Margaret of Savoy, Vicereine of Portugal
| Margaret of Savoy | |
|---|---|
| Duchess consort of Mantua and Montferrat | |
Margaret of Savoy, Duchess consort of Mantua and Montferrat (oil by Frans Pourbus)
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| Spouse(s) | Francis IV, Duke of Mantua |
| Noble family |
House of Savoy (by birth) House of Gonzaga (by marriage) |
| Father | Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy |
| Mother | Catherine Micaela of Spain |
| Born |
28 April 1589 Turin |
| Died | 26 June 1655 (aged 66) Miranda de Ebro |
| Buried | Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas, Burgos |
Margaret of Savoy (28 April 1589 – 26 June 1655) was the last Habsburg Vicereine of Portugal. In Portuguese she is known as Duquesa de Mântua, being by marriage the Duchess of Mantua and Montferrat.
She was born in Turin, as the fifth child of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy (1562–1630) and Infanta Catherine Micaela of Spain, the daughter of Philip II of Spain. She was married to the future Francis IV, Duke of Mantua (1586–1612) and Montferrat on 19 February 1608. The wedding was celebrated in Turin. In 1612 Margaret's husband succeeded his father, Vincent I, as Duke of Mantua. Their marriage produced three children, but only one daughter, Maria, survived childhood. Francis died in 1612.
As the couple had no surviving male issue, Duke Francis' next brother succeeded him in the Duchy of Mantua, whereas in the Duchy of Montferrat he was succeeded by his three-year-old daughter Maria, because it had been historically inherited by females, as it was a margraviate. Indeed, it had been brought to the Mantuan princely dynasty (the House of Gonzaga) by the marriage of Margherita Paleologa, Margravine of Montferrat, in 1531. Accordingly, Maria's claims were asserted and Dowager Duchess Margaret required to be made her regent in Montferrat.
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