Eleanor of Scotland (1433 – 20 November 1480) was an Archduchess of Austria by marriage to

Sigismund, Archduke of Austria Sigismund (26 October 1427 – 4 March 1496), a member of the House of Habsburg, was List of rulers of Austria, Duke of Austria from 1439 (elevated to Archduke in 1477) until his death. As a scion of the Habsburg Leopoldian line, he ruled over F ...

, a noted translator, and regent of Austria in 1455–58 and 1467. She was a daughter of

James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III of Scotland, Robert III and ...

and Joan Beaufort.

Early life

Eleanor was the sixth child of

and his wife, Joan Beaufort. James I was known for his great love of literature which he passed on to Eleanor and her sister

Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...

. Starting in 1445, Eleanor lived at the court of

Charles VII of France Charles VII (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461), called the Victorious () or the Well-Served (), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461. His reign saw the end of the Hundred Years' War and a ''de facto'' end of the English claims to ...

, where it was suggested that she should marry Frederick,

King of the Romans King of the Romans (; ) was the title used by the king of East Francia following his election by the princes from the reign of Henry II (1002–1024) onward. The title originally referred to any German king between his election and coronatio ...

. In 1447, she accompanied Marie of Anjou, Queen of France, on a pilgrimage on Mont Saint-Michel.

Archduchess of Austria

In 1448 or 1449 the teenage Eleanor married Sigismund, a Habsburg Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria, and finally ruler of Tyrol (from 1446 to 1490). Whilst travelling to her wedding she visited her sister Annabella of Scotland, who was in Savoy due to her contracted marriage to Louis of Savoy, Count of Geneva. Eleanor served as regent for her husband from 1455 to 1458 and again in 1467. In his absence she raised funds, purchased guns and sought mercenaries for his army and took over the administration of his estates.

Translation

Eleanor was a great lover of books and became literate in several languages, even though it is likely that she learned German after her marriage. She was able to write in Latin, French, German and Scots. Eleanor translated ''The History of the King's Son of Galicia, named Pontus, and the beautiful Sydonia'' ( Pontus and Sidonia) from French to German. The French original passed through several editions between 1480 and 1550. In addition to translating the work, Eleanor also revised it to increase the political power of women. Only the courts with effective female advisors retained their political stability. Based on the number of printings, it was a popular book. A copy of the German translation, preserved in the library of Gotha, bears the date 1465. In 1473, the German humanist and translator Heinrich Steinhöwel dedicated his paraphrased and translated version of Boccaccio'sBoccaccio, ''Poeet Ende Philosophe, Bescrivende van den Doorluchtighen, Glorioesten ende Edelsten Vrouwen'' (

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

, 1525) ''De Claris Mulieribus'' (''Concerning Famous Women'') to her. Eleanor and Elisabeth von Nassau-Saarbrücken are credited with introducing the prose novel to German literature.

Death

Eleanor died giving birth to her son Wolfgang at

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

on 20 November 1480. She was buried in the Cistercian Abbey at Stams, Tyrol, Austria.

Gallery

File:Zikmund tyrolsko.jpg, up

and his betrothed Radegonde of Valois and successive wives Eleanor of Scotland and Catherine, Archduchess of Austria. File:Gruft Stift Stams.JPG, Sigismund and Eleanor Statues in Stams, Tyrol, Austria.

References

1433 births 1480 deaths Scottish princesses House of Stuart Austrian nobility Scottish people of English descent Austrian consorts 15th-century women regents Deaths in childbirth Scottish translators 15th-century translators French–German translators 15th-century Scottish women writers 15th-century regents Daughters of kings Regents in the Holy Roman Empire {{Scotland-royal-stub