Anne of Alençon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anne d'Alençon |
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| Marquise of Montferrat | |
Portrait of Anne d'Alençon by Macrino d’Alba
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| Predecessor | William IX |
| Born | 30 October 1492 |
| Died | 18 October 1562 (aged 69) Casale Monferrato, Italy |
| Spouse | William IX Paleologos |
| Issue | Maria Margherita Boniface IV of Montferrat |
| House | House of Valois-Alençon |
| Father | René of Alençon |
| Mother | Margaret of Lorraine |
Anne d'Alençon (Italian: Anna d'Alençon) was a French noblewoman born on October 30, 1492. She became the Marquise of Montferrat when she married William IX, Marquis of Montferrat.
Anne was an important ruler. She served as a Regent for her young son, Boniface. This meant she ruled the Marquisate of Montferrat for him. She was regent from 1518 until Boniface's death in 1530. Anne passed away on October 18, 1562.
Contents
Anne's Early Life
Anne was the third child of René, who was the Duke of Alençon. Her mother was Margaret of Lorraine. Sadly, Anne's father died just two days after she was born.
Her Marriage and Children
In 1501, Anne was promised in marriage to William IX of Montferrat. He was the Marquis of Montferrat. They married on October 31, 1508, in Blois, France. Anne was sixteen years old.
Anne and William had three children:
- Maria (born 1509)
- Margherita (born 1510)
- Boniface (born 1512)
Boniface was William's heir. He later became Boniface IV of Montferrat.
In 1517, Anne's oldest daughter, Maria, was set to marry Federico II Gonzaga. He was the son of Isabella d'Este. Federico later became the Duke of Mantua. However, the marriage agreement was canceled.
Anne as Regent
William, Anne's husband, died in 1518. Their son, Boniface, was still a baby. So, Anne became the regent. This meant she ruled Montferrat in Boniface's place. She was a strong ruler and managed the region until Boniface's unexpected death in June 1530.
After Boniface died, Anne's brother-in-law, John George of Montferrat, became the new Marquis. Anne continued to be involved in the government of Montferrat.
Later Years
After Boniface's death, Federico II Gonzaga became interested in marrying Anne's second daughter, Margherita. Anne carefully considered different marriage offers for Margherita. She chose the marriage with the House of Gonzaga. Margherita married Federico II in October 1531.
In 1533, Marquis John George died without any direct heirs. This caused a big argument over who would rule Montferrat next. Several powerful families wanted control. These included the Gonzaga family, the Marquis of Saluzzo, and the House of Savoy.
Meanwhile, Spain had a lot of influence over Montferrat. In 1536, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, decided that Margherita Paleologa and her husband, Federico II, Duke of Mantua, would inherit Montferrat. Anne, however, still played a very important role in ruling the area.
In 1540, Federico II died. His seven-year-old son, Francesco, became the new Marquis of Montferrat and Duke of Mantua. Margherita Paleologo Gonzaga became regent for her young son.
Anne d'Alençon later decided to step away from public life. She joined a convent of Dominican Sisters in Casale Monferrato. She died there on October 18, 1562, just before her 70th birthday.
The Alençon Family Property
In 1525, Anne's brother, Charles IV of Alençon, died. He left his personal property to Anne and her sister Françoise d'Alençon. Charles's wife, Marguerite de Navarre, tried to claim the property, but she was not successful.
Anne later gave these properties to Isabella Gonzaga. Isabella was the oldest daughter of Federico and Margherita. When Isabella decided not to take the inheritance, Margherita made sure the properties went to her third son, Ludovico. He later became the Duke of Nevers. He also started a new branch of the Gonzaga family called the Gonzaga Nevers.
See also
In Spanish: Ana de Alençon para niños
