Diane de France
Encyclopedia
Diane de France was the natural (illegitimate) daughter of Henry II
, King of France, and his Piedmont
ese mistress Filippa Duci
. Some sources claim that she was the daughter of Diane de Poitiers
.
Diane was born in Paris during 1538 and was formally legitimised in 1547. She was married in 1553 to Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro
, but was later widowed in the same year after Orazio was killed in battle. Diane's second marriage was to Francis de Montmorency
in 1559, who was the eldest son of Anne, Constable of France
. Diane was widowed for a second time in 1579, after helping her to make her husband a leader of the politique
s, a moderate Roman Catholic group in France.
Diane became of favourite
of Henry III, King of France
, who made her Duchess of Angoulême in appanage
(during her lifetime only) during 1582. Diane also enjoyed much respect at the court of Henry IV, King of France
and superintended the education of his son Louis XIII, King of France
.
Diane died on 11 January 1619 in Paris. Her surviving letters reveal her as a woman of great courage and tolerance.
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, King of France, and his Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese mistress Filippa Duci
Filippa Duci
Filippa Duci , dame de Couy, was a Piedmontese courtesan.-Life:...
. Some sources claim that she was the daughter of Diane de Poitiers
Diane de Poitiers
Diane de Poitiers was a French noblewoman and a prominent courtier at the courts of kings Francis I and his son, Henry II of France. She became notorious as the latter's favourite mistress...
.
Diane was born in Paris during 1538 and was formally legitimised in 1547. She was married in 1553 to Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro
Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro
Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro was the second duke of Castro. He is also notable as the husband of Diane de France....
, but was later widowed in the same year after Orazio was killed in battle. Diane's second marriage was to Francis de Montmorency
François de Montmorency
François, Duc de Montmorency was the eldest son of the first Duc de Montmorency, Anne.He was Duke of Montmorency, Count of Dammartin, Baron of Chateaubriant and Lord of L'Isle-Adam. Grand Master of France and Peer of France....
in 1559, who was the eldest son of Anne, Constable of France
Anne de Montmorency
Anne de Montmorency, duc de Montmorency, Honorary Knight of the Garter was a French soldier, statesman and diplomat. He became Marshal of France and Constable of France.-Early life:...
. Diane was widowed for a second time in 1579, after helping her to make her husband a leader of the politique
Politique
Politique is a term that was used during the sixteenth and seventeenth century Wars of Religion, to describe moderates of both religious faiths who held that only the restoration of a strong monarchy could save France from total collapse. It frequently included a pejorative connotation of moral...
s, a moderate Roman Catholic group in France.
Diane became of favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
of Henry III, King of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, who made her Duchess of Angoulême in appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
(during her lifetime only) during 1582. Diane also enjoyed much respect at the court of Henry IV, King of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
and superintended the education of his son Louis XIII, King of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
.
Diane died on 11 January 1619 in Paris. Her surviving letters reveal her as a woman of great courage and tolerance.