On this Day in French Royal/Imperial History

[Countessmeout]

November 18, 1154 death of Adelaide of Maurienne, wife of Louis VI.

Adelaide was the daughter of Count Humbert II of Savoy. Humbert was first cousins with Holy Roman Emperor Henry V (Humbert's father and Henry's mother Bertha were sister and brother). Her mother was Gisela of Burgundy, a daughter of William II, Count of Burgundy. Gisela's brothers included Pope Callixtus II (her brother Guy) and Raymond of Burgundy, husband of Urracca of Castile and Leon and father of Alfonso VII of Castile and Leon.

She was born in 1092 in St Jean de Maurienne. She was named after her father's paternal grandmother, the formidable Adelaide, Marchioness of Turin.

In 1115 she was married to Louis VI known as the Fat. Louis had been married previously but the marriage had been annulled before he came to the throne. She was 23 and her groom was 34 years old. They had 9 children.

She was quite active politically for women in those times. Her name can be found on over 40 charters. Her and her husband founded a number of religious foundations including the Abbey of Montmarte.


When her husband died in 1137 she didn't retreat to a convent as custom. She remained active at court and even remarried. Her second husband was Mathew I of Montmorency. Mathew had been previously been married to Alice Fitzroy, a natural daughter of Henry I of England, which whom he had four children. She would remain married to him until her death, Mathew constable of France for her son, though she would later retire from court.


In 1153 she retired to the abbey her and her husband had founded. She died there a year later. She was buried at the Church of St Pierre on the grounds. The abbey was destroyed during the French revolution, but the church remains and her tomb can still be viewed there.


Her tomb
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36523021/adelaide-of_savoy#view-photo=88778537

And her image

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36523021/adelaide-of_savoy#view-photo=168022431

She had nine children with Louis (seems she may have also had a daughter with Mathew but I find nothing on the child).

-Philip: eldest son but he died six years before his father did at age 15. He was named co-king by his father but they fought often. He died while riding with friends when his horse tripped over a pig and he was thrown.

-Louis: succeeded his father as Louis VII when he was 17 years old. Married three times. He was the first husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine and then Constance of Castile and Adele of Champagne. He had six children, five daughters and one son, 2 children from each wife. His son and future heir was from his third wife Adele, Philip II Augustus.

-Henry: was made Archbishop of Reims.

-Hugues: is listed. He seems to have died young.

-Robert: was made Count of Dreux. He had thirteen children from three marriages. He was succeeded by his eldest son by his third wife Agnes, Robert II. He is credited as being the one to bring the Damask rose to Europe.

-Constance: married twice. First to Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne and second to Raymond V, Count of Toulouse. Her first marriage lasted 13 years and was childless. She had four children with Raymond, including his heir Raymond VI.

-Philip: born after the death of his elder brother of the same name. He was Archdeacon of Paris.

-Peter: Peter I of Courtenay via his marriage to his wife Elizabeth de Courtenay. Her father Renaud had quarelled with Peter's brother Louis VII and Louis seized Renaud's French lands and gave them, and Renaud's daughter, to Peter. They had ten children together. His son Peter II of Courtenay was also Latin Emperor of Constantinople.

-an unnamed daughter who died in infancy.

 

[An Ard Ri]

As we can see from this picture the interior of Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre was left in a dreadful state after it was pillaged & looted during in 1793 .Its last abbess, Louise de Laval was sent to the guillotine in July 1794.The church was restored bit by bit over the 19th century.

 

[Countessmeout]

November 20, 1866 birth of Maria Letizia Bonaparte.

Maria was the great-niece of Napoleon. Her father Prince Napoleon Joseph was a son of Jerome Bonaparte and his second wife Catharina of Wurttemberg. Her mother was Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy, a daughter of Vittorio Emmanuelle II and Adelaide of Austria. Her mother was named a Servant of God (the first step in being cannonized by the Catholic church) in 1942. Her mother's siblings included Umberto I of Italy, the short reigning Amadeo I of Spain and Maria Pia of Portugal.

She was born in the royal palace of Paris during the last few years of the Second Empire. After the fall of the empire in 1870 the family moved to a home on Lake Geneva. She had two older brothers. Her brother Victor married Princess Clementine of Belgium. They married later in life as Clementine's father Leopold II refused to allow her daughter to marry him, so they had to wait until he died. Victor and Clementine are the great-grandparents of the Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoleon (the current head of the house). Her brother Louis served in the Russian army and never married.

Her parent's marriage was an unhappy one. Her mother had been barely 15 when she had been sent off to a political marriage to a man who was 37. It was unpopular in both France and Italy. The Italians never approved of the king's daughter being forced into such a marriage for a treaty. The Parisians were no happier but it seems because they detested Maria Letizia's father, and felt great sympathy for the young Italian princess who was seen as sympathetic.

