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For other uses of this term, see Isabel of Portugal (disambiguation).

Isabel of Portugal, Queen of Spain and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, by Titian.

Portuguese royalty
House of Aviz-Beja

Manuel I Children include    Miguel da Paz, Prince of Portugal and of Asturias    João, Prince of Portugal (future John III)    Infanta Isabel, Holy Roman Empress    Infanta Beatriz, Duchess of Savoy    Infante Luís, Duke of Beja    Infante Fernando, Duke of Guarda and Trancoso    Cardinal-Infante Afonso    Cardinal-Infante Henrique (future Henry I)    Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães    Infanta Maria, Lady of Viseu Grandchildren include    Philip II of Spain (future Philip I of Portugal)    António, Prior of Crato (future Anthony I) (illegitimate)    Infanta Maria of Guimarães, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza    Infanta Catarina of Guimarães, Duchess of Braganza Great-Grandchildren include    Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza    Ranuccio I Farnese of Parma Great-Great-Grandchildren include    John II, Duke of Braganza (future John IV of Portugal) John III Children include    Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal and of Asturias    João Manuel, Prince of Portugal Grandchildren include    Sebastião, Prince of Portugal (future Sebastian I)    Carlos, Prince of Asturias Sebastian Henry Anthony (disputed king)

Infanta Isabel of Portugal (English: Elizabeth, Italian: Isabella, pron. IPA: [izɐbɛɫ]) (October 23, 1503 – May 1, 1539) was a Portuguese infanta who lived in the 16th Century and a member of the House of Aviz. Upon her marriage to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Isabel also became an Empress of the Holy Roman Empire and Queen of Spain.

Isabel was the second child and eldest daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and his second wife, Infanta Maria of Castile and Aragon. She was named after her maternal grandmother, Isabella I of Castile and her aunt Isabella, Princess of Asturias, who had been her father's first wife.

Through her father, she was a granddaughter of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu (the second son of king Edward of Portugal and brother of Afonso V of Portugal) and Infanta Beatrice, the daughter of Infante João, Lord of Reguengos (brother of king Edward). Through her mother she was a granddaughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Isabel was second-in-line to the throne until the birth of her brother Louis in 1505. However, as the oldest daughter of Manuel I of Portugal, she was a rather attractive party. She married her first cousin, Charles, the son of Joan I of Spain and Philip of Habsburg, Duke of Burgundy and the heir to the crowns of Spain, Burgundy and the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1521 Isabel's father died and her brother succeeded to the throne as king John III. The marriage negotiations between the Portuguese and Spanish began almost immediately. It was agreed that the new king would marry Catherine of Habsburg, Charles V's younger sister. The union between Charles and Isabel only took place three years later, by procuration in 1525. The Infanta travelled to Seville where the wedding took place on March 10, 1526. With Isabel also came a huge dowry to the Spanish finances. Although it was a political union, the marriage proved to be a love-match. Records say that during their honeymoon "when [Charles and Isabel] are together, although there are many people around, they do not notice anyone else; they talk and laugh, and nothing else distracts them."

Isabel also proved to be a competent consort; she served as regent of Spain during her husband's absences, between 1529-1532 and 1535-1539. She was noted for her intelligence and beauty.

Isabel died in 1539 after the birth of her sixth child. The Emperor was away at the time and her premature death affected him deeply and he never remarried and dressed in black for the rest of his life.

After her death in 1547, the nobleman Francis Borgia convoyed her corpse to her burial-place in Granada. It is said that, when he saw the effect of death on the beautiful empress, he decided to "never again serve a mortal master", later becoming a Catholic saint.

In 1580, more than 40 years after her death, her son Philip succeeded the Portuguese throne, claiming his mother's successory rights.

Isabel married Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor on March 10, 1526. Their children were:

• Philip II of Spain (1527 - 1598), King of Spain and Portugal.
• Maria of Spain (1528-1603), married her cousin Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor.
• Ferdinand (1530)
• Joan of Spain (1535-1573), married her cousin Prince John of Portugal and was the mother of king Sebastian of Portugal.
• John (1539)