Joanna of Castile

This article is about the Queen of Castile and Leon, for her 1st cousin see Joanna of Castile, Queen of Portugal

Joanna of Castile (6 November 1479 – 12 April 1555) was Queen of Castile and Aragon, Joanna was historically named "Joanna the Mad" or "Juana la loca" for her mental illness that affected her relationship with her father, son, and husband. Joanna parents Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, and Isabella I, Queen of Castile had no idea how bad Joanna's mental illness was so they often used corpal punishments on their mentally ill daughter.

Joanna married Phillip, Duke of Burgundy whom was known as "Phillip the Handsome" or "Phillip the fair". Phillip showed not affection for Joanna who madly was in love with him, Phillip's father wanted his son to marry Joanna so the kingdoms of Castile-Leon and Aragon and the Holy Roman Empire would create a union against the Kingdom of France.

Joanna became the heiress to the kingdoms of Castile-Leon and Aragon when her older sister Isabella of Aragon and her son Prince Michael. Joanna was now one of the most powerful heiresses in Europe. But Joanna did not care, the only thing she wanted was for her husband to love her, rumors were made that she put love potions in her husbands drinks so that he could love her, but none of them worked.

Joanna was the older sister of Catherine of Aragon whom was the first wife of Henry VIII, King of England when her sister was imprisoned so that Henry could marry Anne Boleyn, Joanna did nothing because she was in a nunnery.

Early life
Joanna of Castile was born on November 6, 1479 in the city of Toledo, Castile, Joanna was the third child of Isabella and Ferdinand whom were known as the Catholic monarchs. Joanna was the younger sister of Juan, Prince of Asturias, and Isabella of Aragon. Joanna was known to be very smart in her youth and she and her younger sister Catherine of Aragon resembled there mother Isabella of Castile the most. From birth she was given the title "Infanta of Castile" and "Infanta of Aragon".

There are no clear portraits of young Joanna of Castile, not much is known about her early childhood, but it is clear that she was closest to her younger sister Catherine out of all her sisters. Joanna's mental health had not struck her yet, she was like any other Spanish princess of her time.

Betrothal
At a very young age of 10 Joanna was Betrothed to Phillip of Austria, Duke of burgundy, Phillip was the son of Mary the Rich and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. Phillip's parents were not as powerful as Joanna's parents, but the marriage was designed to make an alliance against the Kingdom of France. But Phillip was seen as very scandalous, he was unfaithful, money and power hungry, and possibly could have bore a few illegitimate children with other woman.

But the union was created anyway despite the fact Joanna and Phillip were cousins, Phillip as Duke of Burgundy held many lands around Europe, he was Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Loither, along many other titles. Joanna and Phillip were married by proxy when Joanna was 11, and Phillip was 13.

Joanna's sister-in-law Archduchess Margaret of Austria married Joanna's older brother Prince Juan.

The plan was Margaret of Austria and Juan would become King and Queen of newly united Spain, and Joanna and Phillip would become Holy Roman Emperor, and Joanna would become Holy Roman Empress of the Holy Roman Empire.

Marriage
When Joanna was 11 she officially married Phillip of Austria. Joanna's father disliked Phillip because of his plans to take more power in Spain, Joanna's older brother Juan died, Joanna's sister-in-law was pregnant with Juan's son. Ferdinand and Isabella hoped that the child would be a son and it would take Aragon. But the child was a stillborn daughter. But Joanna was not heiress yet, her older sister Isabella was the new Princess of Asturias, Joanna's husband was becoming closer to gaining power in Castile, if Isabella of Aragon died Joanna was the knew heiress of Castile.

Mental Health
Joanna's Mental health after her marriage began to suffer, Phillip strongly disliked Joanna and would rather be in the company of woman more beautiful then Joanna, at the time woman were suppose to deal with the fact that there husband had lovers.

But Joanna was in love more then she had ever been, she wanted her husbands heart and she never wanted any woman near her husband. Joanna began to go mad by screaming at woman whom Phillip went to bed with, and stabbing them in the face with knifes, she also shaved the head of one of her husbands mistresses. This was not a good look for the future Holy Roman Empress.

