an Infanta of Portugal and later Queen of Spain as wife of Ferdinand VI of Spain. Although Barbara was not considered beautiful by her contemporaries — her homely looks were thought by observers to cause her future husband a visible shock when he was first presented to her — Ferdinand became deeply attached to her, sharing her passion for music. Ferdinand soon became dependent on Barbara for advice and support; when he ascended the Spanish crown as Ferdinand V. Barbara was well-educated, adept at languages and was an avid reader of many varied subjects.