In 1878 Maria's grandfather Victor Emmanuel died, and her mother chose to leave her husband for good and return home to Italy. She took Maria with her, though her sons mainly remained with their father. She was raised by her mother at Moncalieri Castle, in a very religious almost convent like style as her mother had become more devoted her religious work by then.

In her late teens she was considered quite beautiful and had a number of suitors. She was considered for a time as a bride for Emmanuel Filiberto, the heir of the Duke of Aosta. They were first cousins, his father Amadeo I was her mother's brother. He instead would marry Princess Helene of Orleans.

Instead she became friendly with Emmanuel's father, her Uncle Amadeo. After his short three year reign in Spain as king, Amadeo had returned to Italy and visited her mother's home often. Her Uncle who was 21 years her senior, had three children with his first wife, Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo. Maria died in 1876.

Her Uncle's proposal caused great scandal at the Italian court, both due to the age difference (she was only 3 years older then his eldest son) and the fact he was her Uncle. But they received Papal dispensation to be married. It is said she agreed to the marriage to escape the control of her mother, though her husband was said to have loved her.

They were married in September 1888 when the bride was 22 in the palace of Turin. Members of both families attended the wedding, the first wedding between a Bonapart and a reigning royal house in 30 years. The bride received a great deal of gifts including from Empress Eugenie, and her stepsons.

Sadly their marriage was short lived as her husband died less then two years later in January 1890. Puccini composed an ellegy for him.

Unfortunately she was left with little money on her husband's death. All the money that her husband had accumulated had been left to his three sons by his first marriage as it had stemmed from their mother's fortune. Maria Letizia was dependent on an allowance from the Italian court to live on and raise her son. But her son was constantly in conflict with his cousin Victor Emmanuel III which led to some issues with getting money. She was rarely seen at court.

She had a relationship with a military officer 20 years her junior for years before her death. He was named her heir when she died, as her son had died befoe her. She died October 25, 1926.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria...Aosta#/media/File:Maria_Letizia_Bonaparte.jpg

Her one child.

-Umberto: Count of Salemi. He died in 1918 from the Spanish flu at 29. He was unmarried at the time.

 

[An Ard Ri]

November 20th,1008 : Death of Geoffrey Ier,Duke of Brittany and Count of Rennes .

The Duke died at Nantes and was buried at Mont St Michel Abbey,the tomb did not survive the French Revolution. He was succeeded by his son Alain III de Bretagne.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_I,_Duke_of_Brittany

15th Century Illustration of the marriage of Geoffrey Ier,Duke of Brittany and Havoise de Normandie in 996.

 

[An Ard Ri]

21st of November 1361 : Death of Philippe Ier of Burgundy


Philippe was Duke from 1349 until his death he was also Count of Auvergne, Boulogne & Artois .The Duke was buried at the Cistercian L’abbaye Notre-Dame de Cîteaux ,the abbey was ransacked by the Huguenots in the 16th century and much worse during the French Revolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_I,_Duke_of_Burgundy

 

[An Ard Ri]

November 23rd, 1407 : The Assassination of Louis , Duke of Orléans

Louis was the second son of Charles V and Jeanne de Bourbon,he was a brother to Charles VI .Louis was a powerful figure during the reign of his brother Charles VI who suffered from mental illness and his wife Isabeau ruled as Regent and who's court was rife with political factions vying for power.Louis had married Valentina Visconti daughter of the Duke of Milan in 1389.
Louis was assassinated by orders of John the Fearless,Duke of Burgundy which led to the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War.The dukes remains were buried at the now destroyed Couvent des Célestins in Paris.

Titles held by Louis
Duc d'Orléans
Duc de Valois
Comte d'Angoulême
Comte de Blois
Comte de Périgord
Comte de Soissons



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Louis_I,_Duke_of_Orléans

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, November 24, 1615 ~ The wedding of King Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria at Bordeaux Cathedral in Bordeaux, France

 

[An Ard Ri]

The marriage of Louis XIII, Roi de France et de Navarre et d'Anne d'Autriche at the Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux painted in 1615 by Jean Chalette

 

[Countessmeout]

Nov 27, 1252 death of Blanche of Castile, wife of Louis VIII.

Blanche was a daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England. Her maternal grandparents were Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her parents had 11 children, though three died in infancy and another in their early teens (7 daughters and 4 sons). She was the 6th born child, and third to survive infancy behind her sisters Berengaria and Urraca. Her father would be succeeded by his youngest child Henry I, the only son to outlive him.

In 1200 the Treaty of Le Goulet was signed between Philip II of France and her Uncle King John. Part of the agreement was that her sister Urraca would be wed to Philip's heir Louis. Her grandmother Eleanor made the journey to Castile. On her arrival Eleanor upon meeting her granddaughters, decided that Blanche was better suited as a queen consort for France. Urraca would later marry Alfonso II of Portugal instead with whom she had four children.


