The Court at Innsbruck and at Castle Ambras was a gay one, and numerous brilliant entertainments were given during the married life of Ferdinand and Philippine. Amongst the many fêtes which took place at various times one finds a record of one in the diary of James von Payersberg bearing the date of July 13, 1570, in which there is a record of Philippine having won the first prize, which was a silver gilt cup of great value, for shooting with a crossbow; whilst her aunt, Madame De Loxan, who on Philippine's marriage had been appointed as her Mistress of the Robes, won the second. An interesting circumstance in connection with this fête is that the gentlemen and ladies competed together in the shooting match, with the result that the former were defeated in the manner we have stated.
At Castle Ambras not only were there collected together scientists, artists, musicians, and many learned men, but also, as was the custom of those days, jesters, and "freaks" of various types, whose curious divergences from the normal have many of them been preserved in portraits hung in the Castle. Of ordinary servants, retainers, pages, etc., there was always a huge retinue entailing an enormous expenditure and a commissariat department of considerable magnitude. Philippine, although her natural tastes were so divergent from those of her husband who loved gaiety, sport, and the pomp of circumstance, by her gentleness, affectionate study of his wishes and great tactfulness, succeeded in not only gaining but keeping his affection throughout their married life. It is said that Philippine, whether the story of her captivation of her royal father-in-law's heart be true or not, was gladly and very generally received by the Tyrol nobles, who were distinguished not only by their chivalrous but also by their generally haughty disposition. Very friendly relations also appear to have existed with neighbouring courts, whilst Pope Gregory XIII. had so high an opinion of Philippine's religious sincerity and virtues that he sent her by special ambassador a beautiful and very valuable rosary.
Philippine died in 1580, surrounded by members of her family, and in the presence of the Archduke Ferdinand and the Dukes Ferdinand of Bavaria and Henry of Brunswick, after a married life lasting twenty-three years, and an illness of only a few days' duration. So beloved was she throughout Tyrol that general mourning was observed for some months, and masses were said in all the churches of the land for the repose of her soul. How great the affection borne her by the people amongst whom she came to live really was, is well shown by the fact that in many a cottage home in Tyrol portraits of her even nowadays are found.
In death as in life she was mindful of her people and of the poor; and when she had been laid to rest in the Silver Chapel of the Franciscan Church at Innsbruck, where her beautiful though unostentatious tomb, with its recumbent figure lying within a semi-circular arch and with a crucifix hanging from her crossed hands, is placed, it was found that in her will few of her household had been forgotten, whether their positions were high or menial.
The death of Philippine was a heavy blow to the Archduke, and for some months after the event he lived in complete retirement, seeing no one but his two sons, his Father Confessor, and his most intimate personal friends.
However, after his grief had somewhat spent itself, he set out on a tour, accompanied by his two surviving children; one of whom, Karl, became Bishop of Brixen and a Cardinal (died 1600); the other, Andreas, Markgrave of Burgau (died 1618), and the owner of Castle Ambras by the will of his father. This bequest was made on condition that Andreas maintained and kept the building in repair, and preserved the magnificent collection of rare MSS., books, pictures, coins, armour, and other objets d'art, and curiosities which Ferdinand and Philippine had delighted to gather, and in the possession of which they had taken such pride.
Eventually, in 1606, so that this wish of his father might be adequately carried out, Andreas disposed of the Castle and grounds to the Emperor Rudolf II., and by this means Ambras and its unrivalled collection came into the possession of the Imperial Austrian family.
TREASURES OF CASTLE AMBRAS
Just two centuries later, owing to fear lest the priceless treasures should fall into the hands of the French and Bavarian invaders, the greater portion of the Ambras collection was removed to Vienna, and at first lodged in the Belvidere Palace from whence it has of recent years been transferred to the Imperial Art History Museum of which it forms a most interesting and valuable part. Thus was Tyrol robbed of one of its chief glories, and although at various times promises of restitution have been made they have never been fulfilled.
There are still, however, some interesting things left at Castle Ambras, including the valuable collection of Weapons lodged in the Unterschloss, dating from the fifteenth century to the present day (formerly, in the sixteenth century, it is said that the Armoury contained no less than five hundred complete suits of mail); the eight Roman milestones in the outer court, found along the road from Wilten to Schonberg, and dating from the time of Septimus Severus about 193 to 211 A.D.; and the collection of furniture, ivories, glass, and portraits, which latter include several of the Archduke Ferdinand and Philippine Welser, etc.