Background
She was the daughter of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Eleanor of Portugal, daughter of King Edward of Portugal. She grew up in an informal and open atmosphere, without rigid court etiquette.
She was the daughter of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Eleanor of Portugal, daughter of King Edward of Portugal. She grew up in an informal and open atmosphere, without rigid court etiquette.
Contrary to former practice, she learned not only to read, write, and embroider, but also received instruction in riding and hunting, astronomy and mathematics. Like most daughters of royal families, since her early years Kunigunde was involved in the political intrigues of her time. In 1470 King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary requested her hand.
However, Frederick III refused him.
At the age of fifteen, in 1480, Kunigunde made her formal presentation in Vienna during the visit of George, Duke of Bavaria, called "the Rich" to Frederick III"s court. After the celebrations she was sent to Burggraf Ulrich III von Graben to Graz for her safety.
However, after a plot against the Emperor was discovered, he moved to Linz and sent Kunigunde to Innsbruck with Sigismund, Archduke of Further Austria and ruler of Tirol, Frederick III"s first cousin and former guardian.