The International E-magazine on Adolescent Health; The Male and Female Reproductive Systems Volume 3 | Page 6
TEEN HEALTH April 9, 2014
DID YOU KNOW? REPRODUCTIVE
P R O B L E M S W I T H I N T H E R O YA L
FAMILIES
History
By Sofía Benavides and Cindy Jiménez
“Infertility - a disease of the
reproductive system defined by the
failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy
after 12 months or more of regular
unprotected sexual intercourse”
-World Health Organization
Throughout world history, more
often than not, royal marriages served
primarily as a binding act; an alliance
within nations. Therefore, the stability
of entire countries relied on the
successfulness of said union,
commonly symbolized as the creation
of a heir. In other words, romanticism
and love put aside, the fate of masses
was dictated by the queen’s ability to
bear a son. This, plus the fact that
was no such thing as privacy and
secrecy in court, meant that a lot of
pressure lied upon the royals. Some
of the most iconic cases in which
infertility created political turmoil and
shifted the course of nations were the
ones of Marie Antoinette and
Catherine of Aragon.
Marie Antoinette, youngest
daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor
Francis, was wed at the age of
fourteen to the future king of France,
Louis-Auguste. Shyness, absolute
inexperience and overall
awkwardness caused years to go by
without the consummation of this
marriage. Once the nervousness was
over and the deed was finally done,
the couple experienced an
inability to produce a child. This
caused a great strain not only
within the marriage, but within
the Austrian-French alliance and
the court that already resented
Marie Antoinette due to her
austrian blood. Furthermore,
Louis has consistently proven to
be weak and easily manipulated,
and news of his potential
infertility caused turmoil within
the people and further
questioning of his manhood and
abilities. Although the couple’s
condition proved to be
temporary, the fleeting moment
of “infertility” created political
tension and public stress.
Similarly, yet far more dramatically,
comes the case of Catherine of
Aragon, a descendant of the spanish
crown. She was the first wife of the
impulsive king Henry VIII, becoming
therefore the queen of England.
However, the queen was unable to
bear a child, and the king chose
desperate measures. He attempted to
have their marriage annulled, defying
the catholic pope and triggering a
chain of events that would lead to the
rupture between the church and
England. This caused the creation of
the Anglican church, changing the
course of an entire nation.
In conclusion, reproductive
conditions so commonly treated today
created unparalleled political and
social turmoil, often swaying the
course of entire nations. Perhaps if
Catherine had been able to produce a
heir, England would remain Catholic.
Perhaps if Marie had gotten pregnant
at a quicker rate, the people wouldn’t
have doubted the king’s abilities and
authority as much. Perhaps this is
merely a reflection of how fragile and
susceptible political ties and stability
were in the past, considering that a
dried-up womb was enough to make
them crumble.
"Henry VIII of England." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Mar. 2014. .
"Marie-Antoinette: QUEEN OF FRANCE (1755-1793)." Homepage
- Palace of Versailles. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. .
"Sexual and Reproductive Health : Infertility Definitions and
Terminology." World Health Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2014. .
Sittow, Michael. "Catherine of Aragon : Humble and Loyal." Tudor
History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. .
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