave some advice, while calling everything by its proper name ... Because, while she was talking, Anna of Austria blushed like a poppy color, and Louis became paler than a pillow.
“Now it’s time for everyone to leave,” Marie de Medici announced and left the bedchamber. Indeed, everyone left, except for the nurses and maids, as well as the life doctor, who had to make sure that the king and queen properly performed their marital duties. After the completion of this action, the doctor examined the spouses and again invited the Queen Mother and the courtiers to the bedchamber. And he gave a detailed account of what happened.
It is not surprising that the very next morning, the king and queen could not look at each other without embarrassment and tried not to talk at all.
After his wedding night, the king was filled with such a deep disgust for carnal love that he remained in history under the name of Louis the Shameful.
Four years after the wedding, he refrained from intimacy with his wife.
It was not until January 1619, when Louis was signing the marriage contract between his sister, Christina of France, and Prince Victor Amadeus of Savoy, that the papal nuncio was able to move him somewhat aside from the path of virtue, whispering: “Sire, I do not believe that you will allow so that your sister will give birth to a son before Your Majesty has a Dauphin.”
After that, the king began to visit the queen regularly to perform marital duties. This joyful news was reported to all the ambassadors of the European powers, and Cardinal Borghese wrote to the papal nuncio: "... the king's performance of his marital duties was positively received in Rome, and the Pope himself expressed his deep satisfaction." For Anna and Louis marital relations were in the full sense of the word "obligation" - and the most burdensome. And, despite their joint efforts, they did not succeed in producing the Dauphin ...
In general, the marriage of Anna of Austria was extremely unsuccessful.
The “most important man” in the life of Anna of Austria was, of course, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. Everyone knows about their love, secret meetings and the fact that the queen gave the duke diamond pendants - thanks to Alexandre Dumas. But hardly any of the readers of Dumas suggests that, with all the ardor and tender passion, which connected these two, they never became lovers.
The story of the Duke of Buckingham is sad - but typical of those times.
In 1603, after the death of the “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I Tudor, the thirty-seven-year-old James I Stuart, the son of her most hated enemy, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, who was executed by order of Elizabeth, ascended the throne. Jacob was married to a Danish princess, had children, but for all that, he had a shameful and irresistible attraction to handsome boys: the same as the French king Henry III. Having taken the throne, Jacob began to bring teenage boys closer to him and shower him with favors. Very soon, at the English court - as once at the French - rivalry began among young people for positions and lands received through the royal bed.
But the great and only love for King James was George Villiers.
George Villiers was born in 1592 and arrived at court in 1612, at the age of twenty, and became the king's lover, as many believe, in 1614 - or by that time he had become the main and constant favorite.
George came from a noble and wealthy family, but - wealth and nobility are never enough, so his mother, Mary Beaumont, encouraged ambition in her son and destroyed any sprouts of unnecessary virtue ... If ever this handsome red-haired young man was virtuous! The king began to single out George Villiers, and then completely forgot all other attachments. The ill-wishers hissed that Yakov found “in the character of this young man a moderate frivolity and a penchant for debauchery.” The king called his beloved Stini: short for Saint Stephen, whose face, according to the Bible, "shone like the face of an angel."
George Villiers was indeed very handsome. This is easy to verify by looking at famous portrait the work of Rubens. This haughty, chiseled face, the piercing, burning look of blue eyes, radiant white skin, soft curls of reddish hair, are exceptionally beautiful person! One can imagine how he was at the age of twenty when Yakov first saw him.
George Villiers early childhood distinguished by intelligence and willpower. He completely subjugated the enamored king. Jacob was ready for anything for George. In letters, the king called "his Stini" either "wife" or "beloved husband". He gave his lover the title of earl, then the Duke of Buckingham. He placed George's relatives in leadership positions and, in the end, made his lover the Minister of Finance. And while George delighted and entertained the king, Mary Beaumont, in the name and authority of her son, disposed of the distribution of privileges and posts to those who were useful to the Villiers family. Or those who paid her for her services in specie.