Eleanor escorted Blanch instead to France.May 22, 1200 the wedding contracts were signed with her Uncle signing over a number of English controlled lands in France to his niece. They were married the next day in Port-Mort in lands controlled by her Uncle John as her father in law's lands were under indirect. Since the bride was only 12 and groom 13, the marriage remained unconsumated for the first year of marriage.

The English barons offered Louis the English throne as Louis I. But their allegiance turned to John's son Henry after John died. Louis had little support for such a claim, even his own father had not backed his claim.


In 1223 her father in law died and she and her husband were crowned in August. Her husband would die 3 years later from dyssentry and left his wife as regent of his lands and guardian of their children.


Her eldest son (six of her children died before their father) was only 12 when his father died. Louis IX owed his throne to his mother who during her regency faced threat by her cousin Henry III and by French nobles. She mustered an army on three occasions to defend her son's throne.

As queen mother she didn't get along at all with her daughter in law Margaret. She did her best to limit Margaret's influence on court and on her son as well. In 1239 she came to the defense of the Jews in France, when her son sought to burn all Jewish holy books in the country. She put the leader of the Jews in France, and his books, under her personal protection.

She served as regent again when her son went on crusade. She did her best to keep peace while her son drained the country of money and men for his crusade. She fell ill in Melun and traveled back to Paris where she died days later. She was buried at Maubuisson Abbey. Her son who was away still did not learn of his mother's death until spring, and went into seclusion for 2 days.

Her tomb

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18883572/blanche-de_castile#view-photo=191896458

Her portrait

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18883572/blanche-de_castile#view-photo=81478258
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18883572/blanche-de_castile#view-photo=94967247

She had 13 children with Louis. Her children who reached adulthood:


-Louis: fifth born, and first to reach adulthood (one older brother made it to 9). Succeeded as Louis IX. Married Margaret of Provence who he had 11 children with including his heir Philip III. He is the only French king to be made a saint.

-Robert: sixth born, Count of Artois. Married Matilda of Brabant, a daughter of Henry II of Brabant with whom he had two children. Died on 7th crusade.

-Alfonse: 9th born. Count of Poitiers. He served as regent of France after the death of his mother until his brother returned from the crusade. He lived 51 but he never married or had heirs.

-Isabelle: 11th born. One of only 2 daughters, and only one to survive infancy. Though she never became a nun, she took a vow of chastity refusing to marry, and spent many years at Longchamp abbey. Like her brother Louis, she was cannonized.

-Charles: youngest child, born posthumously. Count of Anjou and later in 1266 he became the King of Sicily. Married Beatrice of Provence (sister of Louis' wife Margaret, her other sister Eleanor was married to Henry III) with whom he had six children including his heir Charles II. After her death he married Margaret of Burgundy but their only child died in infancy.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Louis IX of France saying goodbye to his mother, Queen Blanche of Castile, as leaving for the Seventh Crusade
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-lo...mother-queen-blanche-of-castile-83345584.html

 

[An Ard Ri]

Sadly the tomb of one of France's greatest queen's was destroyed in 1793 when Maubuisson Abbey was ransacked and largely demolished and used as a stone quarry. Nothing remains of the abbey church.

The heart of Blanche de Castile was buried at Notre Dame de Lys which too suffered the same and is largely a ruin.

 

[Countessmeout]

November 30, 1314 death of Philip IV of France and I of Navarre.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_IV_of_France#/media/File:Filippoilbello.gif

Philip who was known as 'The Fair' was born in 1268. He was the son of the future Philip III (the Bold). His father would take the throne 2 years later in 1270 with the death of his father Louis IX. Philip was the son of his father's first marriage to Isabella of Aragon. His mother was the daughter of James I of Aragon. He was his parent's second son, his older brother Louis would die at age 12 in 1276. He had two younger full brothers. His mother died from a fall from her horse when pregnant with her fifth child, in January 1271 months before her husband was crowned. One of his younger brothers Robert died a few months later. After his mother's death his father remarried to Marie of Brabant, a daughter of Henry II of Brabant. He had a half brother and 2 half sisters from Marie. His youngest half sister Margaret would marry Edward I of England.

When his brother Louis died there was suspicion he had been poisoned. And some suspicion fell on Marie. Marie had just given birth to her own son at the time. Even if such rumors were true, Philip and his full brother Charles would go on to have large families, leaving her son far from the throne.

In 1284 Philip was married to Joan of Navarre. Joan was Queen of Navarre in her own right following the death of her father Henry in 1274. Joan never visited Navarre, only a year old when she became queen. Her mother Blanche served as her regent, and whens he was betrothed to Philip, her father in law took over. Joan was 11 and Philip 16 when they married. Joan was said to be quite plain and plump unlike her daughter.


Philip and Joan were said to be in love. He remained devoted to her, and when she died he refused to remarry even for political or financial gain.


He came to the throne of France at the age of 17. He was crowned in 1286 in Reims. He was a very bureaucratic king, relying on his ministers to over see much of the policies of the land instead of doing so himself.


