Marie de Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
Marie of Luxembourg was a French noblewoman, the elder daughter and principal heiress of Pierre II de Luxembourg
, Count of Saint-Pol, by Margaret
, a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy
. She belonged to the French, cadet branch
of a dynasty
which had reigned as Dukes of Luxembourg
and whose senior line provided several Holy Roman Emperor
s before becoming extinct in 1437.
Her paternal grandparents were Louis of Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, and Conversano
, Constable of France
, and Jeanne de Bar, Countess of Marle and Soissons
. Her maternal grandparents were Louis, Duke of Savoy
and Anne de Lusignan of Cyprus.
. A commander in the army of Charles the Bold, he was deprived of his appanage
, the Vaud
, by Swiss armies sent by Berne and Fribourg shortly before Marie's prospects as heiress were greatly diminished following the execution for treason of her grandfather, the French constable Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol
in 1475, which entailed the sequestration
of his property.
Her status and part of her inheritance in France were restored upon her re-marriage to François, Count of Vendôme
, a prince du sang
, in 1487. Although she had a younger sister, Françoise d'Enghien, who wed Philip of Cleves-Ravenstein, and her father left several younger brothers, she brought vast estates and revenues to the Bourbons, including the counties of Saint-Pol
and Soissons
in Picardy
, Ligny, Marles, and others.
At François's death in 1495, she became guardian
of their minor
son Charles de Bourbon, and managed the lands he inherited from his father as well as her own. She enlarged the Collégiale Saint Georges, rebuilt the Church of Saint Martin
, and donated the Porte Saint Georges-aux-Bourgeois-de-Vendôme to become the mairie.
Her daughter by her first marriage, Princess Françoise of Savoy (d. 1511), died childless of her marriage to Count Henry III of Nassau-Breda
. By her second husband, Marie had six children, including:
and Catholic factions, respectively, vying for power in France as the Valois dynasty approached extinction. She was still living when her great-granddaughter was crowned Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542. She died in the château de Fère-en-Tardenois in Picardy
, but was buried with her second husband in Vendôme
.
Pierre II de Luxembourg
Peter II was Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, Marle and Soissons.In 1478 Peter was made a knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece....
, Count of Saint-Pol, by Margaret
Marguerite of Savoy
Margaret of Savoy , also known as Marguerite de Savoie or Margherita di Savoia, was the eldest surviving daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy. She was the wife of Margrave John IV of Montferrat and later the wife of Pierre II de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, Marle and Soissons...
, a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis I was Duke of Savoy from 1440 until his death.-Life:...
. She belonged to the French, cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of a dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
which had reigned as Dukes of Luxembourg
House of Luxembourg
The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:...
and whose senior line provided several Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
s before becoming extinct in 1437.
Her paternal grandparents were Louis of Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, and Conversano
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France....
, Constable of France
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
, and Jeanne de Bar, Countess of Marle and Soissons
Jeanne de Bar, Countess of Marle and Soissons
Jeanne de Bar, suo jure Countess of Marle and Soissons, Dame d'Oisy, Viscountess of Meaux, and Countess of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano was a noble French heiress and Sovereign Countess...
. Her maternal grandparents were Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis I was Duke of Savoy from 1440 until his death.-Life:...
and Anne de Lusignan of Cyprus.
Marriage and issue
She was first married as a child to her maternal uncle, Jacques of Savoy, Count of RomontJacques, Duke of Savoy
Jacques of Savoy was Count of Romont and Lord of Vaud. He was the son of Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne de Lusignan. In 1484, he married Marie de Luxembourg...
. A commander in the army of Charles the Bold, he was deprived of his 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...
, the Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
, by Swiss armies sent by Berne and Fribourg shortly before Marie's prospects as heiress were greatly diminished following the execution for treason of her grandfather, the French constable Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France....
in 1475, which entailed the sequestration
Sequestration (law)
Sequestration is the act of removing, separating, or seizing anything from the possession of its owner under process of law for the benefit of creditors or the state.-Etymology:...
of his property.
Her status and part of her inheritance in France were restored upon her re-marriage to François, Count of Vendôme
François, Count of Vendôme
François de Bourbon was a French nobleman. He was the Count of Vendôme.He was the son of Jean VIII, Count of Vendôme, and Isabelle de Beauveau. At his father's death when he was 7, he became Count of Vendôme...
, a prince du sang
Prince du Sang
A prince of the blood was a person who was legitimately descended in the male line from the monarch of a country. In France, the rank of prince du sang was the highest held at court after the immediate family of the king during the ancien régime and the Bourbon Restoration...
, in 1487. Although she had a younger sister, Françoise d'Enghien, who wed Philip of Cleves-Ravenstein, and her father left several younger brothers, she brought vast estates and revenues to the Bourbons, including the counties of Saint-Pol
Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise
Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The population of the canton is 14,939.-History:The county of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, usually referred to as just Saint-Pol, was originally a stronghold of the Counts of Flanders and was established as a county...
and Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
, Ligny, Marles, and others.
At François's death in 1495, she became guardian
Legal guardian
A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Usually, a person has the status of guardian because the ward is incapable of caring for his or her own interests due to infancy, incapacity, or disability...
of their minor
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
son Charles de Bourbon, and managed the lands he inherited from his father as well as her own. She enlarged the Collégiale Saint Georges, rebuilt the Church of Saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
, and donated the Porte Saint Georges-aux-Bourgeois-de-Vendôme to become the mairie.
Her daughter by her first marriage, Princess Françoise of Savoy (d. 1511), died childless of her marriage to Count Henry III of Nassau-Breda
Henry III of Nassau-Breda
Count Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg-Dietz , Lord of Breda, Lord of the Lek, of Diest, etc. was a count of the House of Nassau....
. By her second husband, Marie had six children, including:
- Charles (1490–1527), Duke of Vendôme
- FrançoisFrancis de Bourbon, Count of St. PolFrancis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
(1491–1545), Count of Saint Pol and of Chaumont, Duke of EstoutevilleDuke of EstoutevilleDuke of Estouteville was a title in the French nobility that is claimed today by the Prince of Monaco.It was created in 1537 by King Francis I of France for Adrienne d'Estouteville and her husband Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Pol , son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and his wife Marie of... - Louis (1493–1557), Cardinal de Bourbon, Archbishop of Sens
- AntoinetteAntoinette de BourbonAntoinette de Bourbon was a French noblewoman of the House of Bourbon. She was the wife of Claude de Lorraine, Duke of Guise...
(1493–1583), married Claude, Duke of GuiseClaude, Duke of GuiseClaude de Lorraine, duc de Guise was a French aristocrat and general. He became the first Duke of Guise in 1528.... - Louise (1495–1575), Abbess of Fontevrault
Legacy
She lived to see her sons and son-in-law, and her Bourbon and Guise grandchildren become mortal enemies, leading the HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
and Catholic factions, respectively, vying for power in France as the Valois dynasty approached extinction. She was still living when her great-granddaughter was crowned Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542. She died in the château de Fère-en-Tardenois in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
, but was buried with her second husband in Vendôme
Vendôme
Vendôme is a commune in the Centre region of France.-Administration:Vendôme is the capital of the arrondissement of Vendôme in the Loir-et-Cher department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It has a tribunal of first instance.-Geography:...
.