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Sunday, April 12, 2009

Today, 454 years ago

On April 12, 1555, at six o'clock in the morning, Queen Juana of Castile died in the castle of Tordesillas after an agonizing battle with gangrene and forty-six years of imprisonment. She was attended in her final hours by Francisco de Borja, one of the most influential Jesuit leaders.

Her last words were: "Jesus Christ crucified, be with me."

She was seventy-six years old and the last queen of Spanish blood.

4 comments:

Michelle Moran said...

So sad! What a life...

C.W. Gortner said...

Truly, she deserves to be reincarnated as a rose: brief, beautiful, and painless.

Still, I found it curious that she died on Holy Week, one of Spain's most honored religious times. Even in dying, she had a sense of the dramatic!

Cheryl said...

Very curious indeed Christopher.

I received my paperback copy of your book last week and I look forward to reading it.

All my best,

Cheryl

Passages to the Past said...

I second what Michelle said! I cannot imagine 46 years of imprisonment. It would be fitting if she were reincarnated as a butterfly so she will always be free!

I'm grateful that this lovely woman has someone like you to tell her story in such a wonderful way!