Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues
Encyclopedia
Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, Marquise de Verneuil (katʁin ɑ̃ʁjɛt də balzak dɑ̃tʁag maʁkiz də vɛʁnœj) (1579–1633) was the favourite mistress
of Henry IV of France
after Gabrielle d'Estrées
died. She was the daughter of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and his wife Marie Touchet
, who was formerly the sole mistress
of Charles IX of France
.
before her birth. Ambitious, pretty and intriguing, by her late teens she had succeeded in becoming a mistress to Henry IV, and induced him into a promise to marry her following the death of the king's favoured official mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées
. This alleged promise led to bitter scenes of jealousy and arguing at the court when shortly afterwards Henry married Marie de' Medici
instead.
Terribly infuriated and feeling betrayed, she carried her spite so far as to be deeply compromised in a conspiracy against the king in 1606, but escaped with only a slight punishment after the plot was foiled, and in 1608 Henry actually took her back into favour again as one of his mistresses. She was later involved in the Spanish
intrigues which preceded the death of the King in 1610. Upon the King's death, his wife, Queen Marie de Medici, was named Regent
by Parliament
, and immediately banished Catherine from the royal court. Little is known of Catherine's life after that.
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
of Henry IV of France
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....
after 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....
died. She was the daughter of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and his wife Marie Touchet
Marie Touchet
Marie Touchet , Dame de Belleville, was the only mistress of Charles IX of France.-Humble origins, mistress to the king:...
, who was formerly the sole mistress
Royal mistress
A royal mistress is the historical position of a mistress to a monarch or senior Royal. Some mistresses have had considerable power. The prevalence of the institution can be attributed to the fact that royal marriages were until recent times conducted solely on the basis of political and dynastic...
of Charles IX of France
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
.
King's mistress
Catherine Henriette de Balzac was raised at a time when women often sought to become a mistress to royalty, and her mother Marie had previously been a mistress to Charles IXCharles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
before her birth. Ambitious, pretty and intriguing, by her late teens she had succeeded in becoming a mistress to Henry IV, and induced him into a promise to marry her following the death of the king's favoured official 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....
. This alleged promise led to bitter scenes of jealousy and arguing at the court when shortly afterwards Henry married Marie de' Medici
Marie de' Medici
Marie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
instead.
Terribly infuriated and feeling betrayed, she carried her spite so far as to be deeply compromised in a conspiracy against the king in 1606, but escaped with only a slight punishment after the plot was foiled, and in 1608 Henry actually took her back into favour again as one of his mistresses. She was later involved in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
intrigues which preceded the death of the King in 1610. Upon the King's death, his wife, Queen Marie de Medici, was named Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
by Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, and immediately banished Catherine from the royal court. Little is known of Catherine's life after that.
See also
- Henry IV of France's wives and mistressesHenry IV of France's wives and mistressesHenry IV of France's wives and mistresses played a significant role in the politics of his reign. Both Henry and his first wife Marguerite of Valois, whom he married in 1572, were repeatedly unfaithful to each other, and the collapse of their marriage led to their estrangement and living apart...
- List of French royal mistresses
Children
She bore the king two children:| Name | Birth | Legitimized | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Henri, Duc de Verneuil Henri de Bourbon, duc de Verneuil Gaston Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Verneuil was the bishop of Metz from 1612 to 1652.-Biography:Henri was the illegitimate son of King Henry IV of France and his mistress, Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues. He was born at Château de Vincennes... |
1601 | 1603 | 1682 | Married Charlotte Seguier, daughter of Pierre Séguier Pierre Séguier -Early years:Born in Paris, France of a prominent legal family originating in Quercy. His grandfather, Pierre Séguier , was président à mortier in the parlement of Paris from 1554 to 1576, and the chancellor's father, Jean Séguier, a seigneur d'Autry, was civil lieutenant of Paris at the time of... , Duc de Villemor. |
| Gabrielle Angelique, called Mademoiselle de Verneuil | 1603 | 1627 | Married Bernard de Nogaret de Foix, Duc de La Valette et d'Épernon Bernard de Nogaret de La Valette d'Épernon Bernard de Nogaret de La Valette , duke of Épernon and a French general, was the son of Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette and Marguerite de Foix-Candale, granddaughter of the constable of Montmorency... . |