Infanta Margherita Teresa (1651-1673) was a Spanish princess, daughter of King Philip IV of Spain and his second wife, Empress Maria Anna of Austria. Born in Madrid, Margherita Teresa is chiefly known through portraits by the renowned painter Diego Velázquez, who depicted her in several works, including "Las Meninas" (1656).
Margherita Teresa was a figure of great importance in the marriage strategies of European royal families in the 17th century. Her marriage was arranged to strengthen the ties between the Spanish House of Habsburg and the Austrian one. In 1666, at the age of fifteen, she married her uncle, Emperor Leopold I of Habsburg, thus becoming Empress of the Holy Roman Empire.
Despite her young age, Margherita Teresa fulfilled her duties as empress with dedication. She had four children, but only one, Maria Antonia, survived infancy. Her health was always fragile, and life at the Viennese court, along with numerous childbirths, worsened her physical condition. Margherita Teresa died in 1673 at the age of only 21.
Her figure has remained iconic thanks to Velázquez's portraits, which immortalized her beauty and elegance, making her one of the most recognizable images in Spanish Baroque painting.
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