Diego von Österreich

Diego Félix of Austria was born on August 15, 1575, in Madrid and belonged to the Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasty. He was the second son of Philip II, King of Spain and later also of Portugal, and his fourth wife, Anne of Austria. His parents’ marriage was exceptionally close in dynastic terms: Philip and Anne were biological uncle and niece. Diego therefore came from one of Europe’s most powerful ruling families. His paternal grandparents included Charles I of Spain and Isabella of Portugal; on his mother’s side, they were Emperor Maximilian II and Maria of Spain. Diego’s birth took place during a difficult period for his family. His older brother Charles Laurence had died shortly before, while another older brother, Ferdinand, was initially regarded as heir to the throne. Queen Anne later stated that Diego’s birth had helped her overcome the shock and grief caused by the loss of her son. Diego thus grew up in a family where personal tragedies were closely intertwined with the political demands of a European monarchy. When Ferdinand died in 1578, Diego became the new heir to the Spanish crown at the age of three. On March 1, 1580, Philip II officially proclaimed him Prince of Asturias in Madrid, the traditional title of the Spanish heir to the throne. The poet Cristóbal de Virués wrote a sonnet for the occasion. That same year, Diego’s dynastic position changed again: Philip II became King of Portugal, making Diego heir to the Portuguese throne as well. From 1580 until his death, he therefore held not only the title of Prince of Asturias but also that of Prince of Portugal. The connection with Portugal was of great political importance to Philip II. The king planned for Diego to marry one of the daughters of John, Duke of Braganza, and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Portugal. Such a marriage could have strengthened relations with the Portuguese nobility, but the plan was never realized because of Diego’s early death. Philip also had his son taught Portuguese so that he would later be able to negotiate with Portuguese nobles and ministers. Diego lost his mother at an early age. Anne of Austria died at the age of only 30 while traveling to Portugal, while Philip II continued his journey and reached Lisbon. The care of the young prince was then provided mainly by his older half-sisters, Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catherine Michaela. They were children of Philip II’s third marriage to Elisabeth of Valois, who had died in childbirth seven years before Diego’s birth. Philip II was reportedly especially proud of Diego. The prince was considered unusually quick to learn from childhood and, according to the biographical tradition, acquired skills at a very early age. At two, he was said to already speak Spanish fluently. By the age of five, he had also learned to read and write and could dance. These abilities were not only the result of a careful court education but were also intended to prepare him for his future role as a ruler. In 1582, the king even had an elephant brought to his son as a gift by Francisco de Mascarenhas, the viceroy of India. Despite his position as heir, Diego never ascended a throne. Toward the end of 1582, he contracted smallpox and died in Madrid on November 21 at the age of seven. His death was a serious dynastic setback for the Spanish monarchy. Philip II was then forced to designate his last son, Prince Philip, as heir to the throne. At that time, the boy was still very young and in poor health. Concerned for the survival of the royal children, the king ordered that prayers for their health be offered continuously in Zaragoza’s cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Philip II died in 1598. His son ascended the Spanish throne as Philip III, and under him the Spanish line of the Habsburg dynasty continued. Diego himself remained a brief but politically significant figure: as an heir who died young, he represented the dynastic hopes through which Philip II sought to bind the rule of Spain and Portugal together permanently.