Gabrielle d'Estrées

Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Marquise de Monceaux, Duchesse de Beaufort
Born	1573 Cœuvres, France
Died	10 April 1599 (eclampsia) Paris, France
Spouse(s)	Nicolas Damerval de Liancourt (1592-1595) (marriage annulled)
Children	César de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme Catherine-Henriette de Bourbon Alexandre, Chevalier de Vendôme Stillborn son
Parent(s)	Antoine d'Estrées Françoise Babou de La Bourdaisière

Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux (French pronunciation: ​[ɡabʁiɛl dɛstʁe]; 1573 – 10 April 1599) was a mistress, confidante and adviser of Henry IV of France. She persuaded Henry to renounce Protestantism in favour of Catholicism in 1593. Later she urged French Catholics to accept the Edict of Nantes, which granted certain rights to the Protestants. It was legally impossible for the king to marry her, because he was already married to Margaret of Valois, but he acknowledged Gabrielle as the mother of three of his children, and as "the subject most worthy of our friendship".

She was born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy.

In November 1590, Henry IV fell in love with Gabrielle d'Estrées. She became one of his many mistresses in the middle of his bitter struggle with the Catholic League. Although he was married to Margaret of Valois, Henry and Gabrielle were openly affectionate with each other in public. Fiercely loyal, Gabrielle accompanied Henry during his campaigns. Even when heavily pregnant, she insisted on living inside his tent near the battlefield, making sure his clothing was clean and that he ate well after a battle, handling the day to day correspondence while he fought. As she was an intelligent and practical woman, Henry confided his secrets to her and followed her advice. When the two were apart, Henry frequently wrote her letters while on his sojourn trips at war camps.

Born a Catholic, Gabrielle knew that the best way to conclude the religious wars was for Henry himself to become a Catholic. Recognizing the wisdom in her argument, on 25 July 1593 Henry declared that "Paris is well worth a Mass" and permanently renounced Protestantism. This enabled him to be crowned King of France on 27 February 1594. Henry also arranged for Gabrielle's marriage to Liancourt to be annulled the same year.