Linda Ganstrom
206 West 26th Street
Hays, KS 67601
lmganstr
Linda Ganstrom
Bell(e): Juana
Porcelain figure on welded steel based covered in tulle
Bell(e): Juana
Inspiration and Celebration
Juana of Castile and Aragon, Joanna of Castile, Juana la Loca or Joanna the Mad
Juana of Castile lived from November 6, 1479 to April 12, 1555. She was the official monarch of Castile and Aragon and ruled Spain from 1504 – 1555 (51 years), but was imprisoned in a convent and powerless.
The third child of Isabel of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon, Juana was intelligent, emotional, outspoken and had a wild streak. Married to Phillip the Handsome, Juana was a pawn caught between her father and husband and later her son. Kept in near isolation and often impregnated, Juana grew to fear and hate her husband and was even accused of assisting in his death during the struggle with her father over the throne of Castile. Once her husband was dead, Juana’s father Ferdinand accused her of mental illness and locked her away in a convent. When her father died, she inherited the kingdom of Aragon. Later her son visited, but he also kept her locked away and ruled in her name. Legally a queen for 50 years, she was a queen in name only and never truly held power. Depicted as a young royal, Bell(e): Juana's beauty, energy and innocence did not assist her in achieving political success or personal happiness; her kingdom slipped through her fingers.
Copyright 2020 Linda Ganstrom. All rights reserved.
Linda Ganstrom
206 West 26th Street
Hays, KS 67601
lmganstr