Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Suzanne |
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| Duchess of Bourbon | |
A stained-glass portrait of Suzanne in Moulins Cathedral
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| Born | 10 May 1491 Château de Châtellerault |
| Died | 28 April 1521 (aged 29) Palace of Châtellerault |
| Burial | Priory of Souvigny, Souvigny, Auvergne, France |
| Spouse | |
| House | Bourbon |
| Father | Peter II, Duke of Bourbon |
| Mother | Anne of France |
Suzanne de Bourbon (born May 10, 1491 – died April 28, 1521) was an important French noblewoman. She was the suo jure Duchess of Bourbon and Auvergne from 1503 until she died. Suo jure means she held these titles in her own right, not just because she was married to a duke. She ruled alongside her husband, Charles III.
Early Life and Family
Suzanne was born on May 10, 1491. She was the only daughter and second child of Duke Peter II of Bourbon and Anne of France. Her mother, Anne, was the oldest daughter of King Louis XI of France.
From 1483 to 1491, Suzanne's parents were in charge of France. They were co-regents (meaning they ruled together) while Anne's younger brother, Charles VIII of France, was too young to be king. Suzanne's aunt, Joan, was also briefly the Queen of France. She was married to Louis XII of France, who became king after Charles VIII died in 1498.
Becoming Duchess
Suzanne had an older brother named Charles. He was born in 1471 but sadly died in 1498 when he was 27. He never married or had children. After his death, Suzanne's father, Duke Peter, worried about who would inherit his lands. He had no other sons or brothers left.
Under an old French rule called Salic law, women could not inherit titles or lands. This meant the next in line was Louis II, Count of Montpensier. He was a distant cousin from another part of the Bourbon family.
In 1498, King Charles VIII died suddenly. He hit his head on a low doorway. Since he had no sons, the question of who would be the next king of France was a big deal. The closest male relative was Louis XII.
Suzanne's parents, Peter and Anne, were very powerful. They had been co-regents for King Charles. They made a deal with Louis XII. They would support him becoming king if he agreed that Suzanne, who was only seven years old, would be the rightful heir to her father's lands. Louis XII had to agree to this. This was unusual because of the old Salic law. This law had allowed Louis, not Anne, to become king of France.
In 1503, Duke Peter died. Suzanne then became the Duchess of Bourbon. Her mother, Anne, acted as her regent because Suzanne was still a minor. Anne was very smart and prepared Suzanne to rule. She taught her many subjects like astronomy, math, and religion. Most importantly, Anne taught Suzanne how to behave at court. She taught her to be kind, speak well, and be friendly. Anne also taught her daughter to never show her true feelings or thoughts. This was important because court politics could be tricky and dangerous.
Ruling as Duchess
The original plan was for Suzanne to marry Louis II, Count of Montpensier. He was a good young man, and marrying him would stop any fights over who would inherit the Bourbon lands. But Louis offended Duke Peter. He said that the right to inherit the Bourbon lands was his by birth, and he didn't need to thank Suzanne or her father for it.
Duke Peter was very angry. He decided to arrange for Suzanne to marry Charles IV, Duke of Alençon instead. Charles IV was a favorite of King Louis XII. Peter hoped this marriage would protect the duchy from both the Montpensier family and the king. Anne, Suzanne's mother, didn't like this plan. She knew it would cause political problems. But Peter insisted. The marriage contract was signed in 1501. Alençon was eleven, and Suzanne was nine.
Two years later, before the wedding could happen, Duke Peter died. Louis of Montpensier had also died by then. His younger brother, Charles, became the new head of that family branch. With both Peter and Louis gone, the old problems between them were over.
Anne then broke off the engagement with Alençon. She arranged for Suzanne to marry Charles, the new Bourbon heir. This stopped any arguments about who would inherit the Bourbon lands. On May 10, 1505, Suzanne married Charles. He immediately became co-ruler of the Bourbon lands with her. After their wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Bourbon, along with Anne, traveled through their lands. They did this many times during their rule.
Suzanne did not seem to be very involved in state affairs. Her husband and her mother managed the duchies together. They were known as good partners in running things. Duchess Suzanne was often described as having delicate health. Chronicles mentioned she had a "general disposition" and a "deformity," but they didn't say what her condition was.
Charles and Suzanne had a son born on July 17, 1517. He was named Francis, after King Francis I of France, who was a good friend of Charles. The child was given the title Count of Clermont. However, he died after only a few months. Suzanne later had twins who were either stillborn or died very soon after birth.
Suzanne died at Châtellerault in 1521. She was buried in Souvigny Priory. Her health had been weak for many years. Her mother, Anne, who had always worried about Suzanne's health, died one year after her daughter. Suzanne's husband, Charles, remained duke. He never remarried and died without children in 1527. After his death, the lands of the Dukes of Bourbon became part of the kingdom of France.
Legacy
Suzanne's death, and later Charles's death, meant that the two main branches of the Bourbon family ended. Suzanne's branch was the "Bourbon" branch, and Charles's was the "Bourbon-Montpensier" branch.
The next male heir to both was their fifth cousin, Charles, Duke of Vendôme. His family branch was called "Bourbon-Vendome." It then became known simply as "the House of Bourbon" because it was the oldest surviving branch. This Bourbon-Vendome branch would later inherit the throne of France. Charles, Duke of Vendôme, was the grandfather of Henry IV of France. Henry IV became the first "Bourbon" king of France.
Images for kids
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A stained-glass portrait of Suzanne in Moulins Cathedral
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This portrait of Suzanne was made for the Duke and Duchess of Bourbon. It's part of a larger artwork called a triptych.
See also
In Spanish: Susana de Borbón para niños