Jacob Stewart himself compared his attitude towards Buckingham with the attitude of Christ towards his beloved disciple, the young apostle John. Without the slightest embarrassment, he said: "Christ had his John, and I have my George's net." Parting even for a short time, the king wrote to Buckingham most tender letters: “I want to live only for you and would rather be exiled to any part of the earth with you than live a sad widow's life without you. And God bless you, my sweet child and wife, that you will always be a comfort to your dear dad and spouse." Moreover, Jacob dreamed of what Britain only came to in the 21st century, that is, marriage with his lover: “I pray to God for our marriage union at Christmas. May the blessing of God overshadow you, my wife, may you be a great comfort to your old father and husband.
To his own son - Charles - Jacob was not just indifferent, but treated with some strange hostility. Prince Charles Stuart grew up as an unhappy, frightened child. The eldest, Prince Henry, was considered the heir. Charles was weaker, clumsier, and stuttered, and was laughed at at court. Charles was eight years younger than George Villiers, and the future Duke of Buckingham warmed and protected the boy. It is doubtful that this could have been a calculation ... No one ever imagined that Charles would become king. But Prince Henry of Wales died at the age of eighteen from typhus. And it turned out that the favorite of the ruling king became the closest friend of the future king!
Buckingham drew the prince into all sorts of adventures. Together they made a near-suicidal trip to Spain when the idea occurred to George that Prince Charles's marriage to a Spanish infanta would bring peace to longtime enemies, England and Spain. None of this happened, the Spanish Catholic did not want to marry a Protestant, but it was a real adventure!
Jacob was jealous of Buckingham for his son. Moderately: he understood that this was nothing more than male friendship. The only man in George's life was the king. True, he had many women, since Yakov was not jealous of women. Buckingham wooed the beautiful and wealthy heiress Katherine Manners. Her father refused the "royal sodomite", then George simply kidnapped Katherine. And her father had to agree to the marriage, because his daughter was considered dishonored by spending the night in Buckingham's house. However, the duke himself was a slave to the conventions of his time and wanted to marry a virgin, so Catherine spent the night in his mother's chambers. But in the eyes of society, she was considered dead ... Katherine did not care. She was in love with George. She bore him a daughter, Mary, and a son, George. The girl died in infancy, and the boy became the heir of his father. Catherine was the perfect wife for Buckingham. Loving and agreeing with him in everything.
James Stuart died in 1625.
His son, Charles Stuart, the former unloved prince Charles, ascended the path.
Buckingham got more more power in the reign of his friend. Carl Stewart knew how to be grateful.
The Duke of Buckingham arrived in France to negotiate the matchmaking of his best friend, the King. English Charles I - and the younger sister of the King of France, the charming Henrietta Maria. The proposal was very tempting for Louis XIII, and he agreed. If only he could have foreseen how sad it would all end! If I could have predicted that Henrietta Maria would passionately love her crowned husband, but would lose him and two children during the bourgeois revolution ... That King Charles I would become the first monarch to lay down his head on the scaffold! Alas, Nostradamus was no longer alive at that time, so there was no one to predict the future of Henrietta Maria. But even if such a prediction appeared, it would not change the decision of Louis XIII. This marriage was politically advantageous. Which means it was inevitable.
The Duke of Buckingham made a huge impression on Anne of Austria.
In every way he seemed the opposite of her unloved husband!
Ludovic was awkward and not good-looking.
The Duke of Buckingham dazzled with a beauty that seemed downright unreal and pagan.
Louis XIII deservedly received the nickname "Shameful" ...
The Duke of Buckingham made no secret of his interest in beautiful women.
Louis XIII was pathologically stingy.
The Duke of Buckingham once appeared at a ball in a camisole richly embroidered with large pearls. During the dance, several pearls came off, and the courtiers rushed to collect them in order to give them to the English envoy. But Buckingham refused, saying: "Oh, keep them!"
But most importantly, Louis XIII was indifferent to her, Anna.
And Buckingham fell in love at first sight - desperately, passionately, boldly ...
Anna admired his ardor and audacity. One day, after dancing the whole evening with the English envoy, Anna could not restrain her feelings and, returning to her bedchamber, in the presence of the ladies of the court, suddenly clasped the Duchess de Chevreuse in her arms and began to passionately kiss her, crying and muttering words of tenderness addressed to Buckingham. That night, Anna could not sleep until morning, and until morning the Duchess sat next to her bed, talking about Buckingham.
