She grew up at the Spanish court where there was a tradition of strong Catholicism. The double wedding of her brother, Felipe IV, with Elisabeth of France, and Anna with Louis XIII, King of France, were supposed to bring their two countries closer together. However, Anna's groom did not care particularly for ladies and showed an absolute horror for his beautiful, sweet and religious bride.
In 1625 Anna was accused of having given her brothers, Felipe IV and Cardinal-Infant Ferdinand, important information. However, Cardinal Richelieu, the powerful minister of Louis XIII, never put it as bluntly as to accuse her of espionage for Spain. Later on they accused her of having 'flirted' with the English Duke of Buckingham.
However, it was after twenty years of marriage that a dark and stormy night brought Anna and her husband together. While out hunting Louis XIII was caught in a storm and the nearest sheltering place happened to be Anna's residence. In 1638 their first son, the future Louis XIV, was born to be followed by a second son in 1640.
In 1643 Louis XIII died. This meant the removal of many restrictions for Anna as she became the Regent for her son. After some political manoeuvring she attained full powers as Regent and as Regent she placed the well-being of France before anything else. Against such hopes and expectations, she ignored the representatives of the Catholic party and made Cardinal Mazarin Prime Minister. Both continued the policies layed out by Richelieu, which decided against a
peace treaty with Germany and The Netherlands. At one stage, Anna even went to war against her brother, King Felipe IV of Spain, and in negotiations refused to make any compromises.

In 1648 the revolution called "the Fronde" began and would last until 1653. This rebellion started in Paris and was supported by the higher nobility as well as by the common people who had had enough of war and the ever increasing taxes. The rebels blamed Mazarin and not only demanded his removal but also wanted him expelled from France.
Anna defended the absolute monarchy with tenacity and, in the end, won. However, this civil war cost the people of France much and paved the way for the absolutism of Louis XIV. In 1661 Mazarin died and Louis XIV took over control of the country. From then on Anna was given only representative roles. In 1666 she died of cancer.
 

Source: Leo van de Pas