Mad Kings & Queens: Raving Royals and How To Survive Them (Wednesday, 2nd Period)
"Juana I de Castilla," Ghanima announced abruptly, once the students were seated. "Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon, Duchess of Burgundy, Duchess of Brabant, Limburg and Lothier, Duchess of Luxemburg, Margravine of Namur, Countess of Artois and Flanders, Countess of Charolais, Countess of Hainaut, Holland and Zeeland."
"Today is a lesson on love, lust, and power. Never confuse them, even in the presence of a romantic holiday."
"Queen Juana I of Castile was highly-strung and physically addicted to her dashing but adulterous husband, Philip the Handsome of Austria. Her passionate ardor was to grow wildly out of control, leading to profound jealousy, mental instability, and deranged antics that earned her the title of "Juana la Loca," or "Joan the Mad," " Ghanima said.
"As a child, Juana was sullen, moody, and solitary. Some interpreted her reclusive and haughty behavior as the hallmarks of natural majestic dignity," Ghanima smiled slightly, "of which there really is no such thing, but those close to her were disturbed to recognize in her moods a resemblance to her grandmother, the mad Queen Isabel of Portugal. At the age of sixteen, Juana was sipped off to Flanders to marry the only son of Emperor Maximilian I, the tall, dark, and dashing Philip. By all reports, the couple were instantly attracted to one another, and enjoyed an actively carnal relationship."
"The passion soon grew one-sided however, with Philip quickly reverting to his pastimes of feasting, drinking, and bed-hopping. Juana, incensed by his unfaithfulness, flew into uncontrollable rages, spending her nights pounding on the walls of her bedchamber. Philip refused to countenance her behavior, and punished her further by withdrawing all conjugal visits. Frustrated and increasingly unbalanced, Juana grew more hysterical the more Philip withdrew."
"The death of her only brother John, Prince of Asturias, her eldest sister Isabella of Asturias, Queen of Portugal, and then of the latter's infant son Miguel, Prince of Asturias, made Joanna the heiress of the Spanish kingdoms. Her only living siblings were Maria of Aragon and Catherine of Aragon, three and six years younger than Joanna. In 1502 the Castilian Cortes of Toro recognized Joanna as legitimate heiress to the Castilian throne, and Philip as her legitimate consort. She was then named Princess of Asturias, the title traditionally given to the heir of Castile. On receiving a cold reception from her mother, and with a husband desperate to return to his harem, a heavily pregnant Juana sunk further into despondency and irrationality. She lashed out at servants, kicking, screaming, and biting, and she hurled insults. Her family locked Juana in the Castle of La Mota, and Philip happily returned to Flanders without her."
"Imprisoned and pining for her husband, Juana's obsession grew. After giving birth, she managed to escape and make her way back to Flanders, abandoning her infant son. She arrived home to find her husband in bed with another mistress, and Juana snapped. She attacked the other woman, hacking off her hair and beating her."
"When Juana's mother died, she became the Queen of Castile. Pregnant again, the new queen traveled back to Spain to claim her inheritance, taking Philip with her," Ghanima said. "Juana wanted him as far from his mistresses as possible."
"By virtue of the agreement of Villafáfila, the procurators of Cortes met in Valladolid on 9 July. On 12 July, they swore Philip and Juana together as kings, and their son Charles as their inheritor." Ghanima drew the family tree out on the wipeboard as she spoke. "This arrangement did not last long. On 25 September 1506 Philip died suddenly of typhusfever in Burgos. Joanna, pregnant with her sixth child, was inconsolable. The lovestruck queen reportedly refused to be parted from her husband's body, and several times after he was entombed, she had his coffin opened to view his remains. When she fled the town of Burgos to escape the plague, she brought his coffin with her. She continued to open it on a regular basis to make sure he was still there, and on one occasion began to kiss his rotting corpse. When he daughter Catarina was born, Juana seized upon her as the final reminder of Philip, and guarded the child jealously, placing her in a locked tower in the castle of Tordesillas."
"Juana was ultimately declared incapable of assuming the monarchy, and both her father and oldest son ruled in her stead. After one visit, her son Charles advised she never be allowed in public again. Despite legally being the Queen of Spain, she languished alone in her windowless castle tower for nearly forty years before dying. Most historians believe she suffered from schizophrenia or post-partum depression, and she was kept locked away and imprisoned by her male family members, rather than killed, because she was needed to legitimize the claims of her father and son to the throne. Joanna only nominally remained Queen regnant of Castile until her death."