On June 2, 1625, Princess Henrietta Maria left the Louvre to join her husband, accompanied by the Duke of Buckingham, her mother Marie de' Medici, her daughter-in-law Anne of Austria, and her retinue, which included the Duchess de Chevreuse.
In the Amiens of the future English queen I had to say goodbye to my family. To dispel the sadness of separation, several fireworks balls were held in Amiens. Taking advantage of the absence of her husband and the cardinal, Anna of Austria spent most of her time with Buckingham. They were unable to hide their feelings ... And there was no need to hide - everyone around, including the sister and mother of the French king, sympathized with the lovers - so beautiful and so unhappy! Everyone was sure that the love of the English duke for the French queen would remain platonic. Everyone except Buckingham himself.
One night, walking with the queen along the alley - and noticing that the retinue following them noticeably lagged behind - Buckingham suddenly gave vent to his passion, so much so that Anna frightened to death, who did not know any other male affection, except for the cautious touches of her chaste spouse! The duke squeezed the queen in his arms, threw her on the grass, pulled up her skirts and tried to take control ... But - failed. Frightened, offended, the queen began to call for help. The courtiers came running, the Duchess de Chevreuse appeared. Escaping from Buckingham's arms, Anna burst into tears on her best friend's chest. Buckingham, very embarrassed, hurried away ...
In more "enlightened" times, such an event could cause an international scandal or even war. But even in the reign of Louis the Bashful, the French still retained the free views of the era of Francis I and Henry IV. A contemporary and witness to this extraordinary event, Philippe Thomas, noted in his book Intrigues at the Court of Louis XIII, published in 1680: “These people were used to everything at court, so most of them thought that the duke simply expressed his feelings too temperamentally to the queen." Actually, it was true!
All night Anna wept in the arms of the Duchess de Chevreuse. The gold embroidery on the duke's pantaloons scratched the delicate skin of the queen to the point of blood ... But she cried because the duke's act offended her high feelings to him, and also because she was afraid to never see him again!
The next day, the Duke of Buckingham had to leave Amiens to accompany Henrietta Maria onward to her fiancé. And here in last moment, when the princess was already sitting in the carriage, the duke with a clouded look suddenly announced that he had to say goodbye to the queen mother ... Having looked at Maria Medici for a moment - and very surprising her with his visit, the duke burst into the room of Anna of Austria.
The young queen was still in bed, and the duke fell on his knees in front of her bed and began to kiss the edge of the sheet on which Anna was lying ... The Countess de Lanois, an elderly respectable lady who was usually present at the awakening of Anna of Austria, said to him: “Sir, keep yourself in hand! We in France do not behave like that!”
To which the duke replied: “I am a foreigner and I am not obliged to comply with the laws of your state!”
And went back to work...
Finally, Anna found the strength to say that the duke was compromising her by his behavior, and ordered him to leave. But in parting, she allowed him to kiss her beautiful tender hand so that the duke departed for France forgiven - and rewarded!
The story with pendants happened in reality. Only the role of Lady Winter - the insidious Milady - was played by Lady Carlyle, Buckingham's mistress, rejected by him and wanting revenge. Richelieu deftly used her jealousy ...
As for the secret meetings - if there weren't any, how could Anna have managed to hand over the pendants to the duke?
«- But you never told me that you didn't love me either. And, really, to utter such words would be too cruel of Your Majesty. For, tell me, where can you find a love like mine, a love that neither separation, nor time, nor hopelessness could extinguish? Love, ready to be satisfied with a dropped ribbon, a thoughtful look, an inadvertently escaped word? It's been three years, ma'am, since I first saw you, and it's already three years since I love you so much! Do you want me to tell you how you were dressed when I first saw you? Do you want me to describe in detail even the trim on your dress? .. I see you, as now. You sat on cushions, according to the Spanish custom. You were wearing a green satin dress, embroidered with silver and gold, wide hanging sleeves were raised above the elbow, leaving free your beautiful hands, these marvelous hands, and fastened with fasteners from large diamonds. Lace ruffles covered the neck. On your head you had a small cap of the same color as the dress, and on your cap - a heron feather ... Oh yes, yes, I close my eyes - and I see you the way you were then! I open them - and I see you the way you are now, that is, a hundred times more beautiful!
