Françoise de Lorraine (1592–1669)
Encyclopedia
Françoise de Lorraine was a French noblewoman and the daughter-in-law of King Henry IV of France
; sometimes known as Françoise de Mercœur, she was the niece of Louise of Lorraine, wife of the previous king, Henry III of France
. Françoise was the heiress of her father and was the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre in her own right
.
During the reign of Henry III, her father had put himself at the head of the League in Brittany
, and had himself proclaimed protector of the Roman Catholic Church in the province in 1588. Invoking the hereditary rights of his wife, who was a descendant of the Dukes of Brittany, he endeavoured to make himself independent in that province, and organized a government at Nantes, calling his son "prince and duke of Brittany".
With the aid of the Spaniards he defeated Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier, whom Henry IV of France had sent against him, at Craon
in 1592. The king marched against Meroeur in person. As part of their peace they drew up a marriage contract in 1596 whereby his daughter, would marry Henry's legitimized son.
The French and Spanish then signed the Peace of Vervins
on 2 May 1598 when Françoise was 6; part of the treaty again stipulated that the young Françoise would be engaged to the illegitimate child of Henry IV, César de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme. Vendôme was the eldest child of the King and his mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées
.
The marriage ceremony took place at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 16 July 1609. The bride was 17; the groom was just 14. The couple had three children overall and were the paternal grand parents of the famous débauché general, le Grand Vendôme.
Françoise was the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre since her father's death in 1602. Due to the marriage contract, César acquired the right to rule her lands.
Her husband died in 1665, a disgraced man, having been involved in the Fronde
and been accused of trying to poison the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu. In the same year she went to Savoy
with her granddaughter Marie Jeanne of Savoy for the wedding of Marie Jeanne to Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
.
The duchies of Mercœur and Penthièvre were thus inherited by her eldest son who married Laura Mancini
in 1651, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. Françoise died in Paris in 1669 aged 77. She was buried in Paris.
Other fiefdoms that Françoise owned were the Principality of Martigues, Duchy of Étampes and Lordship of Ancenis
.
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
; sometimes known as Françoise de Mercœur, she was the niece of Louise of Lorraine, wife of the previous king, Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
. Françoise was the heiress of her father and was the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre in her own right
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
.
Biography
Françoise was the youngest of two children. She was born in November 1592 with the exact date unknown; her only sibling, Philippe Louis, died in 1590 aged one; as such from her birth to the Duke and Duchess of Mercœur, she was an heiress to one of the largest private fortunes of her age.During the reign of Henry III, her father had put himself at the head of the League in Brittany
Catholic League (French)
The Catholic League of France, sometimes referred to by contemporary Roman Catholics as the Holy League, a major player in the French Wars of Religion, was formed by Duke Henry of Guise in 1576...
, and had himself proclaimed protector of the Roman Catholic Church in the province in 1588. Invoking the hereditary rights of his wife, who was a descendant of the Dukes of Brittany, he endeavoured to make himself independent in that province, and organized a government at Nantes, calling his son "prince and duke of Brittany".
With the aid of the Spaniards he defeated Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier, whom Henry IV of France had sent against him, at Craon
Craon
Craon is the name of several communes in France:* Craon, Mayenne, in the Mayenne department* Craon, former commune of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, now part of Sionviller* Craon, Vienne, in the Vienne department...
in 1592. The king marched against Meroeur in person. As part of their peace they drew up a marriage contract in 1596 whereby his daughter, would marry Henry's legitimized son.
The French and Spanish then signed the Peace of Vervins
Peace of Vervins
The Peace of Vervins was signed between the representatives of Henry IV of France and Philip II of Spain, on 2 May 1598, at the small town of Vervins in Picardy, northern France, close to the territory of the Habsburg Netherlands...
on 2 May 1598 when Françoise was 6; part of the treaty again stipulated that the young Françoise would be engaged to the illegitimate child of Henry IV, César de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme. Vendôme was the eldest child of the King and his mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux was a French mistress of King Henry IV of France, born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy....
.
The marriage ceremony took place at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 16 July 1609. The bride was 17; the groom was just 14. The couple had three children overall and were the paternal grand parents of the famous débauché general, le Grand Vendôme.
Françoise was the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre since her father's death in 1602. Due to the marriage contract, César acquired the right to rule her lands.
Her husband died in 1665, a disgraced man, having been involved in the Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
and been accused of trying to poison the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu. In the same year she went to Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
with her granddaughter Marie Jeanne of Savoy for the wedding of Marie Jeanne to Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel II was the Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine Marie of France until 1663. He was also Marquis of Saluzzo, Count of Aosta, Geneva, Moriana and Nice, as well as claimant king of Cyprus and Jerusalem...
.
The duchies of Mercœur and Penthièvre were thus inherited by her eldest son who married Laura Mancini
Laura Mancini
Laura Mancini, duchess of Mercœur and Vendôme was a niece of Cardinal Mazarin. She was the eldest of the five famous Mancini sisters, who along with two of their female Martinozzi cousins, were known at the court of King Louis XIV of France as the Mazarinettes...
in 1651, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. Françoise died in Paris in 1669 aged 77. She was buried in Paris.
Other fiefdoms that Françoise owned were the Principality of Martigues, Duchy of Étampes and Lordship of Ancenis
Ancenis
Ancenis is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Now, in Région Pays de la Loire, it played a great historical role as a key location on the road to Nantes , the historical capital of Brittany...
.
Issue
- Louis de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (1612–1669) married Laura ManciniLaura ManciniLaura Mancini, duchess of Mercœur and Vendôme was a niece of Cardinal Mazarin. She was the eldest of the five famous Mancini sisters, who along with two of their female Martinozzi cousins, were known at the court of King Louis XIV of France as the Mazarinettes...
and had issue; - Élisabeth de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Vendôme (1614–1664), married in Paris on 11 July 1643 Charles Amadeus of Savoy, Duke of Nemours and has issue.
- François de Bourbon, Duke of BeaufortFrançois, Duke of BeaufortFrançois de Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort was the illegitimate grandson of Henry IV of France. He was also cousin to Louis XIV. He was a prominent figure in the Fronde, and later went on to fight in the Mediterranean. His mother was the heiress Françoise de Lorraine...
(1616–1669) never married;
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 1592 – 16 July 1609 Her Highness Mademoiselle de Mercœur
- 16 July 1609 – 22 October 1665 Her Highness the Duchess of Vendôme
- 22 October 1665 – 8 September 1669 Her Highness the Dowager Duchess of Vendôme