She is entombed in the Capilla Real of Granada, alongside her parents, her husband, and her nephew Miguel. Between 1498 and 1507 she gave birth to six children, two emperors and four queens, all of whom carried to some degree her seeds of madness."
"Today is a lesson on love, lust, and power. Never confuse them, even in the presence of a romantic holiday."
"Queen Juana I of Castile was highly-strung and physically addicted to her dashing but adulterous husband, Philip the Handsome of Austria. Her passionate ardor was to grow wildly out of control, leading to profound jealousy, mental instability, and deranged antics that earned her the title of "Juana la Loca," or "Joan the Mad," " Ghanima said.
"As a child, Juana was sullen, moody, and solitary. Some interpreted her reclusive and haughty behavior as the hallmarks of natural majestic dignity," Ghanima smiled slightly, "of which there really is no such thing, but those close to her were disturbed to recognize in her moods a resemblance to her grandmother, the mad Queen Isabel of Portugal. At the age of sixteen, Juana was sipped off to Flanders to marry the only son of Emperor Maximilian I, the tall, dark, and dashing Philip. By all reports, the couple were instantly attracted to one another, and enjoyed an actively carnal relationship."
"The passion soon grew one-sided however, with Philip quickly reverting to his pastimes of feasting, drinking, and bed-hopping. Juana, incensed by his unfaithfulness, flew into uncontrollable rages, spending her nights pounding on the walls of her bedchamber. Philip refused to countenance her behavior, and punished her further by withdrawing all conjugal visits. Frustrated and increasingly unbalanced, Juana grew more hysterical the more Philip withdrew."
"The death of her only brother John, Prince of Asturias, her eldest sister Isabella of Asturias, Queen of Portugal, and then of the latter's infant son Miguel, Prince of Asturias, made Joanna the heiress of the Spanish kingdoms. Her only living siblings were Maria of Aragon and Catherine of Aragon, three and six years younger than Joanna. In 1502 the Castilian Cortes of Toro recognized Joanna as legitimate heiress to the Castilian throne, and Philip as her legitimate consort. She was then named Princess of Asturias, the title traditionally given to the heir of Castile. On receiving a cold reception from her mother, and with a husband desperate to return to his harem, a heavily pregnant Juana sunk further into despondency and irrationality. She lashed out at servants, kicking, screaming, and biting, and she hurled insults. Her family locked Juana in the Castle of La Mota, and Philip happily returned to Flanders without her."
"Imprisoned and pining for her husband, Juana's obsession grew. After giving birth, she managed to escape and make her way back to Flanders, abandoning her infant son. She arrived home to find her husband in bed with another mistress, and Juana snapped. She attacked the other woman, hacking off her hair and beating her."
"When Juana's mother died, she became the Queen of Castile. Pregnant again, the new queen traveled back to Spain to claim her inheritance, taking Philip with her," Ghanima said. "Juana wanted him as far from his mistresses as possible."
"By virtue of the agreement of Villafáfila, the procurators of Cortes met in Valladolid on 9 July. On 12 July, they swore Philip and Juana together as kings, and their son Charles as their inheritor." Ghanima drew the family tree out on the wipeboard as she spoke. "This arrangement did not last long. On 25 September 1506 Philip died suddenly of typhusfever in Burgos. Joanna, pregnant with her sixth child, was inconsolable. The lovestruck queen reportedly refused to be parted from her husband's body, and several times after he was entombed, she had his coffin opened to view his remains. When she fled the town of Burgos to escape the plague, she brought his coffin with her. She continued to open it on a regular basis to make sure he was still there, and on one occasion began to kiss his rotting corpse. When he daughter Catarina was born, Juana seized upon her as the final reminder of Philip, and guarded the child jealously, placing her in a locked tower in the castle of Tordesillas."
"Juana was ultimately declared incapable of assuming the monarchy, and both her father and oldest son ruled in her stead. After one visit, her son Charles advised she never be allowed in public again. Despite legally being the Queen of Spain, she languished alone in her windowless castle tower for nearly forty years before dying. Most historians believe she suffered from schizophrenia or post-partum depression, and she was kept locked away and imprisoned by her male family members, rather than killed, because she was needed to legitimize the claims of her father and son to the throne. Joanna only nominally remained Queen regnant of Castile until her death."
She is entombed in the Capilla Real of Granada, alongside her parents, her husband, and her nephew Miguel. Between 1498 and 1507 she gave birth to six children, two emperors and four queens, all of whom carried to some degree her seeds of madness."