- What madness! - whispered Anne of Austria, who did not have the courage to be angry with the duke for keeping her image so carefully in his heart. - What madness to nourish a useless passion with such memories!
- How else can I live? After all, I have nothing but memories! They are my happiness, my treasure, my hope! Each meeting with you is a diamond that I hide in the treasury of my soul. Today's meeting is the fourth jewel dropped by you and picked up by me. After all, in three years, madam, I have seen you only four times: I just told you about the first I met, the second time I saw you at Madame de Chevreuse, the third time in the gardens of Amiens ...
- duke, - blushing, whispered the queen, - don't forget this evening!
- Oh no, on the contrary: let us remember him, madam! This is the happiest, most joyful evening of my life. Do you remember what the night was like? The air was hazy and filled with fragrances. On the blue sky the stars twinkled. Oh, that time, madam, I managed to be alone with you for a short moment. At that time you were ready to tell me about everything - about your loneliness and about the suffering of your soul. You leaned on my hand... on this very one. As I leaned in, I felt your wonderful hair touch my face, and each touch made me tremble from head to toe. Queen, oh my queen! You do not know what heavenly happiness, what heavenly bliss is contained in such a moment! .. All my possessions, wealth, glory, all the days that I have left to live, I am ready to give for such a moment, for such a night! For that night, madam, that night you loved me, I swear to you!...
- My lord, perhaps ... yes, the charm of the place, the beauty of that wonderful evening, the effect of your look, all the countless circumstances that sometimes merge together to destroy a woman, united around me on that fateful evening. But you saw, my lord, the queen came to the aid of a weakening woman: at the first word that you dared to utter, at the first liberty to which I had to answer, I called my servant.
- Oh yes, it's true. And any other love, except mine, would not stand such a test. But my love, having overcome it, flared up even more, captured my heart forever. You thought that by returning to Paris you had escaped the meth, you thought that I would not dare to leave the treasure that my master had entrusted me with guarding. But what do I care about all the treasures, all the kings on everything the globe! Not even a week has passed since I returned, ma'am. This time, you had nothing to reproach the meth for. I risked the grace of my king, risked my life to see you even for a single moment, I did not even touch your hand, and you forgave me when you saw my repentance and humility.
Alexandre Dumas "Three Musketeers"
The intrigues of Anne of Austria against Cardinal Richelieu, which Dumas presents in his novel as the sweetest entertainments of the most beautiful of women, were in fact dangerous for France as a state.
Anna of Austria, having teamed up with Gaston of Orleans, the younger brother of the king - there is a version that Anna and Gaston were lovers - repeatedly plotted to kill Richelieu and imprison the king. Support was expected from Spain and Austria: from Anna's relatives. For this, Spain was promised the southern provinces of France, Austria - the northern provinces, and in the part that remains, Anna and Gaston were to rule in peace and harmony. Anna found unconditional support for her plans from Spanish and Austrian relatives, and only through the efforts of the brilliant Richelieu and his "spies" led by Father Joseph and Count de Rochefort, her plans collapsed over and over again.
Why is Dumas so lamenting about Richelieu's victories?
Why so mourns the death of Buckingham?
Wasn't he a patriot?
But, probably, he loved beautiful women too much and respected courage and daring in men too much. And Anna of Austria was beautiful - contemporaries said that not a single portrait could convey the charms of her face and graceful figure - and there’s nothing to say about Buckingham’s audacity and courage ...
In 1627, the Duke of Buckingham unleashed a “holy war” in support of the Protestants of the fortress city of La Rochelle, who came into conflict with the cardinal for the right to a fort on the island of Re: the fort originally belonged to the Larochelles, but the cardinal did not want the bastion closest to hostile England to remain in the hands of the Protestants.
Richelieu responded by laying siege to the city.
The British so zealously supported their brothers in faith in the besieged La Rochelle that everything went to the beginning of a new Hundred Years War, but during one of the battles, Mr. de Saint-Servin was captured by the British. He was brought to Buckingham - the duke wished to receive the Frenchman in his bedchamber - and, entering, he immediately saw a huge portrait of Anne of Austria over the duke's bed. Buckingham promised to release Saint-Servin if he obtained an audience with the queen and told her about the portrait, and told the cardinal that Buckingham was ready to stop hostilities and arms supplies to La Rochelle if he was received in Paris as the English ambassador.
