Anna II of Genovia

**Anna II** (or **Anna Maria**; 24 February 1500 - 6 May 1552) was **Queen of Genovia** from 1530 to 1552 and **Holy Roman Empress**, **Queen Consort of Castile, Aragon, Italy and Germany**, **Lady of The Netherlands**, **Duchess Consort of Burgundy** and an **Archduchess of Austria** by marriage to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. She was also briefly **Princess of Viana** as the wife of Ferdinand of Navarre.

## Early Life

Anna was born in Catania on February 24 to Richard V of Genovia and Charlotte I of Sicily. Her full name was *Anna Maria*. Upon birth, Anna had two siblings: Clarissa and Frederick. Anna was styled **Anna Maria of Genovia and Sicily**. Since Frederick was Prince of Genovia, and Clarissa Princess of Relante, Anna was third-in-line to inherit the Crown of Genovia. Her mother educated her in administration, hoping Anna would either be apart of a dynastic marriage or run one of the 5 duchies that the Genovian Crown owned. Anna was described as 'an able administrator' and reportedly 'would do well' if inheriting a Duchy. In 1504, Anna was the only person in attendance of the marriage of her elder sister Clarissa to Eustace Chapuys, a Savoyard commoner. It was Anna who admitted to Charles V about Eustace's marriage to Clarissa, and it was probably Anna that suggested due to Eustace's former title of Prince of Relante that he was a prefect choice for an Ambassador, as Anna wrote *"My brother-in-law Eustace would suit your needs perfectly, he'd not let anything in the way of my later sister and he'd comfort and write bearably in the rooms at the palace. His studies were utmost more important than being a Prince, and his affection for Clarissa was greater than you could ever imagine."* Anna maintained a good relationship with her brother-in-law until her death in 1552.

## First Marriage

In 1515, Anna made a move in marriage and betrothed and married herself to Ferdinand of Navarre. Ferdinand was her parent's ideal choice of a husband for a princess like Anna. Ferdinand proved to be an unkind and loving husband, and after 9 years of marriage Anna had the marriage annulled by the Pope. The union provided 4 children: Constance, Richard, Anne and Isadora. Ferdinand would go on to marry Anna's daughter by her second husband Charles V Blanche, and himself would be executed on the orders of Constance.

## Heir of Genovia

Upon Charlotte's death, Anna's brother Frederick became King of Sicily. Her father did not want Frederick to have all the power, so he created the One Monarch act. This limited Frederick's inheritance to only Sicily, and promised to give Genovia to Anna. There was one problem with this act, and the problem was that Anna was not the most senior claimant to Genovia. In 1504, Anna's nephew Joel of Genovia was born and in 1514 he had married Elizabeth Dersingham, a poor merchant girl from the village of Ingoldisthrope. Joel was the son of Clarissa of Genovia and Eustace Chapuys, and therefore the most senior claimant to the Throne of Genovia. Anna regularly quarrelled with Joel and in 1526 he was declared Prince of Genovia, however he was then promptly deposed as Anna. Richard V recognised Anna as Princess of Genovia and forced Joel to swore his loyalty to her. Joel and Elizabeth fled to Dersingham on the orders of Anna, however both were allowed to return to Genovia the following year. Anna then received Elizabeth into her court when the marriage between her and Joel was annulled. Elizabeth and Anna would be friends for the remainder of their lives.

## Accession

Anna's mother, Charlotte, had died in 1524 following a short sickness and her father Richard had died in 1530. This left the throne of Genovia to Anna according to Richard's will and the act. Anna was proclaimed Anna II of Genovia two days later and crowned on August 3 1530. Her first act as Queen was to ally Genovia with the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was delighted when Anna had forwarded an alliance with them. The Empire had only known Anna through their Emperor, Charles V, who has born on the same day as Anna and had done cotton dealings with her father. From the alliance, Genovia defended Lalete from the French and won big wars. The alliance would last until the dissolution of the Empire.

## Second Marriage

By 1533, Austria was pursuing a stronger alliance with Genovia. Anna had generously provided military support to Austria, as well as free passage through Genovia. A stronger alliance meant the two countries could support each other for longer. Earlier in the year, Empress Maria of England had died and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V declared he would marry Anna. Genovia and Austria then entered negotiations for the second time, the first being the marriage of Archduke Frederick VI of Austria to Constance, Princess of Relante. The dowry was the alliance between Genovia and Austria. The marriage contract was signed on 26 March 1534, and Anna travelled to Vienna with her three children. Anna and Charles were then formally married on 4 May 1534. Anna was then declared Holy Roman Empress. After her marriage, Anna was very secretive on her opinions on matters that were happening in Austria and Spain, as she preferred her native Genovia. Anna declared her daughter Constance as regent of Spain soon after, and Anna resumed affairs in Genovia. The marriage was happy, with the couple having 4 children: Isabella, Blanche, Annabelle and Evelaria.