As anyone who has read or watched the 'Da vinci code' the origins of Friday the 13th are linked to the execution of the Templar knights. They were arrested and tortured into confessing heressy under orders by Philip. And were burned at the stake. He had the Grand Master burned in March 1314. The fact that Clement V (the Pope who allowed it) and Philip both died horrid deaths not long after, was seen as a sign of their wrong doing by many.


In 1314 three of his daughter in laws became entrenched in what was known as the Nesle affair. Margaret and Blanche were accused of adultry, and their aleged lovers were tortured and executed. The third daughter in law Joan was accused of knowing of their affairs and hiding it.

Philip suffered a stroke while hunting at the age of 46. He died several days later at Fontainbleu where he was born. He was buried at the Basilica of St Dennis. His wife had died in 1305.

His tomb

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7533/philippe_iv-of_france#view-photo=424644
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7533/philippe_iv-of_france#view-photo=84676
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7533/philippe_iv-of_france#view-photo=99390


He and Joan had 7 children, though 3 died in childhood. All three of his sons who reached adulthood would serve as king. With the death of his youngest son, the union between Navarre and France would end. Navarre would be inherited by one of his granddaughters, while France followed Salic law.


His children:

1. Margaret: died in childhood but had been berothed to the future Ferdinand IV of Castile before she died.

2. Louis: would succeed his father as Louis X. Married Margaret of Burgundy with whom she had a daughter Joan. She died before he became king. Shortly after taking the throne he married Clementia of Hungary with whom he had his son John. Clementia was pregnant with John when Louis died. John was technically John I though he died 5 days after his birth. When her Uncle Charles died without a male heir, the throne of France passed to Philip of Valois. Philip had no claim on Navarre, which unlike France, didn't practice salic law. Louis' daughter Joan would ascend the Navarre throne as Joan II, ending the union of the two kingdoms.

3. Blanche: died in childhood. Like Margaret there was discussion of her marriage to Ferdinand.

4. Philip: succeeded Louis as Philip V of France. He married Joan II of Burgundy. He had four daughters but his only son had died young. Because of salic law, the throne passed to his younger brother. His eldest daughter Joan would succeed her mother as Joan III of Burgundy.

5. Charles: succeeded Philip as Charles IV. Despite three marriages, the first to Blanche of Burgundy, he had no sons to succeed him. He had seven children, and 2 sons but both sons had died in childhood, the oldest at 8. Only his daughter Blanche reached adulthood. She married the Duke of Orleans. He was succeeded by Philip of Valois who became Philip VI.

6. Isabella: married Edward II of England. Of Braveheart (totally fictionalized version of her life) she seized her husband's throne with her lover Roger Mortimer. Mother of four including Edward III.

7. Robert: The only brother not to reach adulthood. Died at age 12. He was betrothed to Constance of Sicily at the time of his death.

 

[An Ard Ri]

29th of November 1463- Death of Marie d'Anjou,Queen Mother of France

Marie was the widow of Charles VIII of France and died at l'Abbaye de Chateliers-en-Poitou after returning from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.The queen's remains were buried beside her husband at the crypt of the Valois at St. Denis. Their joint tomb survived until October 17th 1793 when it was smashed and the burial desecrated during the French Revolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_of_Anjou

 

[An Ard Ri]

30th of November,1340 : Birth of Jean de France ,Duc de Berry.


Jean was the third son of Jean II of France and Bonne de Luxembourg.
Along with the dukedom of Berry he was also Count of Poitiers and Montpensier and Count of Etampes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_Duke_of_Berry

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 1, 1081 ~ Birth of King Louis VI of France in Paris, France

 

[Countessmeout]

December 2, 1804 Napoleon crowns himself Emperor of France.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coron..._-_The_Coronation_of_Napoleon_(1805-1807).jpg


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coron...e:Ingres,_Napoleon_on_his_Imperial_throne.jpg

The choice of emperor over king was to emphasize the difference to the monarchy. Where the monarch was King of France (the state) and was meant to own the country, Napoleon emphasized the 'republic'. He was Emperor of the French People. It was meant to be seen as a constitutional monarchy.



December 2, 1851- his nephew Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte became emperor of France, 47 years after his Uncle had crowned himself emperor. He was the son of Napoleon's younger brother Louis Bonaparte. He took the name Napoleon III.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_III#/media/File:Franz_Xaver_Winterhalter_Napoleon_III.jpg

 

[An Ard Ri]

I hadn't coped the significance of December 2nd with regard to Napoleon III Emperor of the French before!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 3, 1368 ~ Birth of King Charles VI of France

 

[Countessmeout]

December 4, 1408 death of Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orleans.