Monsieur de Saint-Cervin did everything exactly, only to his misfortune he began with a visit to the cardinal. Richelieu was enraged by Buckingham's impudence and, in order to avoid the spread of gossip, imprisoned Saint-Servin in the Bastille.
Having received no answer from France, Buckingham began to prepare to sail to La Rochelle with a whole army ... But he was not lucky. And the people of La Rochelle, too.
The ships to La Rochelle never set sail.
The fortress fell after a long and painful siege.
But Monsieur de Saint-Cervin gained freedom - in exchange for a promise never to return to Paris.
Anna of Austria was shocked by Buckingham's death. Her grief knew no bounds. She locked herself in her chapel and day and night dangled for the soul of her beloved, completely forgetting that for catholic church Buckingham was a heretic...
And it was then that Louis XIII decided to take revenge on his wife for her undisguised indifference and for all the insults that he suffered from her. In early September, he scheduled a "home performance" with a ballet at the Louvre, in which Anna was supposed to dance one of the main parts.
Anna tried to refuse... The king insisted. As a result, she nevertheless agreed, but at the very first rehearsal she fainted and fell ill for several weeks in a nervous fever.
It was said that the Queen never forgot Buckingham. And allegedly she even kept Felton's knife in her box, rusted from the blood of the duke ... Alexandre Dumas also used this legend. But was it really? Who knows?
In 1631, Anna of Austria became pregnant, but a few months later a misfortune happened: she and the Duchess de Chevreuse were taking a horseback ride, and the Duchess offered to overcome the ravine at full gallop ... The queen's horse stumbled on the edge of the ravine, fell and crushed Anna under her. The queen was seriously injured and lost a child.
The king was angry, considered the irresponsible act of the Duchess de Chevreuse as a diversion and gave the order to imprison the hated intriguer in the Bastille!
The Duchess de Chevreuse had to flee to Switzerland.
The queen was left without a girlfriend - and without a desired child.
There was no beloved man in her life at that time either ...
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Plexus of bright love stories, intrigues and secrets in the life of Anna of Austria, wife of the French King Louis XIII, and to this day inspires writers, artists and poets. What of all this is true, and what is fiction?
Spanish Infanta Anna of Austria
Anna Maria Maurizia, Infanta of Spain, was born on September 22, 1601 in the city of Valladolid. Her father was the king of Spain and Portugal, Philip III (from the Habsburg dynasty). The mother was his wife, the daughter of the Austrian Archduke Karl Margarita of Austria.
Anna, like her younger sister Maria, was brought up in an atmosphere of strict morals and strict observance of the rules of etiquette inherent in the Spanish royal court. The education received by the infanta was very decent for her time: she mastered the basics of European languages, Holy Scripture and the genealogy of her own dynasty, she studied needlework and dancing. Anna of Austria, whose portrait was first painted when she was only one year old, grew up as a sweet and pretty girl, promising to turn into a true beauty in time.
The fate of the young princess was sealed in her very early years. When war was about to break out between Spain and France, Philip III and Louis XIII, who then occupied the French throne, signed an agreement. Infanta Anna of Spain was to become the wife of the French king, and Louis XIII's sister Isabella was to marry the son of the monarch of Spain, Prince Philip. In three years this agreement was fulfilled.
Queen and King: Anne of Austria and Louis XIII
In 1615, the fourteen-year-old Spanish Infanta arrived in France. On October 18, she was married to who was only five days older than her bride. The queen, bearing the name Anna of Austria, entered the throne of the French state.
Anna at first seemed to really charm the king - and yet the crowned couple did not work out. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the naturally passionate queen did not like her gloomy and weak husband. A couple of months after the wedding, relations between the spouses cooled noticeably. Louis cheated on his wife, Anna also did not remain faithful to him. In addition, she showed herself well in the field of intrigue, trying to pursue a pro-Spanish policy in France.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that for twenty-three years the marriage of Louis and Anna remained childless. Only in 1638 did the queen finally manage to give birth to a son, the future Louis XIV. And two years later, his brother, Philip I of Orleans, was born.
