The Tragic Life of The “Monster” of The Palace | Eugenia Martínez

The tragic life of Eugenia Martínez, known as 'la Monstrua,' who endured ridicule and abuse due to her size, joining the Spanish royal court at age six.

Key Takeaways

Eugenia’s life highlights the harsh treatment of people with physical differences in 17th-century Spain.
Her story reflects societal attitudes toward size and appearance during that era.
Despite challenges, Eugenia’s life intersected with significant historical figures like King Charles II.
Medical understanding and social support for unusual conditions were limited at the time.
Her legacy is a tragic example of exploitation and marginalization within royal courts.

What the video covers

Eugenia Martínez Vallejo was born in 1674 in northern Spain to a humble family.
She was unusually large from infancy, weighing around 20 kilos at one year old and 65 kilos by age six.
Her size led to ridicule and bullying by neighbors, causing her parents to hide her indoors.
At six years old, Eugenia was invited to join the royal court of King Charles II of Spain.
She was nicknamed 'la Monstrua' or 'the monster' at court and endured lifelong abuse.
Her birth in a church was seen as an omen, possibly inspiring her name Eugenia, meaning 'well born.'
Despite being healthy and strong as a baby, her rapid growth worried her family and doctors.
Her parents sought medical help and placed her on a strict diet, which was ineffective.
Eugenia’s story spread across Spain, attracting visitors who mocked her appearance.
At court, King Charles II was fascinated by her and arranged for her care and inclusion.

Chapters

Who was Eugenia Martínez and why was she called 'la Monstrua'?

Eugenia Martínez was a girl born in 1674 in Spain who grew unusually large from infancy. She was nicknamed 'la Monstrua' or 'the monster' due to her size and was ridiculed and abused throughout her life.

Why was Eugenia Martínez taken to the royal court of Charles II?

At age six, Eugenia's story had spread widely, and King Charles II was intrigued by her unusual size. She was invited to join the royal court, where she was cared for and presented before the king.

How did Eugenia’s family react to her size and the attention she received?

Her parents were initially concerned and sought medical help, placing her on a strict diet. They also tried to hide her from neighbors to protect her from bullying, but ultimately had to accept the royal invitation.

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

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because “The first 1000 of my subscribers to click the link in the description will get a free trial of Premium Membership so you can explore your creativity.” Eugenia Martínez became infamous in Spain from a very young age due to her size and weight.

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She was ridiculed by her neighbors and hidden away by her family, but at just six years of age joined the royal court of Charles II of Spain. It was here that she was

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nicknamed la Monstrua or the monster, and sadly she had to endure abuse almost her whole life.

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Eugenia Martínez Vallejo was born in 1674 in a remote settlement in Merindad de Montija, which is

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located in the north of Spain. Her father was José Martínez Vallejo, and her mother was Antonia de la

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Bodega. The exact occupations of her parents are unknown, but it has been reported that they came

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from a humble background. It is known that Eugenia had siblings, but how many is also uncertain.

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Before her birth, it was reported that her mother’s waters broke one Sunday morning while in church. Because of this, Antonia, her mother, had no time to get home

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and ended up giving birth in the church. Of course, this wasn’t a very common

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occurrence, and thus those present believed the circumstances of the birth to be a good omen

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for the baby girl's future. The Spanish writer María Jesus Jabato suggests that this could be

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the reason for her name Eugenia. Well, this name in Spanish means 'la bien nacida' or the well born.

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As a baby, Eugenia was described as being healthy, strong, and with a very good appetite. All of this

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indicated that she would grow up into an adult of good health, something which wasn’t a guarantee at

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the time. Well, in the 17th century and especially in rural areas because of the lack of doctors,

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infant mortality rates were very high. For example, in England at this time, 12% of all children born

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would die in their first year, and 36% of children died before the age of six.

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Eugenia was plump as a baby, yet her parents didn't think too much of it initially. Well,

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at the time, medical and social standards favored girls and women who were slightly more robust,

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as it was a sign of fertility and in some cases wealth.

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Thus, her parents likely believed it probably wasn’t something to fret about. However, as she got older, things got more worrying. Little Eugenia started to grow very

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fast in comparison to other infants. It was said that Eugenia looked like she was 12 years old even

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before her 1st birthday. Although this was more than likely an exaggeration, when she was just

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one, she already weighed around 20 kilos, and as time passed, she kept growing at an alarming rate.

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Meanwhile, her siblings grew normally like most other children, and because of this, her parents

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sought out a physician in order to help them with their daughter’s weight problems. As a result,

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Eugenia was put on a strict diet. Yet, even this wasn’t enough to remedy the situation.

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As time went by, Eugenia grew larger, and because of this, she was repeatedly made fun of by her

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neighbors. Due to this treatment, her parents tried to hide her from the local residents

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by keeping her inside the house so she wouldn’t have to endure the harassment

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she constantly faced in the outside world. In spite of this,

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word of the giant girl quickly spread to nearby towns and villages, and so strangers would

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frequently approach the house in an attempt to get a glimpse of her and mock her appearance.

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By the time she was six, it is said that she weighed around 65 kilos,

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and as a result of the constant bullying she endured, she spent most of her time

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confined to her room where nobody could see her. However, she would soon change as it wasn’t long

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until she was invited to join Charles II’s royal court in Madrid. One day when she was just 6 years old, a messenger from the royal family knocked on the family’s door,

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asking if Eugenia could be taken before the Spanish King, Charles II, also known

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as the Bewitched. Her story had spread so far throughout the Spanish countryside that it even

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reached the ears of Charles II, who was very intrigued by this mysteriously large girl.

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Of course, her parents were at first uneasy by this, but they were in no position to refuse.

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It’s unclear whether or not they knew the exact reasons for their visit to the capital.

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Perhaps they believed they would find a cure for their daughter, but sadly this was not the case.

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In 1680, at just six years old, Eugenia was taken to the royal court with her parents.

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Once here, the royal tailor didn't take long to make Eugenia a dress, as was required to

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be presented before the king. It was said that Charles II was fascinated by her appearance

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and quickly suggested to her parents that she be taken care of and become part of

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the royal court, which they promptly accepted. A chronicler of the period called Juan Cabezas

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published a pamphlet of her arrival at court saying that “los prodigios de la naturaleza

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que ha llegado a esta corte, en un niña gigante llamada Eugenia Martínez.” Meaning the wonders

Topics:Eugenia Martínezla MonstruaCharles II of Spain17th century Spainroyal courthistorical biographyphysical differencechild prodigySpanish historyForgotten Lives

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