In the Low Countries

Isabel Clara Eugenia, who ruled as co-sovereign of the Low Countries with her husband, Albert of Austria, saw convents as a bulwark against encroaching Protestantism and brought nuns of different orders from France to make foundations, among them, Ana de Jesús. After founding in Brussels, Ana founded convents in Louvain and Mons. The Mons project was a challenge. Her letters show that she had difficulty coping with the cold and did not find the Flemish women congenial. She also missed her dear friend Beatriz de la Concepción. As she approached the end of her life, Ana became obsessed with completing her translation projects and other unfinished business. Around 1607, her declining health became a major topic of her correspondence.