Around 1530. Joos van Cleve (age 45). Portrait of Eleanor of Austria Queen Consort France Queen Consort Portugal (age 31). Sister of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (age 29), was betrothed to King Francis I (age 35) as part of the Peace of Cambrai following the French king’s defeat at the Battle of Pavia on 24 February 1525. This portrait by van Cleve was probably painted by the artist in France. The Spanish inscription on the letter in Eleanora’s hand helps with the dating of the painting, as it identifies her as the ‘most Christian Queen’, a papal title granted to her as Queen of France, thereby indicating a date after her coronation in 1531.

Eleanor of Austria Queen Consort France Queen Consort Portugal: On 15 Nov 1498 she was born to Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile and Joanna "The Mad" Trastámara Queen Castile. Coefficient of inbreeding 2.88%. On 16 Jul 1518 Manuel "Fortunate" I King Portugal and she were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Portugal. The difference in their ages was 29 years. She the daughter of Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile and Joanna "The Mad" Trastámara Queen Castile. They were first cousin twice removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. On 04 Jul 1530 King Francis I of France and she were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile and Joanna "The Mad" Trastámara Queen Castile. He the son of Charles Valois Orléans Count Angoulême and Louise of Savoy Countess Angoulême. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. On 25 Feb 1558 Eleanor of Austria Queen Consort France Queen Consort Portugal died.

Around 1532. Joos van Cleve (age 47). Portrait of King Henry VIII of England and Ireland (age 40). The inscription on the scroll in the portrait of Henry VIII translates as, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15). The same words were inscribed on Holbein's title page for the Coverdale Bible of 1535 which has sometimes been seen as a key to dating this portrait, but it is one of ten biblical quotations on that page. It seems more likely that van Cleve's inclusion of these words - in Latin rather than English - is more Catholic than Protestant, and was intended to celebrate Henry's papal title of Defender of the Faith, which he won in 1521.

Between 1535 and 1540. Joos van Cleve (age 50). Portrait of the artist's second wife [his future wife] Katlijne van Mispelteeren.

Katlijne van Mispelteeren: Around 1540 Joos van Cleve and she were married.