Luisa Enríquez Manrique de Lara (1603-1660), was a Spanish courtier. She was the

lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

(junior ''

Camarera mayor de Palacio The Camarera mayor de Palacio (First Lady of the Bedchamber) was the Official of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain, who was in charge of the person and the rooms of the Queen of Spain. Historical precedents and regime during ...

'') to the queen of Spain,

Elisabeth of France (1602–1644) Elisabeth of France or Isabella of Bourbon (22 November 1602 – 6 October 1644) was Queen of Spain from 1621 to her death and Queen of Portugal from 1621 to 1640, as the first spouse of King Philip IV & III. She served as regent of Spain durin ...

, and the ''aya'' (nurse or royal governess) to

Maria Theresa of Spain Maria Theresa of Spain ( es, María Teresa de Austria; french: Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infanta of Spain and Portugal a ...

. She was born to Luis Enríquez and Catalina Luján, and married her cousin Manuel Manrique de Lara, count de Paredes de Nava. She was appointed lady-in-waiting to the queen in 1616, and became her favorite and personal confidante. When Elisabeth acted as regent during the war in Catalonia, Luisa Enríquez acted as the queen regent's adviser and messenger, and often delivered her orders to the ministers of state. She nursed the queen when she was sick and died in 1644. She was appointed joint royal governess to princess Maria Theresa in the queen's will, a position she shared with Inés de Zúñiga, countess de Olivares. In 1648, she left court and became a nun. After this, she corresponded with the king, and their correspondence has been preserved.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Enríquez Manrique de Lara 17th-century Spanish nuns Spanish ladies-in-waiting 1603 births 1660 deaths Spanish royal favourites Royal governesses 17th-century letter writers