Magdalena de Guzmán

Magdalena de Guzmán, was a Spanish courtier.

Biography

She was the daughter of Lope de Guzmán y Guzmán de Aragón and his wife, Leonor de Luján. His father was a magistrate in the service of King Philip II. Juan Guzmán, Patriarch of West Indies was her brother.
In 1589, Magdalena married Martín Cortés, son of the great conquistador Hernán Cortés and II Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca. Martín died in 1589 and Magdalena became a widow without descendants, serving as a Lady of honor.
She was the chief lady-in-waiting of three queens of Spains in succession: Elisabeth of Valois, Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain and Elisabeth of France (1602–1644). She served as royal governess to Anne of Austria. Her offices made her an influential figure at court, particularly during the tenure of
Margaret of Austria, during which she participated in the queen's court fraction against Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma.