Isabel Clara Eugenia of Austria

The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia (1566-1633) was the eldest daughter of Philip II and Isabella of Valois. She could have become queen of France claiming the throne through the mother and although Philip II worked hard to achieve this goal, it was not possible to take the crown from Henry IV of Bourbon. Nevertheless, the marriage with her cousin, Archduke Albert of Habsburg, however, marked a turning point in her life, especially since Philip II gave the government of the Netherlands as a dowry to his son-in-law. The dukes exercised this government since 1599 and in 1621, on the death of Albert, Isabel continued to rule over the Burgundian territories until her death in 1633. Like the other women of the royal family of the Habsburgs, the Infanta led a life inspired by devotion and respect for Catholic values. Once widowed, she spent much of her time in the convent of the Discalced Carmelites in Brussels, founded by herself.