Isabel Farnese - love her or hate her - is primarily remembered for plunging Spain into wars in order to get her sons crowns to wear - i.e. Tuscany, Parma, Naples... - and for dominating her weak-willed husband.
But Isabel was not the primary choice for future queen of Spain - in fact, the princesse d'Ursins brought her to Spain against the orders from Versailles.
Clearly her domineering attitude was inherent (her mother was also considered haughty and proud), as well as aquired (with every year that went past with no male heir for the house of Farnese I imagine she would've been brought up aware of her own status/importance). My question is if she married another husband - two primary candidates were Francesco III d'Este and the prince of Piedmont - would she still have been as power-thirsty as she was, or was that simply amplified by being mistress of Spain?