Magdalena of Austria – The venerable Archduchess

Magdalena of Austria was born on 14 August 1532 as the daughter of the future Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary. She was their sixth child and fourth daughter, and she was born in Innsbruck.¹

She was just 14 years old when her mother died in childbirth. The sisters were educated by Countess von Thurn, a woman “of rare intellect and solid piety.”² Magdalena was especially adept at languages such as Latin and Italian.

Alongside her sisters Helena and Margaret, she expressed the wish to stay unmarried. On 1 January 1564, Rome was informed that the three Archduchesses “consecrated their virginity to God and decided to withdraw from the noise and splendour from the court as soon as possible.”³ Magdalena especially was known to be extremely pious, and she received the sacrament often.

Nevertheless, their father was not happy with their plans and he asked his daughter Anna to persuade Magdalena to marry the Duke of Ferrara. He eventually relented.⁴ Following her father’s death in 1564, she wore mourning clothes for the rest of her life.

The three sisters founded the Ladies’ Convent of Hall together, which opened in 1568. Unfortunately, her sister Margaret would not live long enough to move in. On their move-in day, Magdalena wrote, “On the 5th day of December, we come to Hall to move into our house. Thank God Almighty that it came to this. He wants to bestow his grace that the days may be ours. Life in this state serves God rightly and pleasingly. Amen. “⁵

Helena died in 1574 as well, and Magdalena led the convent alone for the next 22 years. She drew up statutes, mandated regular times of prayer, and attended mass three times a day.

She died on 10 December 1590 of dysentery at the convent and was interred alongside her sisters. ⁶ She specifically requested that there would be no marble monument to mark her grave. Instead, there is a simple slab. As part of her will, she wrote, “Above all, love and fear God.”⁷

In 1706, her coffin was moved, and her body was found to be remarkably well-preserved. Steps were made for her beatification, which currently lies dormant.

1. Die Habsburger by Brigitte Hamann p.271
2. Königin Magdalena von Österreich by Ludwig Rapp p.18
3. Zur Herrschaft geboren by Sabine Weiss p.190
4. Zur Herrschaft geboren by Sabine Weiss p.191
5. Königin Magdalena von Österreich by Ludwig Rapp p.72
6. Zur Herrschaft geboren by Sabine Weiss p.192
7. Königin Magdalena von Österreich by Ludwig Rapp p.174