Henry II, Duke of Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Henry II was Duke of Lorraine from 1608 until his death. His two daughters were Duchesses of Lorraine by marriage. He was also the brother-in-law of King Henry IV of France
.
, and Claude of Valois
, daughter of Henry II of France
and Catherine de' Medici
. His paternal grandparents were Francis I, Duke of Lorraine
, and the Princess
Christina of Denmark
.
From birth he was styled as the hereditary prince of Lorraine (prince héréditaire de Lorraine).
His siblings included Catherine of Lorraine, Abbess of Remiremont, and whose namesake was Catherine de' Medici
; Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany as wife of Ferdinando I, Grand Duke of Tuscany
as well as his eventual successor Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
.
He married first to princess Catherine de Bourbon, Duchess of Albret
, and sister of king Henry IV of France
and aunt of Louis XIII. The couple were married at the Château de Saint Germain-en-Laye outside Paris
on 31 January 1599. The bride was already 40 years of age and the union was merely to secure relations with the House of Lorraine
which had previously been rivals with the House of Bourbon
.
Catherine died childless in 1604. With no issue from that union, he married for the second time to Margherita Gonzaga. She was a daughter of Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and his wife Eleonora de' Medici
(Eleonora was in turn the sister of Marie de' Medici
, wife of Henry IV
). Margherita's sister Eleonor Gonzaga was the future Holy Roman Empress.
Henri married Margherita on 24 April 1606 in Mantua
with whom he had four children of which only two daughters survived and both married to cousins.
Henri was succeeded by his younger brother as Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
.
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....
.
History and Family
He was the son of Charles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III, Duke of Lorraine
Charles III , known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.-History:He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, and Christina of Denmark...
, and Claude of Valois
Claude of Valois
Claude of Valois was born at Fontainebleau on 12 November 1547 and died in Nancy on 21 February 1575. She was the second daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.-Biography:...
, daughter of Henry II of France
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,...
and Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
. His paternal grandparents were Francis I, Duke of Lorraine
Francis I, Duke of Lorraine
Francis I was a member of the French nobility. He was briefly Duke of Lorraine from 1544–1545.-History:...
, and the Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
Christina of Denmark
Christina of Denmark
Christina of Denmark was a Danish princess who became Duchess-consort of Milan, then Duchess-consort of Lorraine...
.
From birth he was styled as the hereditary prince of Lorraine (prince héréditaire de Lorraine).
His siblings included Catherine of Lorraine, Abbess of Remiremont, and whose namesake was Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
; Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany as wife of Ferdinando I, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I.-Biography:...
as well as his eventual successor Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
Francis II , was the son of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine and Claude of Valois. He was Duke of Lorraine briefly in 1624, quickly abdicating in favour of his son.-Biography:...
.
He married first to princess Catherine de Bourbon, Duchess of Albret
Catherine de Bourbon
Jeanne de Bourbon was a daughter of Jean VIII, Count of Vendôme and Isabelle de Beauvau. Through her daughter Madeleine, she was the maternal grandmother of French queen consort Catherine de' Medici.-Family and lineage:...
, and sister of king Henry IV 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 aunt of Louis XIII. The couple were married at the Château de Saint Germain-en-Laye outside Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 31 January 1599. The bride was already 40 years of age and the union was merely to secure relations with the House of Lorraine
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
which had previously been rivals with the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
.
Catherine died childless in 1604. With no issue from that union, he married for the second time to Margherita Gonzaga. She was a daughter of Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and his wife Eleonora de' Medici
Eleonora de' Medici
Eleonora de' Medici was the eldest child of Francesco I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria. She was a family member of the famous House of Medici.-Family:...
(Eleonora was in turn the sister of Marie de' Medici
Marie de' Medici
Marie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
, wife of Henry IV
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....
). Margherita's sister Eleonor Gonzaga was the future Holy Roman Empress.
Henri married Margherita on 24 April 1606 in Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
with whom he had four children of which only two daughters survived and both married to cousins.
Henri was succeeded by his younger brother as Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
Francis II, Duke of Lorraine
Francis II , was the son of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine and Claude of Valois. He was Duke of Lorraine briefly in 1624, quickly abdicating in favour of his son.-Biography:...
.
Issue
- a daughter (1607) who died in infancy;
- Nicole de Lorraine (3 October 1608 – 23 February 1657), married Charles IV, Duke of LorraineCharles IV, Duke of LorraineCharles IV was Duke of Lorraine from 1624 to 1634, when he abdicated under French pressure in favor of his younger brother, and again from 1661 until 1675.- Biography :...
, no issue; separated in 1635; - a daughter (10 February 1611 - 11 November 1611) who died in infancy;
- Claude Françoise de LorraineClaude of Lorraine (1612-1648)Claude de Lorraine was a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Lorraine and Margerita Gonzaga, her sister was Nicole, Duchess of Lorraine. She is also known as Claude Françoise de Lorraine, she married her first cousin and was the Duchess of Lorraine by marriage. Her maternal grandparents were, Vincenzo I...
(1612–1648), married Nicholas II, Duke of LorraineNicholas II, Duke of LorraineNicholas Francis , also known as Nicholas II, was briefly Duke of Lorraine and Duke of Bar for a few months in 1634, spanning the time between the abdication of his older brother and his own resignation...
, had issue, died as a result of childbirth.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 8 November 1563 – 14 May 1608 His Highness the Hereditary Prince of Lorraine
- 14 May 1608 – 31 July 1624 His Highness the Duke of Lorraine