Anne of Austria, Queen of France

Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV, and Philippe, became a widow five years after she delivered her first born son, the future king of France. For many years she had suffered as the wife of the jealous and obsessive Louis XIII, who threatened her to exile if she misbehaved in any form. With the tyrannical Richelieu as his chief advisor, the King had his own mother sent to exile. Anne's heart had been seared when the young king had to be carried in to marry her. He had not wanted to marry but was forced to when only a child, a teenager. As a consequence, she was barren of child for 23 years. During that time, her husband the king had her watched for signs of betrayal. She feared going into exile but managed to survive the cruelty of the court. During a winterstorm, when the king was unable to get to his chateau, he was forced to move into her apartments where for some reason or other they finally overcame the problem of separation to create a circumstance whereupon she became pregnant with child, thus, saving the monarchy for France. The probability is that the King well knew that he needed a successor to the throne. After 23 years of chastity, at last the Queen gave birth to young Louis who would succeed his father. Two years later, she gave birth to another son, which somehow or other expelled the belief that she and her spouse could not get along. Proud as the father had been, it was the exclusive role of the mother to rear this child to become the future King. Since she was a Princess of Spain, she knew well the full meaning and importance of the new born child. She ruled his life so that he was never to be threatened by even his younger brother as her own husband had endured. Five years later, the King died, probably due to incompetency of his physician, and his first child named for him, Louis XIV, became in fact the new King of France. Anne curtsied before her young son upon the death of his father. ****With the help of Cardinal Mazarin, Anne acted as Regent to the young King, and made all the decisions regarding the French kingdom. She protected him during the time that the mobs in Paris stormed his bedroom, demanding to see him, proving that he was still present in the court. She and Cardinal Mazarin guided and directed the young child in all his activities so that he would one day become the ruler of France. She insured that Philippe would never be an overt threat to the eldest son. While Louis XIV had to suffer learning the procedures necessary to rule, Philippe was trained to become an indolent and passive child, dressed in girls clothing, he became a form of transvestite. Anne is who is to blame for Philippe's lifestyle as she imposed it upon him. After Cardinal Mazarin died, Louis XIV at age of 23 became the sole ruler and because of the stern Richelieu determined that he would not have a prime minister. Anne took a back seat from that day on, but she was ever present to always lend a hand to the children she had borne. She eased the tears of the young Queen who would run to her for assistance when the King broke her heart. Anne admonished young Louis whenever his affairs became an embarrassment to the family and the court. Because she had entrusted Louis XIV with the rule of government, she gave Philippe the most property in her will upon her death. She gave to Philippe much more attention at times than people realized. He was who stayed with her at the time of her death long after the King had left. Anne died from breast cancer, a cruel disease from which she suffered terribly. She left as a heroine to her young son, the King, who credits her with having saved the crown and the throne for him. Anne is truly one of the greatest queens who has served France.