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Mariana of Austria

Type Figure Region Spain Time 1634–1696 Also known as Queen Regent Mariana of Spain

Mariana, sister of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, married King Philip IV of Spain in 1649;…

Timeline

  1. 1649–1665Madrid · SpainMariana married Philip IV in 1649, becoming Queen of Spain and bearing several children, of whom only the youngest, Charles II, survived. Between 1661 and 1665, though nominally only the royal consort, she took part in court decision-making as the king's health declined, exerting influence on fiscal austerity and foreign war policy.
  2. 1665–1675Madrid · SpainAfter Philip IV's death in September 1665, Mariana served as regent for the four-year-old Charles II. Between 1665 and 1670 she relied on her favorite, Núñez de Haro, to handle state affairs, continued to press the war to restore Portugal, and maintained diplomatic maneuvering toward France. Court factional struggles were intense during the regency, and her decision-making ability was widely disputed.

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