Antoine, Duke of Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Antoine known as the Good, was Duke of Lorraine from 1508 until his death in 1544.
, the son of René II, Duke of Lorraine
and Philippa of Guelders. He was raised at the court of King Louis XII
together with his brother Claude, and also made friends with the Duke of Angoulême, the future King Francis I
.
In 1509 he entrusted the reins of the Duchy to his mother and Hugues des Hazards, bishop of Toul, and followed Louis XII in his campaign in northern Italy
, where he took part in the Battle of Agnadello
of that year. After Louis' death, he went again to Italy under Francis I, participating in the battle of Marignano
(14/15 September 1515). However, called back home by problems in Lorraine, he was absent at the decisive battle of Pavia
(1525), in which Francis was taken prisoner and his brother François, comte de Lambesc, was killed.
In Lorraine, Antoine had to face the spreading of Protestant Reformation
, against which he published an edict on 26 December 1523. The situation worsened the following year, when a rebellion, known as German Peasants' War
, broke out in Alsace
. The insurrectionists captured Saverne
and tried to conquer Saint-Dié, while the peasants of Bitscherland also rose in May 1525. Antoine launched an expedition which reconquered Saverne on 17 May and crushed a peasant army on 20 May near Sélestat
. He subsequently promulgated other edicts against the Protestants.
Antoine was able to enlarge his duchy through heritages and acquisitions. Starting from 1525, he preferred to remain neutral in the wars which ensued between Francis I and Emperor Charles V
. With the Treaty of Nuremberg (26 August 1542), he obtained by Charles V the independence of the Duchy of Lorraine
In 1538, he claimed the titles of Duke of Guelders and Count of Zutphen
upon the death of Charles of Egmond, but was unable to gain possession of them.
, daughter of Gilbert de Bourbon, Count of Montpensier
by Clara Gonzaga
, and sister of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon
.
He had six children:
Biography
Antoine was born at Bar-le-DucBar-le-Duc
Bar-le-Duc, formerly known as Bar, is a commune in the Meuse département, of which it is the préfecture . The department is in Lorraine in north-eastern France-Geography:...
, the son of René II, Duke of Lorraine
René II, Duke of Lorraine
René II was Count of Vaudémont from 1470, Duke of Lorraine from 1473, and Duke of Bar from 1483 to 1508. He claimed the crown of the Kingdom of Naples and the County of Provence as the Duke of Calabria 1480–1493 and as King of Naples and Jerusalem 1493–1508...
and Philippa of Guelders. He was raised at the court of King Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
together with his brother Claude, and also made friends with the Duke of Angoulême, the future King Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
.
In 1509 he entrusted the reins of the Duchy to his mother and Hugues des Hazards, bishop of Toul, and followed Louis XII in his campaign in northern Italy
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
, where he took part in the Battle of Agnadello
Battle of Agnadello
The Battle of Agnadello, also known as Vailà, was one of the more significant battles of the War of the League of Cambrai and one of the major battles of the Italian Wars....
of that year. After Louis' death, he went again to Italy under Francis I, participating in the battle of Marignano
Battle of Marignano
The Battle of Marignano was fought during the phase of the Italian Wars called the War of the League of Cambrai, between France and the Old Swiss Confederacy. It took place on September 13 and 15, 1515, near the town today called Melegnano, 16 km southeast of Milan...
(14/15 September 1515). However, called back home by problems in Lorraine, he was absent at the decisive battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
(1525), in which Francis was taken prisoner and his brother François, comte de Lambesc, was killed.
In Lorraine, Antoine had to face the spreading of Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, against which he published an edict on 26 December 1523. The situation worsened the following year, when a rebellion, known as German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
, broke out in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. The insurrectionists captured Saverne
Saverne
Saverne is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km N.W...
and tried to conquer Saint-Dié, while the peasants of Bitscherland also rose in May 1525. Antoine launched an expedition which reconquered Saverne on 17 May and crushed a peasant army on 20 May near Sélestat
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
. He subsequently promulgated other edicts against the Protestants.
Antoine was able to enlarge his duchy through heritages and acquisitions. Starting from 1525, he preferred to remain neutral in the wars which ensued between Francis I and Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. With the Treaty of Nuremberg (26 August 1542), he obtained by Charles V the independence of the Duchy of Lorraine
In 1538, he claimed the titles of Duke of Guelders and Count of Zutphen
Count of Zutphen
The title of Count of Zutphen historically belonged to the ruler of the Dutch province of Gelderland ....
upon the death of Charles of Egmond, but was unable to gain possession of them.
Family
On 26 June 1515, he married Renée of BourbonRenée of Bourbon
Renée of Bourbon, Duchess of Lorraine also called, Renée, Lady of Mercœur, , was a daughter of Gilbert de Bourbon, Count of Montpensier by Clara Gonzaga, and sister of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon....
, daughter of Gilbert de Bourbon, Count of Montpensier
Gilbert, Count of Montpensier
Gilbert de Bourbon, Count of Montpensier son of Louis de Bourbon and Gabrielle La Tour, Count of Montpensier and Dauphin d'Auvergne...
by Clara Gonzaga
Clara Gonzaga
Clara Gonzaga, Countess of Montpensier, Dauphine of Auvergne, Duchess of Sessa was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Gonzaga...
, and sister of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
.
He had six children:
- Francis I, Duke of LorraineFrancis I, Duke of LorraineFrancis I was a member of the French nobility. He was briefly Duke of Lorraine from 1544–1545.-History:...
(1517–1545) - Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur (1524–1577)
- Jean (1526–1532)
- Antoine (b. 1528), d. young
- AnnaAnna of LorraineAnna of Lorraine was a French princess of the House of Lorraine. She was Princess of Orange by her first marriage to René of Châlon, and Duchess of Aarschot by her second marriage to Philippe II of Croÿ....
(1522–1568), married firstly René of ChâlonRené of ChâlonRené of Châlon , also known as Renatus of Châlon, was a Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Gelre....
, Prince of OrangePrince of OrangePrince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
and secondly Philip II, Duke of Aerschot (1496–1549) - Elisabeth (b. 1530), d. young
Ancestry
See also
- Dukes of Lorraine family treeDukes of Lorraine family treeThis is a family tree of the House of Lorraine. It ranges from the foundation of the Longwy dynasty, in 1047, to the abdication of Francis III of Lorraine in 1737.See also: Lorraine...