While her fate is decided at a court assembly, Joanna is able to successfully make her case, counting on the unquestionable support of her subjects. He finds an unlikely ally in Joanna's own father, king Fernando, who has remarried and has no further interest in either the fate of his daughter or in the kingdom of Castile. The King, encouraged by Señor de Veyre, resolves to take the rule of the kingdom for himself and shove Joanna out of the way. The Queen’s lack of control permits the manipulation of her enemies to have her declared incompetent to rule. Joanna is equally misguided in her attempt to regain Philip's attention by simulating a love affair with Captain Álvaro de Estúñiga, a close friend from her childhood. Unaware of this, the Queen relies on Beatriz to find a spell to help her retain her husband's love. To avoid any temptations at court, she hires only ugly-looking maids of honour to serve her, but in fact Aixa has been brought to court by Philip, passing as one of the court ladies under the name of Beatriz de Bobadilla. However, it is not the government that is on the Queen's mind she is fixated on retaining her husband’s love. The Admiral and the Queen's friend and confidant, Elvira, try unsuccessfully to rescue Juana from her marital obsessions. Joanna has her own set of supporters, the loyal Castilian royalists, headed by the Admiral of Castile. Their objective is to have Joanna declared insane and for Philip to take power away from her. The conspiring Flemish usurpers are headed by Señor de Veyre, Philip's right-hand man. With this new lover, the King becomes noticeably indifferent toward his wife, which adds to her increasingly insane jealousy.Īgainst the background of this troubled marriage, there are two opposed political parties at court, one Flemish, the other Castilian. Philip is soon bewitched by the charms and spells of Aixa, a Moorish prostitute who uses her sexual attraction and black magic to secure Philip's favour.
Her tantrums over her husband’s infidelities have made her start to become known as Joanna the Mad.Īt the Castilian court in Burgos, the Queen is happily greeted by her subjects, but her marital life is still in turmoil. Joanna thus becomes Queen of Castile and has to return to her kingdom. While Joanna despairs at her husband’s unfaithfulness, she receives further bad news. In a fit of jealousy, Joanna cuts the long red hair of her rival. Obsessed with her husband, Joanna surprises him in bed with a lover, who Joanna later successfully identifies as Inés de Brabante, one of the court ladies.
However, she is not interested in government.
The deaths of Joanna's brother, the stillbirth of her brother's daughter, her older sister's death and her sister's son's death unexpectedly make her heir of the Castilian and Aragones crowns. He is a restless man who finds entertainment in going hunting and in the arms of other women. Her love becomes consuming, but the intensity of her passion turns Philip away. This combination of love, lust and emotional dependency make the passionate Joanna deeply attached to her husband. Joanna has a daughter, followed shortly after by a son. Their passionate love making soon produces results. With his good looks and bed manners, Philip completely captivates his wife. The political alliance between their two countries has been consolidated and Joanna and Philip are very attracted to each other. Their union is initially a great success. He is equally pleased with his beautiful bride and orders the marriage to take place at that very moment so they can consummate their marriage without any delay. Once in Flanders, Joanna, young and inexperienced, is immediately smitten by her handsome fiancé. Joanna's siblings and her mother, Queen Isabella, bid her farewell. The marriage has been arranged for political purposes.
She is headed to Flanders to marry the Archduke of Austria, Philip, nicknamed the Handsome, a man she has never laid eyes on. In 1496, Joanna, the third child of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, is leaving Spain through the port of Laredo. She does not fear death, she says, because death would allow her to be reunited with her husband. Joanna remembers with emotion the man she loved passionately, but who brought her ruin. Seventy-four years old, Queen Joanna of Castile, called Juana la Loca (Joanna the Madwoman), is still mourning the loss of her husband who died a half century before. ( May 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. This section's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed.
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