Catherine, Duchess of Montpensier
| Catherine-Marie de Lorraine | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
18 July 1551 Joinville, France |
| Died | 5 May 1596 (aged 43) Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Princess |
Catherine-Marie de Lorraine (18 July 1551 – 5 May 1596), Duchess of Montpensier, was a French princess from the house of Guise who played a leading political role in the Catholic League during the French Wars of Religion.
Catherine-Marie de Lorraine was born on 18 July 1551. She was the second child of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este. Her elder brother was Henry I, Duke of Guise (1550–88), known as the Balafré. Her younger brothers included Charles, Duke of Mayenne (1554–1611) and Louis II, Cardinal of Guise (1555–88). She grew up during the French Wars of Religion, a civil war between Protestant and Catholic factions. In 1570 she married Louis, Duke of Montpensier, of the Bourbon family.
Louis of Montpensier died on 23 September 1582 leaving Catherine a widow at 30 years of age. She did not remarry. She was known at the court of Henry III of France as a malicious intriguer. She was taunted for her limp, and in return was strongly hostile to the king's favorites. She was also opposed to the Bourbons, her relations by marriage. She became the heroine of the Holy League that formed to oppose Henry III.
On 7 July 1585 Henry III was forced to sign the Treaty of Nemours with Catherine's brother Henry I of Guise and the Catholic League. On 18 July 1585 he signed an edict that cancelled all previous edicts of tolerance, paid mercenaries of the Catholic League from the royal treasury and prohibited Protestantism. The Guise party received favors and positions, while Henry of Navarre, the future Henry IV of France was disinherited. However, the king did not give the Guises enough support to defeat the Protestants, and the conflict dragged out. Henry III proposed to marry Catherine to his favorite Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, but Catherine flatly refused to marry this mignon of the king. Catherine hated Henry III, who was deeply unpopular in Paris for having brought several regiments of Swiss Guards to the capital.
...
Wikipedia