Joanna horrified her parents by talking to them in a way men only talked in, Joanna also threatened to kill people who wanted to help her, her father Ferdinand had enough and thought that Corpal punishments would do the job.

One of Joanna's Corpal punishments was the "La Cueda" which was being hung by the hands were she would be suspended in thin air, her legs would be tied to heavy waits endangering Joanna's life, she would stay in thin air until she confessed which Joanna never did.

Imprisonment
Joanna's mental health failed, clearly the La Cueda did not work so Joanna was imprisoned at her father castle. Joanna cursed at her father and said things that no Spanish Infanta had ever said to there father. It was clear Joanna was mentally ill, so her father hired a teacher that would help Joanna, the teacher was strict and suppose to teach Joanna how not to go mad. But Joanna thought this was a plot to take her away from Phillip so she promised the teacher that if he was trying to change her she would kill him.

The teacher screamed and ran while Joanna chased him wife a knife. The teacher managed to escape after the gaits closed on Joanna, Joanna was cursed at by her father whom Joanna insulted, cursed, and threatened.

Heiress to Castile and Aragon
After the death of Isabella of Aragon and her son, Joanna was the next heiress, her husband Phillip now wanted to stand by with Joanna for power, Joanna was accepted in Castile and Aragon, she was created Princess of Asturias.

But she could not rule the kingdoms on her own, she was to mental. So the plan was her husband would act as regent. This plan was not agreed by Ferdinand whom wanted to gain Castile.

Trip to Flanders
When Phillip finally took time into creating in heiress to the Holy Roman Empire and the kingdom of Castile and Aragon, Joanna was pregnant. Joanna's husband hated living in Spain and wanted to go to Flanders. Joanna wanted to be with her husband so she wanted to go to, Ferdinand did not want his beloved daughter to leave were he cannot see her so he begged Phillip to stay.

Ferdinand said that Joanna might get sick on board and her baby could get sick, but Phillip was prepared to leave Joanna behind, But Joanna went anyway endangering the life of her child.

First child
On November 15, 1498 Joanna gave birth to a daughter named Eleanor, Eleanor was given the title Archduchess Eleanor of Austria because of her father whom was an Archduke. Eleanor was the current Heiress in Castile and Aragon after her mother, but Eleanor could not become Holy Roman Empress because of the Salic law.

Eleanor was raised by Phillip's sister Margaret of Austria, Joanna wanted to raise her daughter but she was not in the right mental health.

Second child
Joanna stayed in Flanders for another year and had a son named Charles, Charles bumped Eleanor's claim to the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish kingdoms and Charles became the new heir junior heir after his mother.

Charles's claim was now strong, he was not handsome though, Charles was inbred and had a long chin.

Return to Spain and trip to the Austrian Netherlands
After spending 2 years in Flanders, Joanna and Phillip returned to Castile, Ferdinand and Isabella greeted them back to Spain, Phillip disliked so he wanted to go to his palace in Brussels, Joanna came along as they set sail to the Hapsburg Netherlands, Joanna deeply disliked living in the Netherlands so she begged her husband to take her back to Castile, but he refused, he often wrote to Joanna's parents when she had mental breakdowns so he would have more reasons to control Joanna's lands when she becomes Queen.

Joanna was imprisoned in Phillip's palace, Joanna was used to imprisonment but she was not going to let her unfaithful husband win, she terrorized her husband for a whole night by banging on the floor and insulting and cursing at him. Phillip was not someone known for using curse words, so Phillip slapped Joanna in the face and strangled her so she would stop making noise.

Joanna's protests did not stop, Joanna would refuse to eat, drink, shower, or sleep for days, Phillip did not care though, even if Joanna did die of hunger or thirst, Phillip could still act as regent for there son Charles whom would become King of Castile, Phillip would still gain power either way so he did not bother forcing Joanna to eat or drink.

Pregnancy
While in Brussels, Joanna must have went to bed with her husband once because she had a daughter named Isabella, Isabella was separated from Joanna and put in the care of Joanna's sister-in-law Margaret of Austria.

