Françoise de Rohan
Encyclopedia
Françoise de Rohan was the daughter of René I de Rohan
and Isabel d'Albret of Navarre
. She was the granddaughter of Jean d'Albret
, King of Navarre, and cousin to Jeanne d'Albret and Henri of Navarre, also known as Henri IV
. She claimed to be the secret wife of Jacques, Duke of Nemours, with whom she had a son, but Nemours denied this and married Anna d'Este
.
Through her father, Mademoiselle de Rohan was descended from old Breton
kings, while on her mother's side she was a niece of Henry d'Albret
, King of Navarre, who had married Marguerite d'Angoulême
. Her aunt, Queen Marguerite, had Françoise educated with her own daughter, Jeanne
, the future mother of Henry IV. Jeanne treated her younger cousin Françoise cruelly, and even beat her. Françoise must have been relieved when Jeanne was married off in 1548. Then, in 1549, Queen Marguerite died, and Françoise was sent to the French court
. She became a lady-in-waiting
of Catherine de' Medici
.
She and Catherine de Parthenay were best friends and sisters-in-law, and both women protected then French mathematician François Viète
between 1572 and 1591. He dedicated them his most famous work : Isagoge in Artem Analycitem
.
Also known as the duchess of Ludonois and Lady de la Garnache, her life has been suggested of informing the heroine found in the French novel La Princesse de Clèves
by Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne.
La princesse de Clèves was the first French historical novel
and among the first novels in French literature.
René I de Rohan
René I de Rohan, 18th Viscount of Rohan, Viscount and Prince de Léon, and Marquis de Blain married Isabella of Navarre daughter of jure uxoris King John III of Navarre and Catherine of Navarre, Queen of Navarre.-Life:...
and Isabel d'Albret of Navarre
Isabel d'Albret of Navarre
Isabel d'Albret of Navarre was the daughter of John III of Navarre and Catherine I of Navarre, sister and heiress of Francis Phoebus, King of Navarre. Her brother claimed the throne in 1518 and was crowned Henry II of Navarre.-Children:...
. She was the granddaughter of Jean d'Albret
John III of Navarre
John III , also known as Jean d'Albret, was jure uxoris, King consort of the Queen regnant Catherine of Navarre.He was a son of Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and his wife, Frances of Châtillon-Limoges.-King of Navarre:...
, King of Navarre, and cousin to Jeanne d'Albret and Henri of Navarre, also known as Henri IV
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....
. She claimed to be the secret wife of Jacques, Duke of Nemours, with whom she had a son, but Nemours denied this and married Anna d'Este
Anna d'Este
Anna d'Este, also Anne d’Este was an important princess with considerable influence at the court of France and a central figure in the French Wars of Religion...
.
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
kings, while on her mother's side she was a niece of Henry d'Albret
Henry II of Navarre
Henry II was the eldest son of John III of Navarre and Catherine I of Navarre, sister and heiress of Francis Phoebus, King of Navarre; he was born at Sangüesa.-King of Navarre:...
, King of Navarre, who had married Marguerite d'Angoulême
Marguerite de Navarre
Marguerite de Navarre , also known as Marguerite of Angoulême and Margaret of Navarre, was the queen consort of Henry II of Navarre...
. Her aunt, Queen Marguerite, had Françoise educated with her own daughter, Jeanne
Jeanne III of Navarre
Jeanne d'Albret , also known as Jeanne III or Joan III, was the queen regnant of Navarre from 1555 to 1572. She married Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, and was the mother of Henry of Bourbon, who became King of Navarre and of France as Henry IV, the first Bourbon king...
, the future mother of Henry IV. Jeanne treated her younger cousin Françoise cruelly, and even beat her. Françoise must have been relieved when Jeanne was married off in 1548. Then, in 1549, Queen Marguerite died, and Françoise was sent to the French court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
. She became a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
of Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
.
She and Catherine de Parthenay were best friends and sisters-in-law, and both women protected then French mathematician François Viète
François Viète
François Viète , Seigneur de la Bigotière, was a French mathematician whose work on new algebra was an important step towards modern algebra, due to its innovative use of letters as parameters in equations...
between 1572 and 1591. He dedicated them his most famous work : Isagoge in Artem Analycitem
New algebra
The new algebra or symbolic analysis is a formalization of algebra promoted by François Viète in 1591 and by his successors...
.
Also known as the duchess of Ludonois and Lady de la Garnache, her life has been suggested of informing the heroine found in the French novel La Princesse de Clèves
La Princesse de Clèves
La Princesse de Clèves is a French novel which was published anonymously in March 1678. It is regarded by many as the beginning of the modern tradition of the psychological novel, and as a great classic work. Its author is generally held to be Madame de La Fayette.The action takes place between...
by Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne.
La princesse de Clèves was the first French historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
and among the first novels in French literature.