ELISABETH DE VALOIS (1545-1568, queen of Philip II of Spain). Autograph letter signed ('Votre tres humble et tres obeissante fille Elizabet') to Catherine de Medicis (her mother), n.p. [Mazarambros], n.d. [late January 1561], integral adress leaf, 3 pages, folio .
ELISABETH DE VALOIS (1545-1568, queen of Philip II of Spain). Autograph letter signed ('Votre tres humble et tres obeissante fille Elizabet') to Catherine de Medicis (her mother), n.p. [Mazarambros], n.d. [late January 1561], integral adress leaf, 3 pages, folio . 'Je vous dires come ie suis la plus heureuse fame du monde': an account of the devotion shown by her husband the king while she has been ill with smallpox: 'le roy mon seigneur soit atolede lequel dit estre si seul qui[l] desire que ie sois tost de retour cet fait bien ofice de bon mary car tant comme iay eu la fievre il na iamais bouge dissy et ne la on iamais ceu enguarder quil me vint vois tous les iours et depuis quil est a tolede y est venu trois fois ie vous dires comme is suis la plus heureuse fame du monde et ne tiens cet [bon]heur que de vous aussy madame'. Elisabeth also praises Madame de Clermont (her governess) for her care of her and Madame de Vineux (her lady in waiting), who has cared for her cousin [Anne de Bourbon Montpensier] also stricken with smallpox ('elle a pris la verolle mais elle nen a pas tant sur le cors que ien avois sus une main'), describing the treatment of her skin with an ointment ('de longnemant sitren sus le visage et sus les mains'), and concluding with two recommendations. Elisabeth was taken ill with a virulent form of smallpox at the beginning of January, and her life was at first despaired of while her husband was said to be distraught with grief. Within a few weeks the crisis had passed and Elisabeth left to join him at Toledo early in February. The French ambassador, Sébastien de l'Aubespine, was also infected. The marriage in 1560 of Elisabeth to Philip II, the widower of Mary Tudor, was intended to mark the end of the war between Hapsburg and Valois but the present letter also suggests a genuine affection between her and the king. She died in premature childbirth in October 1568, shortly after the death of her stepson, Don Carlos, with whom, on scant evidence, her name was romantically linked by later writers.
ELISABETH DE VALOIS (1545-1568, queen of Philip II of Spain). Autograph letter signed ('Votre tres humble et tres obeissante fille Elizabet') to Catherine de Medicis (her mother), n.p. [Mazarambros], n.d. [late January 1561], integral adress leaf, 3 pages, folio .
ELISABETH DE VALOIS (1545-1568, queen of Philip II of Spain). Autograph letter signed ('Votre tres humble et tres obeissante fille Elizabet') to Catherine de Medicis (her mother), n.p. [Mazarambros], n.d. [late January 1561], integral adress leaf, 3 pages, folio . 'Je vous dires come ie suis la plus heureuse fame du monde': an account of the devotion shown by her husband the king while she has been ill with smallpox: 'le roy mon seigneur soit atolede lequel dit estre si seul qui[l] desire que ie sois tost de retour cet fait bien ofice de bon mary car tant comme iay eu la fievre il na iamais bouge dissy et ne la on iamais ceu enguarder quil me vint vois tous les iours et depuis quil est a tolede y est venu trois fois ie vous dires comme is suis la plus heureuse fame du monde et ne tiens cet [bon]heur que de vous aussy madame'. Elisabeth also praises Madame de Clermont (her governess) for her care of her and Madame de Vineux (her lady in waiting), who has cared for her cousin [Anne de Bourbon Montpensier] also stricken with smallpox ('elle a pris la verolle mais elle nen a pas tant sur le cors que ien avois sus une main'), describing the treatment of her skin with an ointment ('de longnemant sitren sus le visage et sus les mains'), and concluding with two recommendations. Elisabeth was taken ill with a virulent form of smallpox at the beginning of January, and her life was at first despaired of while her husband was said to be distraught with grief. Within a few weeks the crisis had passed and Elisabeth left to join him at Toledo early in February. The French ambassador, Sébastien de l'Aubespine, was also infected. The marriage in 1560 of Elisabeth to Philip II, the widower of Mary Tudor, was intended to mark the end of the war between Hapsburg and Valois but the present letter also suggests a genuine affection between her and the king. She died in premature childbirth in October 1568, shortly after the death of her stepson, Don Carlos, with whom, on scant evidence, her name was romantically linked by later writers.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
