born Sept. 22, 1601, Valladolid, Spain
died Jan. 20, 1666, Paris, France
Queen consort (1615–43) of Louis XIII of France and regent (1643–51) for her son Louis XIV .
Daughter of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria, Anne married the 14-year-old Louis XIII in 1615. He treated her coolly, and the powerful cardinal de Richelieu attempted to limit her influence over her husband. After Louis XIII died and she was declared sole regent, she strove to ensure that her son would succeed to the absolute power Richelieu had won for Louis XIII. Together with her first minister, Cardinal Mazarin , she faced the series of revolts known as the Fronde . Her regency ended in 1651, when Louis XIV was proclaimed of age to rule.
Anne of Austria, detail of a portrait by Peter Paul Rubens, in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam