Written by Meg McGath

Margaret of Austria (10 January 1480 – 1 December 1530) was Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1507 to 1515 and again from 1519 until her death in 1530. She was the first of many female regents in the Netherlands. She was variously the Princess of Asturias, Duchess of Savoy, and was born an Archduchess of Austria.

Margaret was the second child and only daughter of Maximilian of Austria (future Holy Roman Emperor) and Mary of Burgundy, co-sovereigns of the Low Countries. She was named after her step grandmother, Margaret of York, who was sister to the York Kings Edward IV and Richard III.

Margaret was married to John, Prince of Asturias who was heir to Ferdinand II of Aragon & Isabel I of Castile. John was the eldest brother of future Queen Katherine of Aragon. Margaret’s brother married their sister, the future Juana I of Castile. That made Margaret a sister-in-law to Katherine and Juana. 

When the Prince died, Margaret stayed in Spain. In her time as Dowager Princess, it was suggested that she should teach her teenage sister-in-law, Katherine of Aragon, French. 

In 1501, Margaret married Philibert II, Duke of Savoy (1480–1504), whose realm played a decisive role in the rivalry between France and the Habsburgs.

Margaret was also familiar with English Ambassador Sir Thomas Boleyn, the father of the future Queen Anne Boleyn. In the Spring of 1513, a young Anne was sent to Margaret’s “Court of Savoy” at Mechelen Castle in Belgium. Anne was there until the late summer of 1514 when she moved to Paris to attend Queen Claude of France. Anne was eventually sent back to the English court of King Henry VIII of England. She became a lady to Katherine of Aragon who had married secondly to King Henry. By 1526, Henry became attracted to Anne after having an affair with her sister, Mary. Henry would go to extreme measures to move heaven and earth for Anne. In actuality, Henry just really needed to remarry and have a son. His current wife, Queen Katherine, would be banished from Court and would die alone as “Dowager Princess of Wales”. Their daughter Mary never saw her mother again. Mary would eventually become the first Queen Regnant of England and Ireland and Queen of Spain by marriage to Philip II who was a descendant of Margaret’s brother, Philip, who married Juana, Queen of Castile who was sister to Katherine of Aragon.

The seated girl at right may be intended to be Anne Boleyn. No source is named on Wikipedia as to who thought the young girl is actually Anne Boleyn as of January 25th, 2025.

© 2025 Meg McGath. All research and original commentary belong to the author.