Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua
* 1630, † 1686
A member of the ducal family of Mantua, Eleonore Gonzaga became the third wife of Emperor Ferdinand III in 1651. She was highly educated, pious and interested in art. She founded several convents, for example the Ursuline Convent in Vienna in 1663, and promoted cultural life at the Viennese Court, in particular music and theatre. From this time on, the development of music at the Court was subject to strong Italian influence: composers and musicians mostly came from Italy and in particular from Mantua.