Isabella would soon grow up to marry the king of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, but Isabella would be forced into exile because of her husband being deposed and she would die young.

Fourth Pregnancy
Joanna gave birth a fourth time in Castile to Archduke Ferdinand, Ferdinand unlike his older siblings only knew Spanish and did not learn German until he was older, he was educated in Spain, and raised, he was the first child of Joanna and Phillip to not be raised by Margaret of Austria. Ferdinand was raised by the castilion governesses.

Queen of Castile
In 1504 Joanna went back to Brussels, a few months later her mother Queen Isabella fell very sick with dropsy, when Joanna heard the news she was devastated, she went mad and she screamed for boats to go back to Castile, but her husband wanted to stay in Brussels until the actual death of Queen Isabella so he locked anything that Joanna could use to leave Brussels.

Joanna refused to sleep, and she cried for hours, but her husband stayed with his mistresses did not think about Joanna at all. Queen Isabella died on November 26, 1504 Joanna never forgave herself for not going to say goodbye to her beloved mother. Joanna was the next Queen so she traveled to Castile only to get ship wrecked and moved to England, there Joanna met her sister Catherine of Aragon whom was the Queen. Joanna stayed there for a short period before gping back to Spain.

Joanna was declared Queen the day of her mothers death, but she was actually crowned a few weeks after. Phillip was now the King Regent and her ruled Castile for Joanna. But the new fight for power began, Joanna's father Ferdinand wanted to gain regency of Castile, Phillip and Ferdinand started a war while Phillip imprisoned Joanna.

Death of Husband
Joanna's husband Phillip mysteriously died in 1506, most likely Phillip died of Typhoid fever, but rumors speculated Ferdinand killed Phillip, but rumors remain uncertain, Joanna had one daughter name Mary, Joanna had one other child after Phillip's death named Catherine. Catherine was the only daughter of Joanna to actually live with Joanna, Joanna's closest daughter was with no doubt Catherine. Joanna was devastated that her husband died and slept with his corpse until he was laid to rest in Granada.

Phillips lands were given to his eldest son Charles who became the Duke of Burgundy and the Lord of the Netherlands.

Fathers Regency
Ferdinand visited Joanna in 1506, Ferdinand did not expect to see of his daughter what he saw, when he came in Joanna attempted to kiss his feet, Ferdinand burst into tears, but he was not going to let his empathy get in the way of what he was trying to do.

Ferdinand asked for Castile, Joanna had no choice but to let Ferdinand act as her co-Monarch. Ferdinand imprisoned Joanna in Valladolid, Spain, Ferdinand allowed Joanna to bring her daughter Catherine with her, Joanna chose to bring Catherine with her to live with the nuns, Joanna did not trust anyone but her only daughter Catherine. Joanna feared that the nuns whom were taking care of her were going to kill her.

Joanna would remain imprisoned until 1516 when her father died.

Queen of Aragon and sons Regency
Ferdinand did not like Joanna's son Charles because of Phillip, so Ferdinand married a woman much younger then Joanna, Ferdinand married Germaine of Foix, Ferdinand wanted to have a son to bump Joanna out of the possibility of the chance to get the Aragonese throne. Ferdinand had two children whom both died in childbirth. Thus saying Joanna was back on top of the line of succession. In 1516 Joanna's father died, Joanna was now Queen of Aragon, but her son Charles now Holy Roman Emperor did the actual ruling, Charles had himself made Co-monarch to Joanna, Charles was widely hated for bringing the Hapsburgs into Spain, but Joanna was supported, a rebellion broke out and the rebels freed Joanna, they begged Joanna to depose her son. But Joanna was to kind and she refused, Charles was unfaithful even to his caring mother and had Joanna put in a prison with no windows, Joanna's daughter was taken away from her and married to John III, King of Portugal.

Death
Joanna was by now in 1555 very sick, so was her son Charles. Joanna was 75 and still imprisoned, she soon contracted Typhoid fever like her husband, she fell very ill and died. Her son did not care and continued to rule until his abdication in 1555.