Anne of France facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anne of France |
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| Duchess of Bourbon | |||||
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| Regent of France | |||||
| Regency | 1483–1491 | ||||
| Monarch | Charles VIII | ||||
| Co-Regent | Peter II, Duke of Bourbon | ||||
| Born | 3 April 1461 Chateau of Genappe, Brabant |
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| Died | 14 November 1522 (aged 61) Chateau of Chantelle, Bourbonnais, Allier, France |
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| Burial | Priory of Souvigny | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Charles, Count of Clermont Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon |
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| House | Valois | ||||
| Father | Louis XI of France | ||||
| Mother | Charlotte of Savoy | ||||
Anne of France, also known as Anne de Beaujeu, was a powerful French princess. She was born on April 3, 1461, and passed away on November 14, 1522. Anne was the oldest daughter of King Louis XI and Charlotte of Savoy. She was also the older sister of King Charles VIII.
Anne became a regent for her brother when he was too young to rule. This was from 1483 to 1491. During this time, she was one of the most important women in Europe. People even called her "Madame la Grande" (The Great Lady). Later, she also helped rule the Duchy of Bourbon for her daughter, Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon, from 1503 to 1521.
Contents
Anne's Early Life
Anne was born at the Chateau of Genappe in Brabant. This was on April 3, 1461. She was the first surviving daughter of King Louis XI of France. Her mother was Charlotte of Savoy.
Her brother, Charles, later became King Charles VIII of France. Her younger sister, Joan, was briefly a queen. She was the first wife of Louis XII.
Marriage and Family
Anne was first supposed to marry Nicholas, Duke of Lorraine. She was given the title of Viscountess of Thouars in 1468 for this marriage. But Nicholas ended the engagement. He wanted to marry Mary of Burgundy instead. Then he died suddenly in 1473.
That same year, on November 3, Anne married Peter of Bourbon. She was only twelve years old. At the same time, she began to rule the Beaujolais area. Her husband was given the title 'Lord of Beaujeu' by his brother.
Anne and Peter had one child who survived, a daughter named Suzanne. Suzanne was born on May 10, 1491. They may have had an earlier child, a son named Charles, who died young.
Ruling France as Regent
Anne's brother, Charles VIII, was too young to rule when his father died. So, Peter and Anne became the regents of France. This period of their rule lasted from 1483 to 1491.
Anne's time as regent was not easy. Many powerful nobles were unhappy. They had suffered under King Louis XI. But Anne and Peter kept the royal power strong. They kept the kingdom united. They faced a revolt called the "Mad War" from 1483 to 1488.
Anne had to make some compromises. She gave back land to many unhappy nobles. This included the future King Louis XII of France. He tried to become regent himself. But the Estates General (a kind of parliament) supported Anne.
As regent, Anne was one of the most powerful women in the late 1400s. She was known as "Madame la Grande." Anne was very smart, strong, and full of energy. Her father had even called her "the least foolish woman in France."
Anne helped raise and educate many children of important families. These included Diane de Poitiers and Louise of Savoy. She taught them new, polite manners. For example, she taught them to use a cloth instead of their fingers to wipe their noses. Louise of Savoy later became a regent herself when her son, Francis, was king. Being raised by Anne taught her a lot about how France was governed.
Anne also supported Henry Tudor. He wanted to become king of England. Anne gave him French soldiers for his invasion in 1485. This led to the Battle of Bosworth. Henry won and became King Henry VII.
Anne helped make the final peace treaty that ended the Hundred Years' War. This was the Treaty of Etaples. In 1491, she arranged for her brother Charles to marry Anne, Duchess of Brittany. This helped France take control of Brittany.
When Charles became old enough to rule in 1491, Anne's regency ended. Anne and Peter then left the royal court. They went to live in the Duchy of Bourbon.
Ruling the Duchy of Bourbon
Anne was always the stronger partner in her marriage. After Peter died in 1503, she continued to manage the Bourbon lands. She protected them from the king's control. She lived with her own court in Chantelles.
In 1505, Anne arranged for her daughter Suzanne to marry another Bourbon prince. This was Charles of Montpensier, who became Charles III, Duke of Bourbon.
Suzanne and Charles did not have any children who survived. Suzanne passed away before her mother. When Anne died in 1522, her family line ended.
Anne's Writings
Anne wrote a book of advice for her daughter. It was called Lessons for My Daughter. In this book, she told her daughter to be around people who were careful with money. She also wrote that true nobility comes from being humble, kind, and polite. She believed that without these qualities, other virtues were not worth much.
Anne in Stories
Anne of France appears in some fictional works.
- A book called The Golden Porcupine by Muriel Roy Bolton (1947) tells a made-up story about her life.
- She is a small character in Michael Ennis' novel The Duchess of Milan.
- She has an important role in a French film called Louis XI, le pouvoir fracassé. This film is about the last days of King Louis XI.
- She is briefly mentioned in Victor Hugo's famous novel, Notre Dame de Paris.
- In 2020, Rhiannon Drake played Anne in a musical called A Mother's War. This musical is based on the Wars of the Roses.
Images for kids
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Anne of France
See also
In Spanish: Ana de Francia para niños
