Category Archives: Former Monarchies

Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France – source: Wikipedia

Marie de’ Medici was the second wife and consort of King Henri IV of France. She was born on April 26, 1575, at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy, the sixth of seven children of Francesco I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Archduchess Joanna of Austria. Of her siblings, only one lived to adulthood:

The House of Medici came to prominence in the 15th century, as founders of the Medici Bank, the largest bank in Europe, and later as Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Along with Marie, other prominent family members included Catherine de’ Medici, consort to King Henri II of France, and Popes Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI.

When Marie was five years old, her mother died and seven years later her father died. Marie was raised by her uncle Ferdinando, who succeeded her father as Grand Duke of Tuscany, and ensured that his niece received a proper education. Marie showed great talent in the arts and science and became very devout in her religious beliefs.

After numerous suitors, Marie became engaged to King Henri IV of France (also King Henri III of Navarre). For Henri, marriage to Marie would help bring legitimate royal descent to France as Marie was descended from the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I. It would also bring significant financial benefits from the very wealthy de’ Medici family. For Marie, it would mean becoming Queen of both France and Navarre. The couple was married by proxy in Florence on October 5, 1600. Marie and Henri were married in person in a religious ceremony in Lyon, France on December 17, 1600.

They had six children:

Marie with her husband and family. source: Wikipedia

While the couple had a large family, the marriage was far from happy. Henri had numerous mistresses, with whom Marie was often feuding. Henri typically sided with his mistresses. Marie later fought back against her husband, showing support and sympathy for his first wife, Marguerite of Valois, who he had banished from France after their marriage was annulled. Marie’s support prompted Henri to allow Marguerite to return to the country.

The Coronation of Queen Marie, painted by Rubens. source: Wikipedia

Marie was formally crowned on May 13, 1610, at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France. The following day, her husband King Henri IV was assassinated and Queen Marie was appointed Regent for their eldest son, eight-year-old King Louis XIII. One of her first acts as Regent was to banish her late husband’s mistress from the French court. When Marie came to the French court from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, she brought Leonora Dori Galigai, her long-time maid, who was appointed Marie’s lady-in-waiting and wardrobe attendant. Leonora married another Tuscan, Concino Concini, who also accompanied Marie to France. As Regent of France, Marie brought Concino Concini to the forefront of her court, and he became the Queen’s most trusted advisor.

Marie was influenced by Concini and her other Italian advisors, and many of her policies were in sharp contrast to those of her late husband. She promoted a strong alliance with the Spanish monarchy and favored Catholicism over Protestantism. To strengthen this bond, she arranged the marriages of her son, King Louis XIII, to Infanta Anna of Spain (known primarily as Anne of Austria), and her eldest daughter, Elisabeth, to the future King Felipe IV of Spain.

But Marie’s policies and plans did not meet with much support amongst the nobility and the princes of the blood who began to oppose her Regency. Unable to overcome the challenges to her position, Marie was forced into convoking the Estates-General in 1614. Along with Concini, Marie counted the Duke of Richelieu (later Cardinal) among her closest advisors. Richelieu had risen to power during the Estates-General and by 1616 had been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.

By 1617, Marie’s policies had become greatly unpopular with the people of France. Her son – now three years into his majority – finally stepped in and asserted his position as King. He ordered that Concini be assassinated. Concini’s wife Leonora Dori Galigai, Marie’s long-time confidante, was accused of bewitching Marie and executed. Richelieu was dismissed from his position and exiled to Avignon. Queen Marie was also sent into exile at the Château de Blois in the Loire Valley.

Marie escaped two years later and began a movement to return to the French court. Marie’s younger son Gaston led a revolt that Gaston’s brother King Louis XIII quickly squashed. However, King Louis XIII knew that he needed to do something to appease his mother and her supporters. He brought Richelieu back to the French court to help mediate the situation with Marie. This led to the Treaty of Angoulême in August 1619, which formally ended the battles between the supporters of Marie and those of King Louis XIII. It also established a reconciliation between Marie and her son. By 1621, Marie again assumed her position on the Royal Council. But by 1630, her political machinations caused her to be banished from court again. Exiled to Compiègne, she escaped the following year and traveled to Brussels and later to Amsterdam where she received a grand royal welcome. After visiting her daughter, Henrietta Maria, in England in 1638, she traveled to Cologne, Germany.

Independently wealthy, Marie used her fortune to finance numerous projects in France. One of the most prominent was the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris. In 1612, Marie purchased what was then called the Hôtel de Luxembourg and its large grounds, and commissioned a much larger palace, modeled after the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, where she was born. Often referred to as Palais Médicis, the new Palais du Luxembourg became her primary residence during her regency. Today, it is the home of the French Senate. The original building became known as the Petit Luxembourg and now serves as the residence of the President of the French Senate. Marie commissioned famed painter Peter Paul Rubens to create a series of paintings that would adorn the new Palais du Luxembourg. These 24 paintings became known as the Marie de’ Medici Cycle, and now hang in The Louvre in Paris, France

Queen Marie, painted by Rubens, 1622. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie died in the Free Imperial City of Cologne, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia; on July 3, 1642. Her heart is buried at Cologne Cathedral, but despite the strained relationship with her son, her other remains were returned to France and buried in the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France.

