Charlotte of Bourbon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlotte of Bourbon
Portrait of Charlotte of Bourbon by Daniel van den Queborn
Princess consort of Orange
Tenure	24 June 1575 – 5 May 1582
Born	1546/1547
Died	5 May 1582 (aged 35–36) Antwerp
Spouse	William I, Prince of Orange
Issue	Louise Juliana, Electress Palatine Elisabeth, Duchess of Bouillon Catharina Belgica, Countess of Hanau-Münzenberg Countess Charlotte Flandrina Charlotte Brabantina, Duchess of Thouars Emilia Antwerpiana, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken-Landsberg
House	Bourbon-Montpensier
Father	Louis, Duke of Montpensier
Mother	Jacqueline de Longwy

Charlotte of Bourbon (born around 1546 or 1547 – died May 5, 1582) was a French princess. She became the Princess of Orange by marrying William the Silent, who was a very important leader. William led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. Charlotte was the third wife of Prince William.

Early Life and Family

Charlotte was the fourth daughter of Louis III de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier and Jacqueline de Longwy. Her mother, Jacqueline, believed in the Reformed faith. She secretly taught these ideas to her children.

Charlotte's father wanted to stop his wife's influence. He sent three of his daughters to convents, which are places where nuns live. Charlotte was only about thirteen years old at the time. She wanted to stay with her mother, but her mother passed away while Charlotte was in the convent.

Life in the Convent

Charlotte's father was important in the court of Catherine de' Medici, the Queen of France. He sent Charlotte to the royal convent of Jouarre. The plan was for her to become a nun. When she officially became a nun at age thirteen, she wrote a formal protest. This showed she did not want to be a nun.

Other stories say her father wanted to avoid paying dowries for his daughters. A dowry is money or property given by a bride's family to the groom or his family. By sending Charlotte to a convent, he could save money for his only son. Charlotte was sent to Jouarre as a baby, where her aunt was the abbess (the head nun). The idea was for Charlotte to take over as abbess when her aunt died. This happened when Charlotte was only 12, even though she didn't want it. While she was abbess, a priest secretly taught her about Calvinism, which was a new Protestant faith.

Leaving the Convent

In 1572, Charlotte surprised everyone. She left the convent and announced that she had become a Calvinist. She followed the advice of Jeanne d'Albret, who was the Queen of Navarre. Charlotte fled to the Electorate of the Palatinate, which was a safe place for Protestants. This was far away from her parents' control.

Marriage and Family Life

On June 24, 1575, Charlotte married William the Silent, Prince of Orange. William was a Protestant leader. Their marriage was very happy. People said it was the only one of William's four marriages that was truly for love. Their happiness made William even more popular.

Charlotte and William had six daughters together:

• Louise Juliana
• Elisabeth
• Catharina Belgica
• Charlotte Flandrina
• Charlotte Brabantina
• Emilia Antwerpiana

Many royal families in Europe, including the House of Hanover, are descended from their daughter Louise Juliana.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1582, there was an attempt to assassinate William the Silent. Charlotte worked tirelessly to nurse her husband back to health. Sadly, she is believed to have died from exhaustion on May 5, 1582, because of her efforts.

William was usually very calm, but people worried that his sadness might make him sick again. Charlotte's death was mourned by many. After she passed away, William married his fourth wife, Louise de Coligny, in 1583. They had one son, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.

William's brother, John, had not liked the idea of William marrying Charlotte at first. However, after her death, he praised Charlotte. He said she was a wife "so distinguished by her virtue, her piety, her great intelligence, in sum as perfect as he (William) could desire her." This shows how much she was respected.