Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont
Encyclopedia
Louise of Lorraine (30 April 1553 – 29 January 1601) was a member of the House of Lorraine
who became Queen consort
of France from 1575 until 1589. Born in Nomeny
in the Duchy of Bar, she was the daughter of Nicholas of Lorraine, duke of Vaudémont, regent of Lorraine and Bar and Margaret of Egmont.
She first caught the eye of her future husband, Henry
, Duke of Anjou, in 1574. Recently elected King of Poland, he was paying a visit to her cousin, the Duke of Lorraine
(married to Henry's sister, Claude
) on his way to his new kingdom, and caught sight of Louise whilst he was there. Henry was attracted to Louise, who was not only attractive, and sweet-natured, but who also resembled the Princess of Condé, Marie de Clèves
, with whom Henry III was infatuated. He remembered Louise long after he left France.
Upon the death of Charles IX of France
, and Henry's accession as Henry III, Louise was not initially considered to be a candidate for Queen - Henry intended to procure Marie a divorce from her husband
and marry her himself. Marie died of a lung infection, however, and after a period of deep mourning, Henry III decided - against the advice of his mother and his councillors - to marry Louise, sending his councillor and alleged lover, Cheverney
, to inform the girl and her family, who responded to the news by bowing and curtsying to her with embarrassment. Louise herself was on a pilgrimage to Saint-Nicolas-de-Port at the time, and was much surprised when she received the news by her family at her return. The match was a general surprise, as Louise was not considered to have high enough status to be queen.
The wedding took place on 13 February 1575, two days after Henry's coronation. The couple were finally married
at the Cathedral of Reims by Cardinal Charles de Bourbon that evening. Her mother-in-law, Catherine de Medici, initially disliked the match as she feared that Louise would act as an agent of her family, but as she soon proved that she did not, Catherine came to appreciate the humble and calm personality of her daughter-in-law. Louise did, however, suffer because of the hostility between the family of her father and her spouse.
Although Louise worshipped her husband, who in response fussed over her, the marriage failed to produce children. She is believed to have suffered a miscarriage in the Spring of 1576; if so, it would possibly have prevented the couple from producing further children. As a result - the heir-presumptive being by the end of the reign the controversial Henry III of Navarre - the relationship between the couple became more unhappy because of this pressure. The Queen as a result became thin, suffered fits of depression, and with her husband made pious offerings and pilgrimages to plead for sons. Between 1579 and 1586, they made numerous such pilgrimages, especially to Chartres. In 1584, they were rumours that Henry would divorce her, but they proved to be untrue.
Queen Louise was not neglected but often in the company of Henry, and participated in ceremonies, parties and receptions at his side. She was not politically active except in a ceremonial aspect: she was present in the royal council, received ambassadors in her own chambers, presided over the opening of parliament and lay the foundation stone to Pont Neuf with Henry 31 May 1578.
In 1589 Queen Louise inherited Château de Chenonceau
and was staying there at the time her husband was assassinated
on 2 August. She fell into a state of depression
and spent the remainder of her days in mourning clothes amidst somber tapestries at the Chenonceau palace. The traditional mourning colour of French queens was white, and she was thereby called "The White Queen". As a widow, she was given the title Duchess of Berry. Queen dowager Louise wanted to restore the name of Henry, who had been excommunicated after the murder of Cardinal de Guise. The 6 September 1589, she asked Henry IV to clear her late husbands name, and 20 January 1594, she officially demanded the rehabilitation of Henry III at a ceremony in Nantes.
Queen Louise died in Moulins, Allier
in 1601 and was buried at the Convent of the Capuchins. In 1817 her remains were reinterred next to her husband in the Saint Denis Basilica
.
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
who became Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of France from 1575 until 1589. Born in Nomeny
Nomeny
Nomeny is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.South of Nomeny, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station, which works on 837 kHz with 300 kW. It uses two guyed masts with different height, which are both insulated against ground, as antenna. The tallest of them...
in the Duchy of Bar, she was the daughter of Nicholas of Lorraine, duke of Vaudémont, regent of Lorraine and Bar and Margaret of Egmont.
Biography
Her childhood was unhappy; unloved by her father and stepmother, Catherine de Lorraine-Aumale, she was expected to keep out of the way of her family. This upbringing would result in her being quiet and dutiful as an adult. She was also very pious.She first caught the eye of her future husband, Henry
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,...
