Renée of France facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Renée of France
Portrait by Corneille de Lyon, c. 1530
Countess/Duchess of Chartres
Tenure	25 October 1510 – 12 June 1574
Predecessor	Charles II of Alençon
Successor	Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
Duchess consort of Ferrara
Tenure	31 October 1534 – 3 October 1559
Duchess consort of Modena and Reggio
Tenure	31 October 1534 – 3 October 1559
Born	25 October 1510 Château de Blois
Died	12 June 1574(1574-06-12) (aged 63) Château de Montargis
Burial	Château de Montargis
Spouse	Ercole II d'Este ​ ​ (m. 1528; died 1559)​
Issue	Anna d'Este Alfonso II of Ferrara Lucrezia Maria d'Este Eleonora d'Este Luigi d'Este
House	Valois-Orléans
Father	Louis XII of France
Mother	Anne of Brittany
Religion	Calvinism prev. Roman Catholicism

Renée of France (born October 25, 1510 – died June 12, 1574) was a French princess. She became the Duchess of Ferrara from 1534 to 1559. She gained this title by marrying Ercole II d'Este, who was the Duke of Ferrara.

Renée was the younger surviving daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne of Brittany. Later in her life, she became a strong supporter of the Protestant Reformation. She was also a close friend and ally of John Calvin, a key leader in the Protestant movement.

Early Life and Education

Renée was born on October 25, 1510, at the Château de Blois in France. Her parents were Louis XII of France and Anne of Brittany. Her mother, Anne, wanted to keep Brittany independent from the French crown. She tried to pass the duchy to Renée. However, her father, Louis, prevented this. The Duchy instead went to Renée's older sister, Claude.

Renée's early education was overseen by her governess, Michelle de Saubonne. Michelle was loyal to Anne of Brittany. She was against Anne's rival, Louise of Savoy. After Renée's parents died, Louise and her son, Francis I of France, fired Michelle. Renée never forgot this. When she got married, she made sure Michelle came with her.

To give up her claims to the Duchy of Brittany, Renée was given the Duchy of Chartres by King Francis I. As a child, she was friends with Anne Boleyn. Renée always remembered Anne with kindness. Renée was even considered as a possible wife for King Henry VIII of England.

Life as Duchess of Ferrara

In April 1528, Renée married Ercole II, Duke of Ferrara. He was the oldest son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia. After her marriage, she was known as Renata di Francia. King Francis I gave Renée a large dowry and yearly payment.

Her court in Ferrara became a center for science and art. Scholars like Bernardo Tasso visited her. Her first child, Anna, was born in 1531. Then came Alfonso in 1533, and Lucrezia in 1535. After them, Eleonora and Luigi were born. Renée carefully guided all their education.

Changes at Court

On October 31, 1534, Ercole's father died. Ercole then became the Duke of Ferrara. Soon after, he began to remove the French people from his court. Many of them had come with Renée. He found them too numerous and expensive. He also suspected some of them of having Protestant beliefs.

Around March or April 1536, the Protestant leader John Calvin visited Ferrara. Calvin stayed at Renée's court for several weeks that summer. Renée was interested in his ideas. Calvin's important book, Institutes of the Christian Religion, was shared at her court. This happened at a time when people who supported Protestant ideas were being persecuted.

Religious Challenges

Renée kept in touch with many Protestants outside Ferrara. She also shared Protestant beliefs with her daughters and friends. However, her life became difficult. The Counter-Reformation, a movement against Protestantism, began in Rome in 1542. This led to a special court of the Inquisition being set up in Ferrara in 1545. This court sentenced Protestants to death.

Duke Ercole accused Renée of being a heretic to her nephew, King Henry II of France. An Inquisitor, Oriz, was sent by the king. Renée was arrested and told she would lose all her possessions if she did not change her beliefs. She refused for a while. But when her two daughters were taken away from her, she gave in. She confessed on September 23, 1554. However, she later refused to attend Catholic church services.

Return to France

Renée wanted to go back to France. She finally did so a year after her husband died on October 3, 1559. In France, her eldest daughter's husband, Francis, Duke of Guise, led the Roman Catholic party. His power weakened when his nephew Francis II died in December 1560.

This allowed Renée to offer Protestant worship at her estate in Montargis. She hired a Protestant preacher recommended by Calvin. She helped Protestants in the area. Her castle became a safe place for them during religious wars.

Calvin praised her actions. He often wrote to her, recognizing her help for the Protestant cause. One of his last letters, sent from his deathbed, was to her. During the third religious war (1568–70), her castle was no longer safe. However, she managed to save many Protestants from the Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre in Paris. She was not harmed herself, but Catherine de' Medici tried to make her change her beliefs, which Renée ignored.

Children

Renée and Ercole II had five children:

• Anna d'Este (1531–1607): She married Francis, Duke of Guise. After he died, she married Jacques de Savoie, 2nd Duc de Nemours.
• Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara (1533–1597): He became the next Duke of Ferrara.
• Lucrezia Maria d'Este (1535–1598): She married Francesco Maria II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino.
• Eleonore d'Este (1537–1581)
• Luigi d'Este (1538–1586): He became a Bishop of Ferrara and Archbishop of Auch.

Renée's husband died in 1559. She did not get along well with her son, Alfonso II. So, she returned to France in 1560. She lived in Montargis until she died on June 12, 1574.

Images for kids

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  Renee with her sister and nieces

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  Renée de France by François Clouet

See also

In Spanish: Renata de Francia para niños