Françoise de Lorraine, Duchess of Vendôme facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Françoise of Lorraine |
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| Duchess of Vendôme | |||||
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Engraving of Françoise while a widow
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| Born | 1592 France |
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| Died | 8 September 1669 Paris, France |
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| Burial | Capucins, Paris, France | ||||
| Spouse |
César, Duke of Vendôme
(m. 1608; died 1665) |
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| Issue Detail |
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| Father | Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercœur | ||||
| Mother | Marie de Luxembourg | ||||
Françoise of Lorraine (born November 1592 – died 8 September 1669) was a French princess. She was connected to the powerful House of Lorraine, a family of dukes. Françoise was also the daughter-in-law of Henry IV of France, a famous French king.
She was sometimes called Françoise de Mercœur. Her family branch, the Mercœurs, were related to the main Dukes of Lorraine. Françoise was also the niece of Louise of Lorraine, who was married to the previous king, Henry III of France.
Françoise was the only child of her father to survive. This meant she inherited a lot of land and wealth. Because of this, she became the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre in her own right. This means she held these titles herself, not through her husband.
Contents
Françoise's Life Story
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Françoise was born in November 1592. The exact day is not known. She had an older brother, Philippe Louis, but he died when he was only one year old. This made Françoise the only heir to her family's large fortune.
Family and Early Years
Françoise's father, Philippe Emmanuel, was a very important figure. During the time of King Henry III, he led a group called the Catholic League in Brittany. He wanted to protect the Catholic Church in that area.
Her father also claimed special rights in Brittany through his wife's family. They were descendants of the old Dukes of Brittany. He even tried to make Brittany independent from France. He set up his own government in Nantes and called his young son "prince and duke of Brittany."
King Henry IV sent an army against Françoise's father. With help from Spain, her father won a battle in 1592. But eventually, the King himself marched against him. To make peace, a special marriage agreement was made in 1596. This agreement said that Françoise would marry King Henry IV's son. This son was born outside of marriage, but the King had officially recognized him as his own.
Marriage and Family Life
France and Spain signed a peace treaty called the Peace of Vervins on May 2, 1598. Françoise was only six years old at the time. This treaty again stated that young Françoise would marry César, Duke of Vendôme. César was the oldest child of King Henry IV and his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées.
The wedding happened at the beautiful Palace of Fontainebleau on July 16, 1609. Françoise was 16 years old, and César was 15.
Françoise and César had three children together. They also became the grandparents of a famous military leader known as le Grand Vendôme. Because of their marriage contract, César gained the right to manage Françoise's lands and properties.
Her husband, César, faced political difficulties later in life. He was involved in a series of civil wars called the Fronde. He died in 1665.
In the same year, Françoise traveled to Savoy with her granddaughter, Marie Jeanne of Savoy. Marie Jeanne married Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy, on May 20, 1665.
Françoise's oldest son inherited the important titles of Duke of Mercœur and Penthièvre. Françoise herself passed away in Paris in 1669 when she was 77 years old. She was buried there. Françoise also owned other important lands, including the princedom of Martigues, the duchy of Étampes, and the seigneurie of Ancenis. These were all types of land holdings or lordships.
Children of Françoise and César
Françoise and César had three children:
- Louis de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (1612–1669): He married Laura Mancini and had children.
- Élisabeth de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Vendôme (1614–1664): She married Charles Amadeus of Savoy, Duke of Nemours and had children.
- François de Bourbon, Duke of Beaufort (1616–1669): He never married.
See also
In Spanish: Francisca de Lorena para niños