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Marguerite of Valois, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Marguerite of Valois, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marguerite of France, also known as Marguerite of Valois, was the first wife of King Henri IV of France. She was born on May 14, 1553, at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the daughter of King Henri II of France and Catherine de’ Medici. In addition to becoming Queen of France, she was also Queen of Navarre from the time of her marriage. She was named after her paternal aunt, Marguerite of France (later Duchess of Savoy), who along with Alphonse II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, served as her godparents.

Marguerite had nine siblings, three of whom became Kings of France:

Marguerite and Henri. source: Wikipedia

After several failed attempts to marry Marguerite off to the son of King Felipe II of Spain and  King Sebastião I of Portugal in the late 1560s, she became involved with Henri I, Duke of Guise. However, the relationship ended in 1570 when it was discovered by her mother, who had Henri banished from court. Two years later, on August 18, 1572, Marguerite married King Henri III of Navarre (later King Henri IV of France) at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Her husband was the son of Queen Jeanne III of Navarre and Prince Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme. The marriage, arranged by Marguerite’s brother, King Charles IX, was hoped to help bring together the Bourbon and Valois dynasties and ease the tensions between the Catholics and Huguenots. Ironically, as her husband was a Huguenot, he was not permitted in the cathedral and had to stay outside for the ceremony. The couple had no children.

Just days after the wedding, the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre took place. Marguerite is alleged to have hidden several prominent Huguenots, as well as her new husband, to keep them safe from certain death. Eventually, Henri was able to return to Navarre, although it would be some time before Marguerite was permitted to join him. The two led relatively separate lives, both having a string of affairs and rarely getting along with each other.

In 1582, Marguerite returned to France to recuperate after an illness. Before long, her brother, King Henri III, forced her to leave, scandalized by her behavior. She returned to Navarre, organizing a coup d’état to take control of the city of Agen. However, that was short-lived and soon she was forced to flee. In 1586, she was imprisoned by her brother, King Henri III of France, and later by her husband in the castle of Usson. It would be 19 years before she returned to court.

Despite this, Marguerite became Queen Consort of France on August 2, 1589. When her brother, King Henri III, died without an heir, the throne passed to Marguerite’s husband, the senior agnatic heir of King Louis IX of France. When he took the throne as King Henri IV, there would be much dissent amongst the French people as he was not Catholic. After several years of various factions trying to keep him from the throne, Henri converted to Catholicism in 1593.

By then, Henri knew he needed a male heir, and his marriage to Marguerite had produced no children. He began negotiations with Marguerite to have their marriage annulled. After several years, the marriage was formally dissolved in 1599. Marguerite retained her title as Queen of France. Henri would later marry Marie de’ Medici and have several children. It would not be long before Marguerite was back in favor with her former husband, although she remained in Usson.

Queen Marguerite, as portrayed in Rubens’ “Coronation of the Queen at the Abbey of Saint-Denis” – a painting that depicts the coronation of Marguerite’s successor, Marie de’ Medici. source: Wikipedia (click HERE for the full painting)

In 1605, largely due to the efforts of Henri’s second wife, Marie de’ Medici, Marguerite was welcomed back to Paris and the French court. She settled initially at the Hôtel de Sens while having a new home – the Hôtel Reine Marguerite – built along the Seine, directly opposite the Louvre Palace. She remained a favorite at court and maintained a remarkably close relationship with her former husband and his new wife. In 1608, they even asked her to serve as godmother to their youngest son Gaston.

Memorial to Queen Marguerite at St. Denis. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marguerite of France died on March 27, 1615, and was buried in the Valois Chapel at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris. Today, the location of her remains is unknown. They were likely destroyed during the French Revolution or could have been moved elsewhere when work was being done on the chapel.

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King Henri IV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Henri IV of France – source: Wikipedia

King Henri IV of France was the first French king of the House of Bourbon. He was born on December 13, 1553, in Pau, Kingdom of Navarre, now in France, the second of the five children and the second of the three sons of Queen Jeanne III of Navarre and Antoine de Bourbon, Duke de Vendôme. Although he was baptized in the Catholic Church, he was raised as a Protestant.

