Philippine Welser

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

24 APRIL 1580: THE DEATH of Philippine Welser (Augsburg, 1527 – April 24, 1580 at Schloss Ambras, Innsbruck in Tyrol) was the morganatic wife of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. She was a daughter of a patrician from Augsburg. Her family, the Welsers of Augsburg, were merchants and financiers of European significance and great wealth. As the wife of the Archduke she was granted the titles Baroness of Zinnenburg, Margravine of Burgau, Landgravine of Mellenburg and Countess of Oberhohenberg and Niederhohenberg.

 

In 1557 she was secretly married to Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria, with whom she had several children. The marriage was only accepted by Emperor Ferdinand I in 1559 under the condition of secrecy. The children were to receive the name "of Austria" but would only be entitled to inherit if the House of Habsburg became totally extinct in the male line. The sons born of this marriage received the title Margrave of Burgau, an old Habsburg possession in Further Austria. The younger of the sons, who survived his father, later received the princely title of Fürst zu Burgau.