Valentina was born in Milan in 1371. Her father Gian Visconti was the first Duke of Milan. Her mother was a French princess, Isabella of Valois. Valentina's maternal grandparents were John II of France and his second wife Bonne of Bohemia. Valentina was the third of four children, their only daughter and the only one of the couple's children to reach adulthood. Her mother died in 1373 and her father remarried to his cousin Caterina Visconti. Her father had two sons with Caterina, and was succeeded by both, after his first son was assassinated at 24. Her name came from her father's paternal grandmother Valentina Doria.

Following the death of her mother, Valentina and her brothers were raised in the household of their paternal grandmother Bianca of Savoy. Bianca saw to her granddaughter's education including teaching her French and German.


January 27, 1387 a marriage contract was signed in Paris between Valentina and her cousin Louis, Duke of Touraine. Louis was a son of Valentina's maternal Uncle Charles V (Isabella's older brother). Louis' father had died in 1380, and his brother was Charles VI. They required papal dispensation. The wedding was celebrated three months later by proxy both in Milan and Paris on April 8th.

Valentina received the County of Vertus as her dowry. It had been her mother's dowry when she wed. It was also stated that in absence of a male heir, Valentina's heirs could claim the Visconti lands. Her grandson Louis XII would claim the Duchy of Milan.

She didn't leave Italy though until June 1389. It wasn't until her first half brother was born that her father felt secure letting her leave for France.


She was accompanied finally to France by Amadeus VII of Savoy. Amadeus was her father's first cousin, his father and Bianca were sister and brother. Amadeus and a retinue of 300 knights who handed her over to Louis' retinue. They were finally married August 17, 1389 in Melun, over 2 years after the contract had been signed and the proxy marriage performed. Valentina was 18 and her husband was 17.

In 1392 she became Duchess of Orleans when her husband exchanged his title.


She was quite close to her brother in law Charles VI. But due to Charles' wife Isabeau she was exiled from court. There were rumors Isabeau and her husband were having an affair.

Her husband was assassinated in 1407 when he was stabbed by fifteen men in Paris while mounting his horse. His cousin John, Duke of Burgundy freely admitted to orchestrating his death. His murder would lead to a bloody 28 year feud between the Burgundians and the Royal family.

She outlived her husband by only a year, dying at 37 in Blois.


Her tomb

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21111/valentina-visconti#view-photo=101085


Her and her husband had eight children. Four of them reached adulthood. Three of the others died in infancy, and one died at age four.

The children who reached adulthood:

-Charles: succeeded his father as Duke of Orleans. Married Isabella of Valois (daughter of Charles VI) with whom he had a daughter Joan. Second to Bonne of Armagnac with whom he had no children. His third wife was Marie of Cleves who bore him three children. Their son Louis would become Louis XII. He was a well known poet.

-Philip: Count of Vertus. Died at the age of 24 unmarried with no legal children though he had at least one natural son.

-John: Count of Angouleme married Marguerite de Rohan. They had two children to reach adulthood. Their son Charles was the father of Francis I.

-Margaret: Countess of Vertus. Married Richard of Brittany, Count of Ettampes. They had 7 children including Francis II, Duke of Brittany.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orleans was buried beside her husband at the chapelle of the Couvent des Célestins in Paris .The convent chapel served as Princely burial site for junior members of the French Royal Family. The chapel was ransacked during the French Revolution though some of the tombs were saved by the efforts of Alexandre Lenoir as historical monuments. The burial however of Valentina Visconti however was lost along with others buried there as the Convent and Chapel were later torn down.

On this day 4th of December 1270 : Death of Theobald II of Navarre,, Count of Champagne and Brie.

Theobald II was king of Navarre and Count of Champagne and Brie from 1253 - 1270.
The king was buried at the Couvent des Cordelières in Provins near Paris.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobald_II_of_Navarre

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 5, 1560 ~ Demise of King Francis II, King of France, King Consort of Scotland, first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots

 

[An Ard Ri]

From the very start of his reign François II had instructed his minister to take orders directly from his mother ,Catherine de Médicis .Within hours of the death of François II at Orléans queen Catherine seized control of the government and was appointed queen Regent of France with sweeping powers.

The Death of François II
The Guise and Bourbons gather around Catherine de Médicis (seated by the window)

 

[Countessmeout]

December 5, 1685 birth of Marie Adelaide of Savoy.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84289831/marie-ad_la_de-of_savoy#view-photo=55064139

She was born in Turin. Her father was Victor Amadeus II of Savoy. Her mother was a French princess, Anne Marie D'Orleans. Anne was the niece of both Charles II of England and Louis XIV of France (her mother Henrietta was a daughter of Charles I, her father Philippe was younger son of Louis XIII). While her mother bore nine children, only 3 made it to adulthood. Marie Adelaide was her oldest and almost only, nearly dying during birth. Her siblings who survived were Marie Luisa who married Philip V of Spain and Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy. Charles Emmanuel was the only one to outlive their mother, who died in 1728.

Her mother was untraditional in that she was active in raising her own children. Marie was close not only to her mother but her grandmother Princess Marie Jeanne of Savoy who was also her godmother. Her and her sister would make weekly visits in their childhood to visit her.