Henri had four siblings:

Henri and Marguerite of Valois. source: Wikipedia

Upon his mother’s death on June 9, 1572, Henri took the throne as King Henri III of Navarre. Just months later, on August 18, 1572, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Henri married Marguerite of Valois, the daughter of King Henri II of France and Catherine de’ Medici. As Henri was a Protestant Huguenot, he was not permitted inside the Cathedral so the ceremony was held just outside of the building. Days later, the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre took place, in which thousands of Protestant Huguenots were killed. Henri narrowly escaped death, mostly thanks to his new Catholic wife, and his promise to convert to Catholicism. Despite this, he was forced to remain at the French court for several years before escaping in 1576 and returning to Navarre. Upon his return, he renounced his conversion and once again joined with the Protestants.

In 1584, Henri became the heir-presumptive to the French throne, as the last heir to King Henri III of France had died. Henri was the most senior agnatic descendant of King Louis IX of France, and therefore the rightful heir. This led to what was known as the War of the Three Henries – Henri of Navarre, Henri III, King of France, and Henri I, Duke of Guise. The Duke of Guise was a staunch opponent of the Huguenots and fought against the possibility of Henri succeeding to the French throne. Henri III of France had the Duke of Guise killed in 1588, hoping to restore his authority with the French people. Instead, it caused a great uproar and much of the country refused to recognize him as King. His greatest ally was Henri of Navarre. The two were joined in their desire to defeat the Catholic League which had taken control of much of the country. Joining forces, they attempted to take Paris, but the French king was assassinated on August 2, 1589.

Henri of Navarre, as the heir-presumptive, became King Henri IV of France. However, the Catholic League was still the primary force in the country and refused to recognize him as the new monarch. The Catholic nobles who had previously supported King Henri III of France in his alliance with Henri of Navarre still refused to recognize him as their new sovereign. He began to take the country by force, with support from Germany and England. The Catholic League proclaimed Henri’s uncle Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon as the king but he was being held prisoner by Henri at the time. A battle ensued to name a new successor, with Spain pushing for the removal of Salic Law, thus allowing a Spanish Infanta to become Queen. However, this was struck down by the Parlament of Paris. After several more years, encouraged by his mistress, Gabrielle d’Estrées, Henri once again renounced his religion and converted to Catholicism. This gained him the support of the French people and he was finally able to rule his kingdom. As the Catholic League still occupied the city of Reims – the traditional site of French coronations – Henri was crowned King of France at the Cathedral of Chartres on February 27, 1594.

Statue of King Henri IV on the Pont Neuf. By Mbzt – Own work, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11941438

During his reign, Henri IV stabilized the country’s finances and worked to promote education and agriculture. He restored Paris as a great city, building the Pont Neuf over the Seine river to join the Right and Left Banks. He built the Place Royale (now the Place des Vosges) and added the Grand Gallery to the Louvre Palace. A huge supporter of the arts, Henri permitted hundreds of artists and craftsmen to live on the lower floors of the new building. He also financed numerous expeditions to North America, whi would eventually see France laying claim to Canada.

But perhaps his best-known accomplishment was issuing the Edict of Nantes in 1598. This guaranteed a level of religious freedom previously unseen in France, restoring civil rights to Protestants, and ending the Wars of Religion.

In a loveless marriage, and knowing that he needed an heir, Henri had begun negotiations to end his first marriage to Marguerite of Valois. He hoped to have the marriage annulled so he could marry his mistress, Gabrielle d’Estrées, with whom he already had several children. This was seen as scandalous and ill-advised by most of his ministers who argued against the idea. After Gabrielle died in childbirth in April 1599, Henri continued with his plans, and his marriage to Marguerite was annulled later the same year.

Henri with his second wife, Marie de’ Medici, and family. source: Wikipedia

The next year, on December 17, 1600, King Henri IV married Marie de’ Medici, in a lavish ceremony in Lyon. The couple had six children:

The murder of King Henri IV, painted by Charles-Gustave Housez. source: Wikipedia

King Henri IV was killed in Paris on May 14, 1610, the day after his wife’s coronation. While traveling through Paris, Henri’s carriage was stopped on the Rue de Ferronnerie. A Catholic zealot, François Ravaillac, took the opportunity to rush up to the carriage and stab the King twice in the chest. Quickly subdued, Ravaillac was taken into custody and later executed. The King was taken to the Louvre Palace where he died. Following a grand funeral on July 1, 1610, King Henri IV was interred in the Basilica of St Denis near Paris. In keeping with a promise made some years earlier, his heart was entombed at the Church of Saint Louis of La Flèche.

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Isabella of Valois, Queen of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Miniature detailing Richard II of England receiving his six-year-old bride Isabel of Valois from her father Charles VI of France; Credit – Wikipedia

The second wife of King Richard II of England, Isabella of Valois, was born on November 9, 1389, at the Louvre Palace in Paris, France. She was the third, but the eldest surviving, of the twelve children of King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. Isabella’s younger sister Catherine married King Henry V of England and was the mother of King Henry VI. Through her second marriage to Owen Tudor, Catherine was the grandmother of King Henry VII of England.

