The unexpected death of Philip of Habsburg
In Burgos, the former capital of the Castilian-Leonese Crown, on September 25, 1506, the mysterious death of Philip of Habsburg, also known as ‘the Beautiful’, occurred. Felipe, husband of Juana I of Castile and son-in-law of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, died after five days of painful agony. Although it was officially said to be pneumonia, the symptoms he presented were more typical of poisoning. This event once again generated a struggle for power over the Castilian throne and provoked the intervention of Ferdinand II, who had been isolated in Barcelona since the death of Isabella the Catholic in 1504.
The suspicions behind his death
Isabella the Catholic, due to her distrust of Ferdinand and his circle, left her daughter Juana, who was married to Philip of Habsburg, as her successor. Juana, who suffered from mental health problems aggravated by the cruel treatment of her father-in-law, Maximiliano, and the venereal diseases transmitted by her husband, found herself incapable of governing. Upon his death, Ferdinand II sought to take control, but the Castilian-Leonese courts, who never trusted him, rejected him with the famous phrase ‘old Catalan, return to your nation’.
Documented issues regarding Felipe’s death
In mid-September 1506, Felipe went to Burgos. After a ball game in a cold environment, he began to experience fever, discomfort and finally, on September 20, he spit up blood. He died on the night of the 24th to the 25th, at the residence of Bernardino Fernández de Velasco and his wife, Juana de Aragón-Nicolau, illegitimate daughter of Fernando II, which reinforces suspicions about his death.
The enigmatic end of Catherine of Aragon
At the end of the 15th century, the alliance between the Tudors and the Catholic Monarchs sought to stabilize the English throne. Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, married Arthur, heir to Henry VII, in 1501. However, Arthur died shortly afterwards, and Catherine was kept in London by order of Henry VII, eventually marrying Henry VIII in 1509. .
Suspicions about his death
Catherine died on 7 January 1536 at Kimbolton, officially from a heart tumor. However, her supporters accused Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn of her death, suggesting that they had used poison to get rid of Catherine, who would not accept the divorce and had become a hindrance to Henry VIII’s plans.
The suspicious death of Francis of Brittany
In the same year as Catherine’s death, August 10, 1536, Francis, the Dauphin of France, died in a castle near Lyon. Son of King Francis I of France and Claudia of Brittany, his life was marked by hostility and conspiracies.
Poisoning in Lyon
At the age of 18, Francisco sought support from those around him, but met his end by vomiting blood. His father accused the Spanish monarch Charles of Ghent of promoting his poisoning. On the other hand, Henry and Catherine de’ Medici, who succeeded him, alleged that his death was the result of a night of excesses.
Deaths that changed history
The deaths under suspicious circumstances of these three characters significantly influenced the course of history. The death of Philip of Habsburg returned Ferdinand II to the political arena, Catherine of Aragon reinforced England’s maritime independence, and the death of Francis of Brittany consolidated France’s dominance over Brittany, setting the stage for future disputes. Thus, these tragic outcomes shaped the political and territorial panorama of Europe.