In 1696 her marriage was arranged as part of the Treaty of Turin. Her groom was Louis, Duke of Burgundy. Louis was the grandson of Louis XIV, her mother's paternal Uncle. His father was known as the Grand Dauphin. Louis' mother was Duchess Maria Anna of Bavaria.

It was decided it was best that she be sent to France to continue her education. She was met by her future husband's grandfather Louis XIV in Montargis who was quite charmed by the young princess. Since she was only 11 at the time, the marriage was not performed right away. She instead attended a school run by Madam de Maintenon near Versailles.


On December 6, 1697, her 12th birthday, she was formally married to Louis. Louis was 15 at the time of their marriage. They wed at Versailles.


Though she maintained a relationship with her parents and grandmother, she became quite close to her grandfather in law, as well as Madam de Maitenon. She used her influence over her grandfather in law to help keep her enemies like the Duchess of Bourbon in check. The Duchess had been trying to arrange the marriage of her daughter to Charles, Duke of Berry who was the younger brother of Marie Adelaide's husband. Instead Marie Adelaide arranged for Charles to marry Marie Louise of Orleans. Marie Louise was her cousin, her father Philipe of Orleans and Marie Adelaide's mother were siblings.


In April 1711 her father in law died from smallpox. Her husband became the Dauphin of France.

Sadly for Louis XIV he lost his second heir less then a year later. The court was still in mourning when in February 1712 Marie Adelaide came down with the measles. She died at the age of 26 on February 12. Both Louis XIV and Madam de Maintenon were devastated by her loss. The old king is said to have only loved two people in his entire life, his mother Anne and Marie Adelaide. The court was moved from Fontainebleu to Marly after her death to hopefully avoid the illness. Unfortunately the Dauphin who had been deeply in love with his wife had been at her side nursing her when she died, and contracted measles. He died six days after his beloved wife.

Sadly for Louis XIV he lost his son, grandson and great grandson, all Dauphins, in less then a year. Marie Adelaide and her husband's eldest son who became Dauphin on his father's death, died less then a month after his parents, from the same out break of measles.

The couple were buried together February 23 at the Bassilica of St Dennis.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Adélaïde_of_Savoy#/media/File:S03_06_01_020_image_2565.jpg

The couple had three children, two of whom survived them. One made it to adulthood.

1. Louis- died of convulsions at 10 months old.

2. Louis- like his older brother was named Duke of Brittany. Died March 8, less then a month after becoming Dauphin with the death of his parents. He was 5.

3. Louis- Duke of Anjou before Dauphin. Succeeded his great-grandfather as Louis XV in 1715 at age 5 (though crowned in 1722). He married Marie Leszczyńska. They had 10 children. Despite this he was succeeded by his grandson Louis XVI.

 

[Countessmeout]

December 10, 1508 death of Rene II, Duke of Lorraine. He was the great-grandfather of Mary Queen of Scots.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134454704/ren_ii-de_lorraine#view-photo=144465219

Rene was born in Angers May 2 1451. His mother Yolande was Duchess of Lorraine in her own right. A daughter of Rene I, she had inherited the title after the death of her nephew Nicholas (a son of her brother John II). Yolande was the elder sister of Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI of England. His father was Frederick II, Count of Vaudémont. Rene was the second of six children, but his elder brother died shortly after birth.

Rene spent his childhood at the court of his grandfather Rene. In 1470 he succeeded to his father's title at 19. Three years later he became senshenal and governor of Anjou on the death of his paternal uncle Jean, Count of Harcourt.

Anjou was under pressure from the Burgundians and Louis XI. He initially sided with Charles of Burgundy but when Charles started placing garrisons in Loraine, Rene switched his allegiance to Louis. Charles drove him out of Lorraine and he was forced to flee to Switzerland. He mustered an army of Swiss mercenaries and returned to Lorraine. In January 1477 he defeated and killed Charles in the Battle of Nancy, ending the Burgundian wars.


In compensation for the king seizing Provence and Anjou, the king reaffirmed his family's claim to Duchy of Luxembourg and County of Burgundy. Both though were little more then in title as the Hapsburgs controlled Luxembourg, and officially would regain Burgundy as well.


In 1480 he succeeded his grandfather as Duke of Bar, while his mother was still alive. He succeeded his mother's claims to Jerusalem and Naples on her death.


In 1488 he was offered the crown of Naples. He was halted by the French king though who planned to claim the title for himself.


He fell ill during a hunt in Fains and died at the age of 57. He was buried in Church of Saint-François-des-Cordeliers in Nancy, the capital of Lorraine.



He was married twice though his first marriage was annulled. His first wife was Jeanne d'Harcourt who he married in 1471 but it was annulled in 1485.


That same year he married Philippa of Guelders. Philippa was the daugher of Adolph, Duke of Guelders. Her mother Catharine was the daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon.