Isabella’s eleven siblings:

From a very early age, Isabella was part of the French dynastic marriage plan. At the age of two, she was betrothed to John, the six-year-old son and eventual heir of Peter II, Duke of Alençon, but nothing ever came of this proposed marriage. Soon after the death of his first wife Anne of Bohemia in 1394, the childless King Richard II of England began a search for a new wife. He turned to France seeking an alliance, and after negotiations, a marriage was arranged between Isabella and Richard who was 22 years older than his bride. This marriage had many opponents, especially Louis I, Duke of Orléans, younger brother of the French king, and Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, youngest uncle of the English king. Nevertheless, on November 1, 1396, at the Church of St. Nicholas in Calais, seven-year-old Isabella married 29-year-old Richard. Richard and Isabella left for England a few days later and on November 23, 1396, she made her state entry into London. The crowds in London were so great, that people were crushed to death on London Bridge. Isabella was crowned at Westminster Abbey on January 8, 1397. Isabella lived apart from Richard at Windsor Castle. Richard visited her frequently and a strong affection developed between the partners of this unconsummated marriage.

Richard and Isabella on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1398, Henry Bolingbroke, the first cousin of King Richard II and the eldest child of King Edward III‘s third son John of Gaunt, quarreled with Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, who accused him of treason. The two men planned to duel, but instead, King Richard II banished them from England, and Henry went to France. John of Gaunt died on February 3, 1399, and Richard confiscated the estates of his uncle and stipulated that Henry would have to ask him to restore the estates. Henry returned to England while his cousin Richard was on a military campaign in Ireland and began a military campaign of his own, confiscating the land of those who opposed him. Eventually, King Richard II was abandoned by his supporters and was forced by Parliament on September 29, 1399, to abdicate the crown to his cousin Henry. King Henry IV was crowned in Westminster Abbey on October 13, 1399. Richard was imprisoned at Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire where he died on or around February 14, 1400. The exact cause of his death, thought to have been starvation, is unknown.

King Richard II’s funeral; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry IV confined Isabella, a widow at age 10, at the Bishop of Salisbury’s palace on the River Thames in Sonning, England. Isabella’s jewels were seized and divided among Henry IV’s children. Henry’s council declared that Isabella had no rights to any dower, a provision accorded by law, but traditionally by a husband or his family, to a widow for her support after her husband’s death. Eventually, Isabella’s return to France was arranged and she left England on July 1, 1401. Henry IV made several attempts to arrange for Isabella to marry his son and heir the future King Henry V, but the French royal family declined.

Isabella married her cousin Charles of Orléans in Compiègne, France on June 29, 1406. In November 1407, Isabella’s husband became Duke of Orléans when his father, who had opposed Isabella’s marriage to Richard, was murdered on orders of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, who had helped arrange that marriage.

Charles, Duke of Orleans, Isabella’s second husband; Credit – Wikipedia

Isabella had a happy, but short second marriage. At the age of 19, she died on September 13, 1409, in Blois, France a few hours after giving birth to her only child, a daughter named Joan (1409 – 1432), who married John II, Duke of Alençon, but had no children. Isabella was buried at the Abbey of St. Saumer in Blois, France. In 1624, Isabella’s remains were transferred to the Church of the Celestines in Paris, destroyed during the French Revolution.

Charles, Duke of Orléans survived Isabella by many years, marrying two more times and dying in 1465. He fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, King Henry V of England‘s great victory, and was captured by the English. He spent 25 years as a prisoner in the Tower of London. Charles was an accomplished poet. Five hundred of his poems, written in French and English during his imprisonment, survive.

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Isabella of France, Queen of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Isabella of France, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of King Edward II of England, whom she later helped depose and then probably had murdered, Isabella of France was probably born in Paris in 1295.  She was the sixth child of the seven children of King Philippe IV of France and Joan I, Queen of Navarre in her own right.  Isabella had six siblings:

Isabella’s family in 1315: (left to right) Isabella’s brothers Charles and Philip, Isabella, her father Philip IV, her brother Louis, and her uncle Charles of Valois; Credit – Wikipedia

Isabella was brought up in the royal palaces in Paris, France the medieval Château du Louvre and the Palais de la Cité, where she was brought up by her nurse Théophania de Saint-Pierre, and given a good education.  Isabella also learned by observing her parents, both reigning monarchs.  The French royal court was one of the wealthiest and most influential in Europe. Her father Philippe IV of France strengthened the French monarchy with clever financing and administrative reform. Her mother Joan I of  Navarre successfully defended her kingdom twice against the territorial claims of other European princes and played an active diplomatic role in the marriages of her children.

As a young child, Isabella was betrothed to the son and heir of King Edward I of England, the future King Edward II, intending to resolve the conflicts between France and England over England’s possession of Gascony and claims to Anjou, Normandy, and Aquitaine.  However, King Edward I attempted to break the engagementl several times and the marriage did not occur until after his death.  Isabella and King Edward II were married on January 25, 1308, at Boulogne Cathedral in France.  The couple’s coronation was held in Westminster Abbey on February 25, 1308.

