Chapter 8 Habsburg Motherhood: The Power of Mariana of Austria, Mother and Regent for Carlos II of Spain Silvia Z. Mitchell “It is not clear if Salic Law has conserved the greatness of France or mostly prevented it,” 1 the Duke of Medinaceli commented with a tinge of sarcasm during the State Council deliberations on the marriage of Carlos II of Spain (ruled 1665–1700), while making the point that no diplomatic or territorial gains could be expected if the Spanish king married a French princess. 2 Although it was an offhand remark and not central to his main discussion, Medinaceli’s observation implicitly acknowledged that, unlike the French, the Spanish monarchy had been built on the principle of female inclusion. Habsburg women, with their substantial rights to inheritance and succession and as political partners with their husbands, children, or relatives were central to the establishment, consolidation, expansion, and survival of Habsburg rule in Spain. Members of the State Council had been pointedly reminded of this dynastic strategy: since 1674 they had met numerous times to debate the marriage between Carlos II and his niece, Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (1670–1692), who was not only a potential royal bride, but the heiress to the Spanish throne. 3 At the time, another Habsburg woman by birth and 1 “Demas que aquella Ley Salica que no es facil determinar si ha conservado la Grandeza de Franzia o estorvadosela mayor.” Juan Francisco de la Cerda, VIII Duke of Medinaceli (1637–1691), State Council deliberations, April 24, 1676. AHN Estado, leg. 2799. All translations are mine. 2 Salic Law refers to the juridical principle that women were excluded from inheriting the throne. Although scholars now agree that Salic Law was an “invention” of early modern jurists, it was in use nevertheless in France. See Viennot and Hanley. Salic Law was introduced in Spain by Philip V (ruled 1700–1746), a Bourbon by birth, although it was never fully accepted, and Isabel II inherited the throne in 1833. 3 They met to consider Maria Antonia and other potential brides on December 30, 1674, June 4, 1676, June 16 and 18, July 8, August 2 and 15, and November 26, 1677, and January 7, 11, 19, 21 and April 3 and 13, 1679. Maria Antonia remained a focus of the discussions until the very end, precisely because of her rights to the succession. She became the heiress to the Spanish throne after the death of her mother, Empress Margarita of Austria (1651–1673), who had been named second in the line of succession after her brother Carlos in Philip IV’s testament. The topic was extensively debated, and several ministers suggested that whether or not she married the king, the little archduchess should be reared in Spain in © Cruz, Anne J.; Stampino, Maria Galli, Dec 28, 2013, Early Modern Habsburg Women : Transnational Contexts, Cultural C Ashgate Publishing Ltd, Farnham, ISBN: 9781472411655