Antoine, Duke of Lorraine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antoine |
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Portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1543
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| Duke of Lorraine and Bar | |
| Reign | 10 December 1508 – 14 June 1544 |
| Predecessor | René II |
| Successor | Francis I |
| Born | 4 June 1489 Bar-le-Duc, Duchy of Bar, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 14 June 1544 (aged 55) Bar-le-Duc, Duchy of Bar, Kingdom of France |
| Spouse |
Renée de Bourbon
(m. 1515; died 1539) |
| Issue | Francis I, Duke of Lorraine Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur Anna, Princess of Orange |
| House | Lorraine |
| Father | René II, Duke of Lorraine |
| Mother | Philippa of Guelders |
Antoine (born June 4, 1489 – died June 14, 1544) was known as the Good. He was the Duke of Lorraine from 1508 until he passed away in 1544. Antoine grew up at the French royal court.
He fought in Italy twice during the Italian Wars. First, he served under King Louis XII. Later, he fought with King Francis I. During the German Peasants' War, Antoine led his army to victory. He took back the towns of Saverne and Sélestat.
Antoine also managed to make Lorraine independent from the Holy Roman Empire. This happened with the Treaty of Nuremberg in 1542. In 1544, Antoine became very ill. Emperor Charles V's army invaded Lorraine. They were on their way to attack France. Antoine had to flee and died in Bar-le-Duc.
Contents
Antoine's Early Life and Reign
Antoine was born on June 4, 1489, in Bar-le-Duc. His parents were René II, Duke of Lorraine and Philippa of Guelders. He spent seven years at the court of King Louis XII. His brother, Claude, was with him. Antoine became good friends with the Duke of Angoulême, who later became King Francis I.
After his father died in December 1508, Antoine became the Duke of Lorraine. In 1530, Antoine and his brother divided their family's lands. Antoine received the duchies of Lorraine and Bar. Claude became the Duke of Guise.
Antoine's Military Adventures
In 1509, Antoine left his mother and the bishop of Toul in charge of Lorraine. He joined King Louis XII's army in Italy. He fought in the War of the League of Cambrai. He was part of the Battle of Agnadello that same year.
After King Louis XII died, Antoine returned to Italy. He fought under King Francis I. He took part in the Battle of Marignano in September 1515. However, he had to go back to Lorraine because of problems there. He missed the important Battle of Pavia in 1525. In that battle, King Francis I was captured. Antoine's brother, François, was killed.
Dealing with Rebellions
In Lorraine, Antoine faced the spread of the Protestant Reformation. This was a new religious movement. He issued a law against it on December 26, 1523. The situation got worse the next year. A rebellion called the German Peasants' War started in Alsace. The rebels captured Saverne. They also tried to take Saint-Dié. Peasants in Bitscherland also rebelled in May 1525.
Antoine quickly sent his army. On May 16, he defeated a peasant army at Saverne. On May 20, he won another big victory near Sélestat.
Lorraine's Independence
Antoine tried to stay neutral in wars between France and the Holy Roman Empire. He sent his son Francis to the French court. By 1527, he was trying to arrange a marriage for Francis with Anne of Cleves. To improve relations with German leaders, Antoine sent soldiers. They helped fight against the Ottomans at the Siege of Vienna in 1529.
In 1532, Antoine sent legal experts to the Imperial diet. He wanted to clarify Lorraine's status within the Holy Roman Empire. But he did not get a clear answer.
In 1538, Antoine claimed the titles of Duke of Guelders and Count of Zutphen. This was after Charles of Egmond died. But Antoine could not take control of these lands. In 1541, he married his son, Francis, to Christina of Denmark. She was the niece of Emperor Charles V.
With the Treaty of Nuremberg on August 26, 1542, Antoine achieved a major goal. He got Emperor Charles V to recognize Lorraine's independence. Antoine tried to be a peace envoy when war started between Francis and Charles in 1542. He visited Charles in person. But because of his gout (a painful joint condition), he sent his son to Francis. Antoine even asked his niece, Mary of Guise, for a Scottish horse. He hoped it would be easier to ride with his gout.
Antoine's Final Days and What Happened Next
In May 1544, Emperor Charles V's army marched into Lorraine. They were planning to invade France. At the same time, Henry VIII of England attacked northern France. Antoine was very ill and could not fight back. He was taken to Bar-le-Duc, where he died on June 14, 1544.
Antoine's oldest son, Francis, became the new Duke of Lorraine. But Francis ruled for only one year, dying in 1545. Antoine's grandson, Charles III of Lorraine, then became duke. His mother, Christina of Denmark, ruled as regent for him.
By 1552, King Henry II of France visited Charles. They decided that Charles would be educated at the French court. His uncle, Nicolas, Duke of Mercœur, would become the regent of Lorraine. In 1559, the House of Guise worried about the Holy Roman Empire's influence. They arranged for Charles to marry Claude of France. She was the daughter of King Henry II of France.
Family
On June 26, 1515, Antoine married Renée of Bourbon. She was the daughter of Gilbert de Bourbon and Clara Gonzaga.
They had three children:
- Francis I, Duke of Lorraine (1517–1545), who married Christina of Denmark.
- Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur (1524–1577).
- Anna (1522–1568), who married René of Châlon, Prince of Orange, and later Philip II, Duke of Aerschot.
Images for kids
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Antoine, Duke of Lorraine
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See Also
In Spanish: Antonio de Lorena para niños