Isabella and Edward had four children:

Edward II receiving the English crown in a contemporary illustration; Credit – Wikipedia

From the start of her marriage, Isabella was confronted with the close relationship between her husband and Piers Gaveston, described as “an arrogant, ostentatious soldier, with a reckless and headstrong personality.”  The true nature of this relationship is not known and there is no complicit evidence that comments directly on Edward’s sexual orientation.   Gaveston was part of the delegation that welcomed the young couple when they arrived in England after their marriage, and the greeting between Edward and Gaveston was unusually warm.  Edward chose to sit with Gaveston at his wedding festivities rather than his bride and gave Gaveston part of the jewelry that belonged to Isabelle’s dowry.  Eventually, with the influence of Isabella’s father,  Dowager Queen Margaret, widow of King Edward III and Isabella’s aunt, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward agreed to exile Gaveston to Ireland.  However, in a move that angered the barons, Edward made Gaveston  Regent of Ireland.  When Gaveston returned to England in 1312, he was hunted down and executed by a group of barons led by Edward’s uncle Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster and Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick.

From 1312 – 1321, there is no evidence that Edward and Isabella had a discordant marriage or that Isabella was not loyal to her husband.  Isabella took a role in the reconciliation between Edward and the barons, who were responsible for the execution of Gaveston. However, during this time, Hugh Despenser the Elder became part of Edward’s inner circle, marking the beginning of the Despensers’ increased prominence at Edward’s court.  His son, Hugh Despenser the Younger, became a favorite of Edward II.  Edward was willing to let the Despensers do as they pleased, and they grew rich from their administration and corruption.

It is thought that Isabella first met and fell in love with Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March when he was a prisoner in the Tower of London, which was both a royal palace and a prison at that time.  Isabella arranged for Mortimer’s death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment.  In 1323, Isabella helped arrange Mortimer’s escape from the Tower and his subsequent flight to France.  During the next year, Isabella had enough of the Despensers and left Edward II, who made an unwise decision to send Isabella and their 12-year-old son Edward on a mission to France.  Not surprisingly, Isabella met Mortimer in France where they planned to depose Edward II.  Isabella gathered an army and set sail for England, landing at Harwich on September 25, 1326.  With their mercenary army, Isabella and Mortimer quickly seized power. The Despensers were both executed and Edward II was forced to abdicate. Isabella’s son was crowned King Edward III, and Isabella and Mortimer served as regents for the teenage king.

Isabella landing in England with her son, the future Edward III in 1326; Credit – Wikipedia

King Edward II was imprisoned in Berkeley Castle and died there on September 21, 1327, probably murdered on the orders of Isabella and Mortimer.  Relations between Mortimer and the young Edward III became more and more strained.  In 1330, the 18-year-old King Edward III conducted a coup d’état at Nottingham Castle where Mortimer and Isabella were staying.  Mortimer was arrested and then executed on fourteen charges of treason, including the murder of Edward II.

After the coup, Isabella was taken to Berkhamsted Castle and then held under house arrest at Windsor Castle until 1332, when she was moved to her own Castle Rising in Norfolk.  Edward III granted his mother a yearly income of £3,000, which by 1337 had increased to £4,000. She enjoyed a regal lifestyle, maintaining minstrels, huntsmen, and grooms and being visited by family and friends.  On August 22, 1358, Isabella died at the age of 63.  She was buried at the now-destroyed Franciscan Church at Newgate, London.  Her tomb did not survive the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII.

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Margaret of France, Queen of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Statue of Margaret of France, Queen of England at Lincoln Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret of France was the second wife of King Edward I of England. Probably born in Paris, France in 1279, Margaret was the youngest child of King Philippe III of France and his second wife Marie of Brabant.

Margaret had two siblings:

Margaret had four half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Isabella of Aragon:

King Edward I of England had a loving marriage with his first wife Eleanor of Castile, and they were inseparable throughout their married life. Edward I is one of the few English kings of the time period to apparently be faithful to his wife. Eleanor accompanied her husband on Crusade and on other military campaigns. She died in 1290 at the age of 49, and King Edward I was devastated. He had been married to Eleanor for 36 years, and she had given birth to 14-16 children. However, only six children, five daughters and one son, were still living when Eleanor died in 1290. The son was the youngest child and only six years old. Edward I had to be worried about the succession, and a second marriage with sons would ensure the succession.