Of the couple's children, 5 of them reached adulthood, all of them sons.

-Antoine: third born, but two older brothers died in infancy. Duke of Lorraine. Married Renee de Bourbon with whom he had three children. He was succeeded by his son Francis I.

-Claude: 1st Duke of Guise. He was the 7th child (the brother that came between him and Antoine died young). Francis I made him Duke of Guise in 1528 (first person who wasn't a member of the royal house to be made a Duke or peer of France). Married Antoinette de Bourbon with whom he had 12 children including Marie of Guise, Queen of Scotland who was mother of Mary Queen of Scots.

-Jean: 8th born. He was Cardinal of Lorraine.

-Louis: 9th born Count of Vaudémont. He originally was a priest, Bishop of Verdun. He abandoned his bishop role, and became a count in 1522. He died at 28 unmarried, while accompanying Francis I in his Italian campaign. He died when the plague broke out in their encampment.

- Francois: 10th born and last to make it out of childhood. He commanded the 'Black Band' a group of mercenaries in the French army. Like Louis, he died during the Italian campaign. He died in the Battle of Paiva.

 

[An Ard Ri]

René II and Philippe de Gueldre

 

[An Ard Ri]

16th of December 1325 : Death of Charles de France,Count of Valois ,Alençon , Perche & Chartres.


Charles was the 3rd son of Philippe III of France and Isabella dAragon
The Count of Valois died on 16th of December 1325 aged 55 at Nogent-le-Roi on the Loire ,his remains were buried at the now demolished Couvent des Jacobins which served as a Princely burial site.


Charles was married 3 times
Marguerite d'Anjou +1299
Catherine de Courtenay +1307
Mahaut de Châtillon who out lived him and died in 1358.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Count_of_Valois

 

[Countessmeout]

December 17, 1471 death of Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12958421/isabella-de_avis#view-photo=2463388

Isabella was born February 21, 1397 in Evora Portugal. Her father was John I. Her mother Philippa of Lancaster was a daughter of John of Gaunt and his first wife Blanche. Her parents had six children who reached adulthood (8 total but the two eldest died, one in infancy and the other at age 10). Isabella was their only daughter. Her brothers included Duarte who succeeded their father and Henry the Navigator. Isabella was the 4th to reach aduldhood.

Isabella was extremely close to her mother who instilled in her a deep sense of duty and religion. She grieved deeply when her mother died in 1415. Her father saw that his only daughter was well educated.She was an avid reader who was fluent in Latin, English, French and Italian. Her father made sure to have her included in her brother's lessons in politics and state affairs.

There was a failed attempt to marry her to Henry V. After that fell through she remained single until the age of 30.


Surprisingly the 30 year old received an offer of marriage from the Burgundian house of Valois. The current Duke, Philip the Good was twice widowed. He was seeking an alliance with England or a country closely allied with England. Her familial relation to England was attractive. But Philip also found her her well-bred, shrewd and accomplished. His first marriage to Michelle of Valois, a daughter of Charles VI had ended childless in 1422. He later married Bonne of Artois, who was the widow of his Uncle the Count of Nevers. Bonne would die only a year after they were married.

In 1428 Philip sent a delegation to seek the hand of Isabella. Her father and brothers met the delegation at Aviz to discus it. Finally the contracts were signed back and forth and Isabella was married by proxy in Portugal July 29, 1429. The now 32 year old would leave Portugal October 19 with over 2000 retainers accompanying her. Unfortunately some of her ships and a lot of her trusseau were lost at sea. She arrived safely in Skuys on Christmas day. Her and her husband were formally married in the church on January 7, 1430.


The couple traveled through the Burgundian lands so the new Duchess could see her new lands. She settled in Noyon for the spring when she was pregnant but the campaigns of Joan of Arc drove her to the safety of Ghent.

Isabella who was very devout was uncomfortable with life in Burgundy. She found the oppulence of the court to be too much. And her husband's lack of fidelity to her was hard. She was said to be nun like when she arrived.

The duchess bore her husband 3 sons despite her age, though the first two died in 1432. Philip finally started recognizing not only her devotion to her new country but also her intelligence and skills. He ended up naming her his regent when he was away defending Dijon.

Isabella was a very generous patron of the arts. She also had great political influence on her husband and son. She helped to arrange many marriages at court including that of her son. Also of Marie of Guelders to James of Scotland.

In 1457 she retired from court life. Both in support of her son who was at odds with his father, and also wishing a quieter life. She retreated to La Motte-au Bois when her support of her son brought her in further conflict with her husband. She established her own small court there.


She became a protector of many of those affected by her husband's actions. The Flemish who had suffered under her husband's military campaigns found an aid in the Duchess. She also supported Josse Huerter in his colonization of parts of the Azores, connecting him with her brother Ferdinand.

Her husband died in 1467.

Isabella died in Aire-sur-la-Lys at 74.


