Portuguese Royalty. The posthumous daughter of Philipp I and Joanna of Castile, when her mother was imprisoned at castle Tordesillas, Catherine accompanied her. While her five siblings were raised at the courts in Mecheln and Madrid she lived in a small room which was located behind her mothers room. When her brother Charles and her sister Eleanor visited their mother the first time in 1517 they freed Catherine and brought her to Valladolid. Her mother was hit hard by the separation and she returned to Tordesillas a few days later. From now on she had her own servants and received appropriate education. In 1525 she married the widowed King of Portugal, João III, and was mainly responsible for introducing the Inquisition in 1536. In 1557 shortly before his death João named her regent for his three year old grandson Sebastian. She shared the regency with her brother-in-law Henry. When she was more and more criticized for her regency she retired to a monastery. But when it became clear that Sebastian was mentally unstable she again tried to influence politics. She was unable to prevent his campaign to Morocco in 1578. She had already died when the news of his death reached Lisbon.
Portuguese Royalty. The posthumous daughter of Philipp I and Joanna of Castile, when her mother was imprisoned at castle Tordesillas, Catherine accompanied her. While her five siblings were raised at the courts in Mecheln and Madrid she lived in a small room which was located behind her mothers room. When her brother Charles and her sister Eleanor visited their mother the first time in 1517 they freed Catherine and brought her to Valladolid. Her mother was hit hard by the separation and she returned to Tordesillas a few days later. From now on she had her own servants and received appropriate education. In 1525 she married the widowed King of Portugal, João III, and was mainly responsible for introducing the Inquisition in 1536. In 1557 shortly before his death João named her regent for his three year old grandson Sebastian. She shared the regency with her brother-in-law Henry. When she was more and more criticized for her regency she retired to a monastery. But when it became clear that Sebastian was mentally unstable she again tried to influence politics. She was unable to prevent his campaign to Morocco in 1578. She had already died when the news of his death reached Lisbon.
Bio by: Lutetia
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