Edward I was also anxious for an alliance with France. In 1291, he arranged for the betrothal of his seven-year-old son Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward II) to Blanche of France, the half-sister of King Philippe IV of France and the sister of Margaret of France. However, in 1293, after hearing of Blanche’s beauty, Edward I broke off his son’s betrothal to Blanche and sent emissaries to negotiate a marriage between himself and Blanche. King Philippe IV of France agreed to the marriage providing that a truce would be concluded between the two countries and that Edward would cede the province of Gascony to France. Edward agreed, but when his brother Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster went to fetch Blanche, he discovered that Blanche was already betrothed to Rudolf, Duke of Austria. King Philippe IV instead offered Edward Blanche’s younger sister Margaret, who was only eleven years old. Edward I refused, and instead declared war on France. Five years later, King Edward, I of England and King Philippe IV of France declared a truce under which Edward would marry Margaret, now a more mature 16 years old.

On September 10, 1299, at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England 60-year-old King Edward I and 17-year-old Margaret of France were married. This was followed by four days of wedding festivities. Margaret was never crowned, making her the first queen since the Norman Conquest in 1066 not to be crowned.

Edward and Margaret had three children:

Edward I of England and Margaret of France; Credit – Wikipedia

As King Edward I’s first wife did, Margaret accompanied him on military campaigns. Margaret got along well with her stepson Edward, Prince of Wales, who was two years younger than her, and Margaret often reconciled the prince with his father when the two disagreed. In the summer of 1307, Margaret accompanied Edward I on a military campaign in Scotland. On the way to Scotland, the 68-year-old king died on July 7, 1307, at Burgh by Sands in Cumbria, England.

Although the widowed Margaret was still in her 20s, she never remarried saying, “When Edward died, all men died for me.” In January 1308, Margaret accompanied her stepson King Edward II of England to Boulogne, France where he married Margaret’s half-niece Isabella of France, daughter of King Philippe IV. Margaret then retired to her dower house, Marlborough Castle, in Wiltshire, England, where she lived the rest of her life. She died there on February 14, 1318, not yet 40 years old, and was buried at Christ Church Greyfriars in London, England which she had co-founded. Her beautifully carved tomb was destroyed during the English Reformation and sold for its marble and other valuable materials.

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King Ludwig III of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, ending 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Ludwig III of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig III was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from November 1913 until November 1918. He was born Prince Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfried on January 7, 1845, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, the eldest son of Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, the third son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, and Archduchess Augusta of Austria. He had three younger siblings:

Just hours after birth, Ludwig was baptized in the throne room of the Munich Residenz, where he was named after his grandfather, the reigning King Ludwig I. At the time, he was fifth in the line of succession, with little expectation of ever becoming King of Bavaria. Three years later, his grandfather abdicated, and his uncle took the throne as King Maximilian II.

Ludwig, c1860. source: Wikipedia

Ludwig was raised at the Munich Residenz and the Wittelsbacher Palais, both in Munich before moving to Palais Leuchtenberg, also in Munich, in 1855. Palais Leuchtenberg was the former home of Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and his wife Princess Augusta of Bavaria, who was also the aunt of Ludwig’s father Luitpold. Prince Luitpold purchased the palace in 1852, after his aunt Augusta’s death. Ludwig was educated privately at home by a series of tutors, before entering the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 1864, studying law, economics, history, and philosophy. He also began a military career in 1861, commissioned as a Lieutenant in the infantry.

In 1866, Ludwig served as a military aide to his father during the war against Prussia and was injured at the Battle of Helmstedt, sustaining a gunshot wound in his leg. The following year, while in Vienna for the funeral of his cousin Archduchess Mathilda of Austria, Ludwig met his future wife Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este. She was the daughter of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria. After a brief courtship, Ludwig and Maria Theresia married on February 20, 1868, at the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, Austria, adjacent to the Hofburg Palace.

Over the next 23 years, Ludwig and Maria Theresia had thirteen children:

Some of Ludwig’s children circa 1909. source: Wikipedia

In 1886, Ludwig’s father Prince Luitpold became Prince Regent after King Ludwig II was declared mentally incompetent. Just days later, King Ludwig II died mysteriously and was succeeded by his brother King Otto. However, Otto was also mentally ill, and the Regency continued. Upon his father’s death on December 12, 1912, Ludwig succeeded him as Prince Regent for his cousin King Otto. Less than a year later, the Bavarian Parliament passed legislation allowing the Regent to assume the throne himself, provided that the regency was for reasons of incapacity, had lasted more than ten years, and there was no prospect of the Sovereign being able to reign. So on November 5, 1913, with overwhelming support from the parliament, Ludwig deposed his cousin and assumed the Bavarian throne as King Ludwig III.

Enthronement of King Ludwig III, 1913. source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig III’s reign would be brief, as World War I saw the end of the German Empire and many other European monarchies. As the war was ending, the German Revolution of 1918 -1919 broke out in Bavaria. Ludwig fled Munich with his family and took up residence at Anif Palace near Salzburg, Austria, thinking it would be a temporary move. A week later, on November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed, ending 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

The former King Ludwig III returned to Bavaria and lived at Wildenwart Castle, where his wife died three months later. Fearing his life was in danger, Ludwig soon left the country, traveling to Hungary, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. He returned to Wildenwart Castle in April 1920 and remained until the following autumn, when he traveled to his castle Nádasdy in Sárvár, Hungary.