"Politics you made a poet ...": Anne of Austria and Cardinal Richelieu
There are many legends about the unrequited love of a powerful cardinal for a beautiful queen, some of which are reflected in famous works of art.
History indeed confirms that from the very first days of Anna's stay in France, her royal mother-in-law, Marie de Medici, who was regent during the Dauphine period of Louis XIII, assigned Cardinal Richelieu to her daughter-in-law as confessor. Fearing to lose power in the event that Anna manages to take control of her weak-willed spouse, Marie de Medici counted on the fact that the "red duke", a person loyal to her, would report on the queen's every step. However, she soon fell out of favor with her own son and went into exile. The heart of the cardinal, according to rumors, was won by the young beauty Anna of Austria.
Anna, however, according to the same sources, rejected Richelieu's advances. Perhaps a significant age difference played a role (the queen was twenty-four years old, the cardinal was almost forty). It is also possible that she, brought up in strict religious traditions, simply could not see in spiritual person man. Whether there were actually personal motives, or whether it all came down solely to political calculation, is not known for sure. However, between the queen and the cardinal, an enmity gradually arises, based on hatred and intrigue, which at times manifests itself quite openly.
During the life of Louis XIII, a party of aristocrats formed around the queen, dissatisfied with the harsh rule of the almighty first minister. In words royal, this party in fact was guided by the Austrian and Spanish Habsburgs - the enemies of the cardinal on the political stage. Participation in conspiracies against Richelieu finally aggravated the relationship between the king and queen - long time they lived completely apart.
Queen and Duke: Anne of Austria and Buckingham
The Duke of Buckingham and Anna of Austria... The biography of the beautiful queen is full of romantic legends and secrets, but it was this novel that gained fame as "the love of the whole century."
Thirty-three-year-old handsome Englishman George Villiers arrived in Paris in 1625, having a diplomatic mission - to arrange the marriage of his king Charles, who had recently assumed the throne, with the sister of the French monarch, Henriette. The visit of the Duke of Buckingham to the royal residence turned out to be fatal. Seeing Anna of Austria, he spent the rest of his life trying to woo her.
History is silent about the secret meetings of the queen and the duke, but if you believe the memoirs of their contemporaries, then the story of the pendants described by Alexandre Dumas in the immortal novel about three musketeers actually took place. However, she did without the participation of D "Artagnan - the Gascon that actually existed at that time was only five years old ...
Despite the return of the jewelry, the king, at the suggestion of Richelieu, finally quarreled with his wife. Queen Anne of Austria was isolated in the palace, and Buckingham was banned from entering French territory. Furious duke vowed to return to Paris in triumph military victory. He provided support from the sea to the rebellious Protestants of the French fortress-port of La Rochelle. However, the French army managed to repel the first British attack and put the city under siege. In the midst of preparations for a second fleet offensive, in 1628, Buckingham was killed at Portsmouth by an officer named Felton. There is an assumption (however, it has not been proven) that this person was a spy for the cardinal.
The news of the death of Lord Buckingham stunned Anne of Austria. From that time on, her confrontation with Cardinal Richelieu reaches its climax and lasts until the latter's death.
Queen Regent. Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin
Richelieu died in 1642, and a year later the king was gone. Anna of Austria received the regency with her infant son. Parliament and the nobility, who supported the queen in this, hoped to restore their rights, weakened by Richelieu's policy.
However, this was not destined to happen. Anna gave her trust to Richelieu's successor, the Italian Mazarin. The latter, having taken the rank of cardinal, continued political course his predecessor. After a hard internal struggle with the Fronde and a number of foreign policy successes, he further strengthened the position of ministers at the French court.
There is a version that the queen and Mazarin were connected not only by friendship, but also by love relationships. Anna of Austria herself, whose biography is known to us in places from her words, denied this. However, among the people, evil couplets and jokes about the cardinal and the queen were very popular.
After Mazarin's death in 1661, the queen felt that her son was old enough to rule the country on his own. She allowed herself to realize a long-standing desire - to retire to the monastery of Val-de-Grâce, where she lived for the last five years of her life. On January 20, Anna of Austria passed away. Main secret- what was more in the history of this French queen: truth or fiction - will never be revealed ...