Their only child to reach adulthood:

-Charles: known as Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Married three times. First to Catherine of France (daughter of Charles VII) which his mother had arranged. With his second wife Isabella of Bourbon he had his only child Mary who would marry Archduke Maximilian of Austria. His third wife Margaret of York was a sister of Edward IV and Richard III. The Burgundian lands became part of the Hapsburg empire on his death, with Mary's union with Maximilian.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 17, 1600 ~ The Wedding of King Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici in Lyon, France

 

[An Ard Ri]

Isabella was buried at the Chartreuse de Champmol in Dijon which housed the tombs of the Ducal House.
In 1790 the the Abbey was dissolved and in April 1791 the Carthusians were expelled from the abbey. Sadly the chapel was ransacked and destroyed in 1793 during the French Revolution.

 

[Countessmeout]

December 19, 1778 birth of Marie Therese of France. She holds the distinction of the only child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette who reached adulthood.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26465544/marie-therese-charlotte_of_france#view-photo=10435449

She was the first child of her parents, born in Versailles eight years after her parents were married. The little princess almost died at birth from suffocation due to all the people in the room. After almost losing his first child Louis banned future public viewings of births. Her full name was Maria Therese Charlotte, though she was known as Mousseline. Marie Therese was for her maternal grandmother Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Charlotte was in honor of her mother's favorite sister Maria Carolina who was Queen of Naples who was known as Charlotte in her family.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie..._Park_of_Trianon_-_Nationalmuseum_-_18035.tif

She was the eldest of four children. She had two brothers and a younger sister Sophie. Louis Joseph died at age 7 from TB. Louis Charles automatically became king on execution of their father though it was a republic (Louis XVII though he was never crowned) died at age 10 while imprisoned in the Temple. Sophie died at 11 months old after suffering days of convulsions.


During the French revolution her life kept changing. Her oldest brother and her sister died. Her Uncle Come d'Artois and her governess were forced to flee for their safety abroad. In August 1793 she and her family were imprisoned in the Temple Tower. After her brother was taken away from them, she was left with her paternal Aunt Elisabeth. After the execution of both her parents, and then her Aunt Elisabeth, she was alone. She was the only member of the French royal family who entered the Temple, who survived the Reign of Terror. It wasnt until late August 1795 that she learned of the fates of her family.


At the end of the Reign of Terror she was liberated. She was allowed to leave France December 18, 1795. The nearly 17 year old princess was exchanged for some prominent French prisoners. She was taken to the safety of the court of Emperor Francis II in Vienna. Francis was her maternal cousin, the son of her mother's older brother Leopold II. His own daughter Marie Louise would go on to marry Napoleon as his second wife. She arrived in January 22 days after she had been allowed to leave the Temple.


She left Vienna though to join her Uncle the Comte de Provence. The eldest brother of her father, Louis had been among those who had gone into exile. He had secured a home in Trier thanks to Clemens Wencelaus of Saxony. Clemens was his Uncle, the younger brother of his mother (and Marie Therese's paternal grandmother) Marie Josepha. He had sought custody of his niece ever since her liberation and her Hapsburg cousin finally handed her over to her Uncle.


Louis had no children of his own. He sought to marry his niece to Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême. Louis Antoine was his nephew, the son of his brother the Comte D'Artois. In absence of a son of his own to succeed his claim, Louis's eventual heirs were his brother Charles d'Artois and Louis-Antoine. By marrying Marie Therese to her first cousin, he hoped to secure the two lines. She agreed to the arrangement her Uncle proposed. Louis-Antoine's father was opposed to the union but the couple were married in modern day Latvia in 1799. They would have no children together. She settled with her husband at Hartwell House while her father in law made his home at Holyrood.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartwell_House,_Buckinghamshire


21 years after the death of her father, Napoleon I was forced to abdicated. Her Uncle Louis succeeded the throne as Louis XVIII in 1814.

She became the Dauphine of France in 1824 with the death of her Uncle Louis and the succession of her uncle and father in law as Charles X. In 1830 her father in law was forced to abdicate and her husband signed the letters of abdication shortly after. Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans was named king. She joined her husband, father and mother in law, and others in exile once again in Britain and this time for good.

They stayed in Edinburgh for a time before they moved to Prague where they were guests of her cousin Francis II. But eventually settled in Gorz.


Her husband died in 1844. After his death she left Gorz to move to Schloss Frohsdorf just outside of Vienna. She was joined by her nephew Henri (the son of her husband's younger brother Charles Ferdinand) and his sister.


She would live to see France become a republic once again when Louis Philippe was deposed in 1848.


3 days after the 50th anniversary of the execution of her mother, Marie Therese died of pneumonia, October 19 1851. She was buried next to her Uncle/father in law Charles X and her husband in Gorz.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26465544/marie-therese-charlotte_of_france#view-photo=10466651

Her grave lists her as Queen Dowager as her husband reigned for 20 minutes as Louis XIX before he too signed the letters of abdication.