Tomb of King Ludwig III. photo © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of King Ludwig III. photo © Susan Flantzer

The former King Ludwig III died at Nádasdy Castle in Sárvár, Hungary, on October 18, 1921. His body was brought to Wildenwart Castle where his wife was buried, and then both of their remains were brought to the Ludwigskirche in Munich where a state funeral was held. They were then buried in the crypt of the Frauenkirche in Munich. In keeping with tradition, his heart was buried separately, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

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Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria.source: Wikipedia

The wife of Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, Regent of Bavaria, Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, was born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy, on April 1, 1825. She was the second of three daughters of Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Princess Maria Anna of Saxony.

Auguste had two sisters who both died before they were twenty:

  • Archduchess Carolina Auguste (1822 – 1841), died in her teens
  • Archduchess Maria Maximiliana (1827 – 1834), died in childhood

Auguste’s mother died in 1832, and the following year her father married Princess Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies.

Auguste had ten half-siblings from her father’s second marriage:

Auguste was a very intelligent child, interested in the arts and science from a young age. Raised in a strict Catholic background, it was expected that she would marry into one of the Catholic ruling families in Europe. This came to be on April 15, 1844, in Florence, when she married Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, a younger son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The King had initially opposed the marriage, as Auguste was already showing signs of pulmonary tuberculosis which would later take her life. However, he soon relented and allowed the couple to marry.

Over the next eight years, they had four children:

Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria.source: Wikipedia

Because of her health, Auguste had difficulty adjusting to the Bavarian climate. A few years after marrying, she and her husband built a home on Lake Constance, which they used as a summer residence. She was a devoted mother to her four children, speaking to them only in Italian, and a strong supporter of her husband and the Bavarian monarchy. In 1848, she publicly criticized her father-in-law, King Ludwig I, for his relationship with his mistress Lola Montez, and its negative effects on the monarchy. King Ludwig I soon abdicated, and Auguste made many public appearances encouraging support for her brother-in-law, the new King Maximilian II.

Photo © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria. Photo © Susan Flantzer

Sadly, on April 26, 1864, Princess Auguste died, aged 39, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, from the effects of tuberculosis she had suffered for many years. She is buried in the crypt of the Theatinerkirche in Munich.

Years later, her husband would be named Prince Regent of Bavaria, due to the mental incapacity of his two nephews, King Ludwig II and King Otto. Following Luitpold’s death, the couple’s son Ludwig assumed the regency and eventually, formally deposed his cousin King Otto, taking the throne himself as King Ludwig III.

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Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria; source: Wikipedia

Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

Prince Luitpold of Bavaria served as Prince Regent from 1886 until his death in 1912. He was born Prince Luitpold Karl Joseph Wilhelm Ludwig on March 12, 1821, at the Wurzburg Residence, a palace in Würzburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, the third son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He had eight siblings:

At 14 years old, Luitpold joined the Bavarian Army and was soon promoted to Captain of the Artillery. He would later attain the ranks of Major General and Field Marshal. He traveled extensively abroad, and it was on one of these trips that he met his future wife, Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria. She was the daughter of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Princess Maria Anna of Savoy. Luitpold and Auguste married on April 1, 1844, in Florence, and went on to have four children:

Archduchess Auguste of Austria, c1850. source: Wikipedia

In 1848, his father abdicated and his eldest brother took the throne as Maximilian II. During his brother’s reign, Luitpold did not play any significant role, focusing more on his military career. By this time, his second brother, Otto, had been serving as King of Greece since 1832, and as Otto had no children, Luitpold was considered to be his heir-presumptive. The Greek Constitution required that the heir be a member of the Orthodox church, and for some time, Luitpold considered converting from Catholicism.

In 1864, Maximilian II died and was succeeded by his elder son, King Ludwig II. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Luitpold commanded the 3rd Royal Bavarian Division, and later became Inspector General of the Bavarian Army. He represented Bavaria in the German General Staff during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

During Ludwig’s reign, and particularly after the Franco-Prussian War, Luitpold began to take a more prominent role in the monarchy. King Ludwig II was often out of the capital for long periods and became increasingly averse to formal ceremonies and events. The King’s younger brother, the future King Otto, who had served during the war, began to show signs of mental illness and became increasingly unwell. By the mid-1880s, there were many questions about the mental health of King Ludwig II himself. A group of ministers began working to depose Ludwig and asked Luitpold to assume a Regency. Luitpold agreed, on the condition that there was irrefutable proof of his nephew’s incapacity.

On June 10, 1886, Luitpold became Prince Regent after King Ludwig II was declared mentally incompetent. Ludwig II died three days later under mysterious circumstances, and the throne passed to Ludwig’s brother, Otto. However, by this time, Otto had also been declared mentally ill, and Luitpold continued as Prince Regent.

