Anne of Austria

This statue is located in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Anne of Austria (1601-1666), born in Valladolid, Spain, was the daughter of Philipp III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. At the age of 11, she was engaged to Louis XIII, in 1615 they were married by proxy and Anne became Queen of France at the tender age of 14. Only at the age of 37, after four miscarriages, she gave birth to Louis XIV (1638-1715), later known as the Sun King. Two years later Philippe I was born. After the death of her husband she assumed the regency, but entrusted the government to Caridinal Mazarin. When Louis XIV officially came of age, her regency ended and she retired to the Convent of Vâl-de-Grace where she died of breast cancer in 1666.