Social Science, 2º B

1. THE
PRINCESS
OF
EBOLI
Teresa García, 2º B

2. INDEX
1. Introduction
2. Mendoza family
3. Childhood in Cifuentes
4. The eye patch
5. Ruy Gómez de Silva
6. Marriage
7. Madrid
8. Pastrana
9. Santa Teresa de Jesús
10. Back to the Court
11. Murder of Juan de Escobedo
12. Imprisonment
13. Death
14. Bibliography

3. 1. INTRODUCTION
Ana de Mendoza y de la
Cerda (the Princess of
Eboli) is one of the most
interesting women of 16th
century. She was born and
lived in the province of
Guadalajara.

4. 2. THE MENDOZA FAMILY
The Princess of Eboli was the
only daughter of Diego de
Mendoza and Catalina de
Silva.
Her family was one of the
most important of the time:
the Mendoza. Her great-
grandfather was Pedro
González de Mendoza (Gran
Cardenal ), prime minister of
the Catholic monarchs.Gran Cardenal Mendoza

5. 3. CHILDHOOD IN
CIFUENTES
Ana was born the 20th of June of 1540 in Cifuentes. She was
baptized and lived her first years in that place. She lived with
her mother in a palace (that has disappeared) and also in a
castle.
Castle of Cifuentes

6. 4. THE EYE PATCH
It is not known with
certainty why he wore a
patch over his right eye.
Some people think it was
beacause she had an
accident while she was
playing with a rapier with
a page during her childhood,
in Cifuentes or Alcalá de
Henares.

7. 5. RUY GÓMEZ DE SILVA
Ruy Gómez de Silva (1516-1573)
was born in Portugal and died in
Madrid.
He came to Castile to accompany
Isabel of Portugal (future wife of
Carlos I). Later, he was named
secretary of FelipeII.
He got married with Ana, with
the help of the king. He bought
Eboli (in the kingdom of Naples)
and Pastrana. Felipe II named
him prince of Eboli and duke of
Pastrana.

8. 6. MARRIAGE
In 1533 Ana married to
Ruy Gómez de Silva, with
13 years old.
They lived together in
Pastrana and Madrid. She
had 10 children, 4 of them
died when they were young.
She was princess of Eboli,
countess of Mélito and
duchess of Pastrana.

9. In 1554 Ruy accompained
Felipe II to London to
marry with María Tudor
and he spent long seasons
without the princess.
Ana lived with his mother
in Valladolid and Simancas.
Felipe II and María Tudor, 1558, Hans Eworth

10. In 1561 Felipe II moved the capital of the Court of Toledo to Madrid,
(to Royal Alcazar). The Alcazar was burned in the 18th century and
the current Royal Palace was built instead of it.
7. MADRID

11. From 1559 to 1569 Ana and
Ruy lived in Madrid, there
the princess gave birth to
most of her children.
Ana was friend of the queen
Isabel de Valois (married in
1560 to Felipe II in The
Palace of “El Infantado” in
Guadalajara).
Isabel de Valois sosteniendo un retrato de Felipe II,
1563, Sofonisba Anguissola. Museo del Prado

12. 8. PASTRANA
The dukes lived from 1569 in the renaissance palace of
Pastrana, work of Alonso de Covarrubias. They took moriscos
from the Alpujarras to the population and they started an
industry with the silk.
They founded the Iglesia Colegial and helped to the creation
of two convents with Santa Teresa de Jesús.

13. 9. SANTA TERESA DE JESÚS
Santa Teresa de Jesús (1515-1582).
She was born in Avila and died in
Alba de Tormes. She was an
important religious, foundress of
“las carmelitas descalzas”, mystic
and writer.
In 1573 Ruy Gómez died and the
princess became nun in the convent
of “las Carmelitas de la
Concepción”. She had many problems
with Santa Teresa and left the
convent.
Santa Teresa de Jesús da el hábito a Juan Narduch y Mariano
Azzaro. Museo Franciscano de Pastrana.

14. Felipe II
Antonio Pérez
Juan de Escobedo
Juan de Austria
10. BACK TO THE COURT
Princess of Eboli

15. In 1576 the princess´s mother died and Ana moved again to
live in Madrid with her children. The new wife of Felipe II
was Ana de Austria (mother of the future king Felipe III).
In the Court the princess of Eboli met some of these
characters:
Ana de Austria, 1571, Alonso Sánchez Coello
Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid

16.  Felipe II (1527-1598). He was born in Valladolid and died in El
Escorial. King of Spain. Son of Carlos V and Isabel de Portugal.
During his rule the Spanish empire reached its maximum apogee.
 Antonio Pérez (1540-1611). He was born in Madrid and died in
París. When Ruy Gómez de Silva died he succeeded him as secretary
of Felipe II. As a child he lived in Valdeconcha (Guadalajara) and
studied in Alcalá de Henares.
 Juan de Escobedo (1530-1578): He was born in Colindres and
died in Madrid. Secretary of Juan de Austria.
 Juan de Austria (1545-1578). He was born in Ratisbona
(Germany) and died in Namur (Netherlands). Ilegitimate son of
Carlos V. He was diplomatic and military under the orders of his
step brother, Felipe II. Hero in the battle of Lepanto.

17. 11. MURDER OF JUAN DE
ESCOBEDO
In Madrid, the princess established friendship with Antonio
Pérez. Some testimonies indicate that they maintained
relationships.
In 1578 Juan de Escobedo died in Madrid because he was
stabbed. The king Felipe II accused Ana and Antonio Pérez of
the murder.
Plaque of the street in Madrid
where the succes took place

18. 12. IMPRISONMENT
The 28th of July of 1579, at
eleven pm, the king ordered to
arrest Ana and Antonio Pérez.
The princess was imprisoned
in the Tower of Pinto during
six months.
In 1580 she was moved to the
Fortress of Santorcaz.
In 1581 Felipe II ordered to
move the imprisonment to the
palace of Pastrana.
Tower of Pinto
Fortress of Santorcaz

19. At the beginning Ana could move in the palace and be accompained.
In 1590, Antonio Pérez escaped from his prission and the king
imprisoned Ana in a room of the palace accompained by her little
daughter and a maid. Every day she was allowed to look out of a
window with bars only an hour. That window (and the square) was
called “of the Hour”.

20. We can´t never know the real reasons of the Ana´s
imprisonment: the relationship with Antonio Pérez, intrigues
related to the throne of Portugal, with Juan de Austria, etc.

21. Ana died in 1592, in her
prission of Pastrana. She
was 13 years imprisoned.
The urn with her remains
are in la Colegiata de la
Asunción of Pastrana.
Under her urn are the
remains of her husband.
13. DEATH

22. 14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Antonio Herrera Casado. “La Princesa de Éboli : una
guía para descubrirla”. Guadalajara, AACHE, 2000.
• www.pastrana.org
• www.cifuentes.es