Françoise of Lorraine 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 princess from the important Lorraine family. She became the daughter-in-law of Henry IV of France, a famous French king.
Françoise was sometimes called Françoise de Mercœur. She belonged to a younger branch of the family that ruled the Duchy of Lorraine. She was also the niece of Louise of Lorraine, who was married to the previous king, Henry III of France. Françoise was her father's only living child, which meant she inherited his lands and titles. This made her the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre in her own right.
Early Life and Family
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Françoise was the younger of two children. She was born in November 1592, but the exact date is not known. Her older brother, Philippe Louis, had died in 1590 when he was just one year old. This made Françoise the only heir to a very large family fortune.
Her father, Philippe Emmanuel, was a powerful duke. During the reign of King Henry III, he led a group called the Catholic League in Brittany. He wanted to protect the Roman Catholic Church in that area. He also claimed special rights in Brittany through his wife's family. He even tried to set up his own government in Nantes, calling his son "prince and duke of Brittany."
Marriage and Royal Connections
King Henry IV of France sent his army against Françoise's father. As part of a peace agreement, a marriage plan was made in 1596. This plan said that Françoise would marry King Henry IV's son, César, Duke of Vendôme. César was the eldest son of the King and his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées.
France and Spain signed a peace treaty called the Peace of Vervins in 1598. Françoise was only six years old at the time. This treaty also confirmed that she would marry César de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme.
The wedding took place at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 16 July 1609. Françoise was 16, and César was 15. They had three children together. Their grandson, Louis Joseph, became a very famous military leader known as le Grand Vendôme.
Because of their marriage agreement, César gained the right to manage Françoise's lands. Her husband, César, faced political difficulties and died in 1665. He had been involved in a civil war called the Fronde.
In the same year, Françoise traveled to Savoy with her granddaughter, Marie Jeanne of Savoy. Marie Jeanne married Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy there in May 1665. Françoise's eldest son inherited the duchies of Mercœur and Penthièvre. Françoise died in Paris in 1669 when she was 77 years old and was buried there. She also owned other important lands, like the princedom of Martigues, the Duchy of Étampes, and the seigneurie of Ancenis.
Children
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