, Duke of Anjou, in 1574. Recently elected King of Poland, he was paying a visit to her cousin, the Duke of Lorraine
Charles III, Duke of Lorraine
Charles III , known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.-History:He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, and Christina of Denmark...
(married to Henry's sister, Claude
Claude of Valois
Claude of Valois was born at Fontainebleau on 12 November 1547 and died in Nancy on 21 February 1575. She was the second daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.-Biography:...
) on his way to his new kingdom, and caught sight of Louise whilst he was there. Henry was attracted to Louise, who was not only attractive, and sweet-natured, but who also resembled the Princess of Condé, Marie de Clèves
Marie de Clèves
Marie of Cleves or of Nevers , by marriage the Princess of Condé, was the wife of Henry, Prince of Condé, and an early love interest of King Henry III of France...
, with whom Henry III was infatuated. He remembered Louise long after he left France.
Upon the death 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:...
, and Henry's accession as Henry III, Louise was not initially considered to be a candidate for Queen - Henry intended to procure Marie a divorce from her husband
Henri I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Henri de Bourbon-Condé was a French Prince du Sang and Huguenot general like his more prominent father, Louis I, Prince of Condé....
and marry her himself. Marie died of a lung infection, however, and after a period of deep mourning, Henry III decided - against the advice of his mother and his councillors - to marry Louise, sending his councillor and alleged lover, Cheverney
Philippe Hurault de Cheverny
Philippe Hurault , comte de Cheverny, was a French nobleman and politician.-Life:He was counsellor to the parlement de Paris, maître des requêtes , and assisted at the battles of Jarnac and Moncontour...
, to inform the girl and her family, who responded to the news by bowing and curtsying to her with embarrassment. Louise herself was on a pilgrimage to Saint-Nicolas-de-Port at the time, and was much surprised when she received the news by her family at her return. The match was a general surprise, as Louise was not considered to have high enough status to be queen.
The wedding took place on 13 February 1575, two days after Henry's coronation. The couple were finally married
at the Cathedral of Reims by Cardinal Charles de Bourbon that evening. Her mother-in-law, Catherine de Medici, initially disliked the match as she feared that Louise would act as an agent of her family, but as she soon proved that she did not, Catherine came to appreciate the humble and calm personality of her daughter-in-law. Louise did, however, suffer because of the hostility between the family of her father and her spouse.
Although Louise worshipped her husband, who in response fussed over her, the marriage failed to produce children. She is believed to have suffered a miscarriage in the Spring of 1576; if so, it would possibly have prevented the couple from producing further children. As a result - the heir-presumptive being by the end of the reign the controversial Henry III of Navarre - the relationship between the couple became more unhappy because of this pressure. The Queen as a result became thin, suffered fits of depression, and with her husband made pious offerings and pilgrimages to plead for sons. Between 1579 and 1586, they made numerous such pilgrimages, especially to Chartres. In 1584, they were rumours that Henry would divorce her, but they proved to be untrue.
Queen Louise was not neglected but often in the company of Henry, and participated in ceremonies, parties and receptions at his side. She was not politically active except in a ceremonial aspect: she was present in the royal council, received ambassadors in her own chambers, presided over the opening of parliament and lay the foundation stone to Pont Neuf with Henry 31 May 1578.
In 1589 Queen Louise inherited Château de Chenonceau
Château de Chenonceau
The Château de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century...
and was staying there at the time her husband was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
on 2 August. She fell into a state of depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and spent the remainder of her days in mourning clothes amidst somber tapestries at the Chenonceau palace. The traditional mourning colour of French queens was white, and she was thereby called "The White Queen". As a widow, she was given the title Duchess of Berry. Queen dowager Louise wanted to restore the name of Henry, who had been excommunicated after the murder of Cardinal de Guise. The 6 September 1589, she asked Henry IV to clear her late husbands name, and 20 January 1594, she officially demanded the rehabilitation of Henry III at a ceremony in Nantes.
Queen Louise died in Moulins, Allier
Moulins, Allier
Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.-History:...
in 1601 and was buried at the Convent of the Capuchins. In 1817 her remains were reinterred next to her husband in the Saint Denis Basilica
Saint Denis Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
.
Ancestry
Sources
- Frieda, Leonie, Catherine de Medici