Maria Manuela of Portugal – The tragic Princess of Asturias

Maria Manuela of Portugal was born on 15 October 1527 as the daughter of King John III of Portugal and his wife, Catherine of Austria. She was their second child but the first surviving one. Seven more siblings would follow, but just one brother would live long enough to father an heir.

The archbishop of Coimbra baptised Maria Manuela amidst grand celebrations. A woman named Mecia de Andrade was assigned to care for her. With the many deaths of her siblings, she was raised carefully and with anxiety about her health. Nevertheless, she survived the perils of childhood mortality. She was educated as befitting her status as a princess of Portugal and she learned Latin and Castilian. She was also educated in Christian piety and devotion as well as the skills of a “perfect married woman”, such as embroidery and sewing.¹

When she was two years old, it was written that “the Princess is very well and their Highnesses are extremely pleased with her, and they are right because she is very beautiful.”² From an early age, she was promised to her first cousin, the future King Philip II of Spain.

In 1543, the marriage between Maria Manuela and her cousin Philip was settled, which had been one of Catherine’s greatest desires, although it was quite controversial at the Portuguese court. Maria Manuela was second in the line of succession, and it was not outside the realm of possibilities that she could succeed to the Portuguese throne. Her mother had brought up Maria Manuela as a model of what a Princess should be, and she had been carefully prepared for her role as Princess of Asturias and future Queen. Dressed in a white satin dress with gold beading and rich jewels, Maria Manuela became the Princess of Asturias. Catherine wore black satin trimmed with velvet.³ She later wrote, “I’m happy to see what I wanted so much completed.”⁴

Although the ceremony had taken place in March, Maria Manuela did not leave Portugal until October. Catherine said goodbye to her daughter, knowing full well that they would likely never see each other again. Maria Manuela kissed her mother’s hand as she wept during their final farewell. Her father accompanied her part of the way, and it was later written that “one could clearly see the great love that the King had for the Princess and the great longing he felt for her.”⁵

Maria Manuela headed a procession where even the mules were draped with embroidered velvet, which arrived at the border at the end of October. She was carried across a bridge in a litter. She managed to win the love of the Castilians almost immediately. At the time, she was described as “not large in body” and “very beautiful and gentle.”⁶ There is no record of Philip’s first reaction to his bride, but he observed her disguise several times before officially meeting her. Following the in-person wedding, festivities went on until the early morning. Then came the bullfights and tourneys.

Finally, it was time to head back to Valladolid, and on the way there, the newlyweds stopped at Tordesillas to visit their common grandmother, Queen Joanna of Castile. She was reportedly lucid during their visit and asked them to dance for her.⁷ Maria Manuela had not even had her first period yet, and she underwent treatments for it during the early months of her marriage. In the summer of 1544, she had her first period, and she fell pregnant just a few months later.

On 8 July 1545, Maria Manuela gave birth to a son named Carlos. Everything seemed to have gone well, but Maria Manuela soon became ill with puerperal fever. She was bled several times in an attempt to save her life. One observer reported that “one would say they had bled her to the last drop.”⁸ She seemed to improve somewhat, but this did not last long. Then, “the attack became so severe that in a few hours, Extreme Unction was administered at the Princess’ request. The attack still increased until God took her to Himself on that day between four and five in the afternoon, amidst universal grief, such as Your Majesty may imagine. Her end was tranquil and Christian, and she left a will and codicil, made before her illness.”⁹ She died on 12 July 1545, four days after giving birth.

Philipo was “extremely grieved, as to prove he loved her; although judging by outward demonstration, some people thought differently.”⁹

Maria Manuela was first buried in the Royal Chapel of Granada but was later transferred to the Royal Crypt of the Monastery of El Escorial. Her son Carlos died childless at the age of 23.

1. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.268
2. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.192
3. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.271
4. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.272
5. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.278
6. Philip II by William Thomas Walsh p.70
7. Philip II by William Thomas Walsh p.72
8. Catarina de Austria by Ana Isabel Buescu p.285
9. Philip II by William Thomas Walsh p.74