Like many others in his family, Luitpold was a great supporter of the arts and culture in Bavaria. During his tenure – and the liberal government – Munich continued to grow into one of the leading cultural cities in Europe. Shortly after assuming the Regency, he opened several of King Ludwig II’s palaces to the public, and in 1891, he established the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich.

The Prince Regent, 1911. source: Wikipedia

At 91 years old, Luitpold died in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany on December 12, 1912, after having developed bronchitis. He is buried in the crypt of the Theatinerkirche in Munich. He was succeeded as Regent by his eldest son, who became King Ludwig III the following year, after deposing King Otto.

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King Otto of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Otto of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Otto of Bavaria (Otto Wilhelm Luitpold Adalbert Waldemar) was the younger son of King Maximilian II of Bavaria and Princess Marie of Prussia. He was born two months prematurely on April 27, 1848, at the Munich Residenz, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, and was named after his uncle King Otto of Greece.

Otto had one older sibling:

Otto (right) with his parents and brother. source: Wikipedia

Otto and his brother were raised primarily at Hohenschwangau Castle by nannies and servants. They had minimal interaction with their parents, who they came to dislike. Their father was brutally strict, especially with Ludwig, as he was heir to the throne.

In 1863, Otto began serving with the Bavarian army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant the following year. By 1866, he had been promoted to Captain and entered active service with the Royal Bavarian Infantry Guards. He fought in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and later served as Colonel in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. By this time, he was also the heir-presumptive to the Bavarian throne, as his brother had become King Ludwig II following their father’s death in March 1864.

In 1871, Otto and his uncle Prince Luitpold represented his brother at the proclamation of  King Wilhelm I of Prussia as the first German Emperor at the Palace of Versailles in France. Despite his attendance, Otto and his brother King Ludwig II did not support the establishment of the German Empire and Prussia’s prominence. These views, often publicly expressed, were well known to the Prussians and the newly established German court.

Otto, c1875. source: Wikipedia

Otto first began showing signs of mental illness, suffering from anxiety and depression, after serving in the Franco-Prussian War. His illness quickly worsened, worrying the court and his brother King Ludwig II who was expecting Otto to marry and provide an heir to the Bavarian throne. Otto was placed under medical supervision and reports of his condition were passed to the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck by spies within the Bavarian court. By 1872, his doctors were reporting that he was mentally ill, and the following year he was moved to isolation in the southern pavilion of Nymphenburg Palace.

Dr. Bernhard von Gudden. source: Wikipedia

Otto’s physician was Dr. Bernhard von Gudden. There is much debate about von Gudden’s actions in treating Otto and his brother King Ludwig II. Dr. von Gudden would later also diagnose Ludwig as mentally ill despite never examining him or treating him. This led to Ludwig being deposed in 1913 and dying mysteriously just days later. Many speculate that the doctor’s actions were politically motivated. Unlike Otto and Ludwig, von Gudden and Otto and Ludwig’s uncle Prince Luitpold supported the establishment of the German Empire and Prussia’s dominance. Some historians suggest that it was German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck pulling the strings, wanting to remove Ludwig and Otto from power, and replacing him with Luitpold who was more easily controlled.

Whatever the reasons, Otto was more or less removed from the public eye. In 1875, he made a very public appearance at a mass in the Frauenkirche in Munich, causing a scene before being removed. Otto was then moved to Schleissheim Palace against his will. He made his last public appearance later that year, in August 1875 at the King’s Parade. His condition continued to deteriorate and in 1883 he was moved for the last time, taking up residence at Fürstenried Palace specially converted to provide for his confinement. Here, Otto was often visited by his brother King Ludwig II who insisted that Otto should be treated well and that no harm should come to him.

Within a few years, King Ludwig II was also declared mentally ill by Dr. von Gudden, and their uncle Luitpold was appointed Prince Regent. Just days later, on June 13, 1886, Ludwig and von Gudden both died under mysterious circumstances, and Otto formally became King. However, because of his incapacity, Otto probably never understood that he had become king, and the regency remained in place under Prince Luitpold.

Fürstenried Palace, By Rufus46 – Own work, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1155929

Otto remained in isolation at Fürstenried Palace for the rest of his life. When Prince Luitpold died in 1912, his son Prince Ludwig became Regent. The following year, Ludwig amended the Bavarian constitution to allow for King Otto to be formally deposed. On November 5, 1913, King Otto was formally deposed and replaced by his cousin who took the throne as King Ludwig III.

King Otto died unexpectedly three years later, on October 11, 1916, aged 68, at Fürstenried Palace, as the result of a bowel obstruction. He was buried in the crypt at the Michaelskirche in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, and his heart was entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

Coffin of King Otto of Bavaria. photo © Susan Flantzer

The coffin of King Otto of Bavaria. photo © Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

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