Marie of Albret, Countess of Rethel
Encyclopedia
Marie d'Albret, Countess of Rethel, Countess of Nevers (25 March 1491 – 27 October 1549) was the suo jure
Countess of Rethel
, a title which she inherited at the age of nine upon the death of her mother, Charlotte of Nevers, Sovereign Countess of Rethel, on 23 August 1500. She was the wife of Charles II of Cleves, Count of Nevers.
, France on 25 March 1491, the eldest child of Jean d'Albret
, Sire of Orval, Governor of Champagne
(died 10 May 1524), and Charlotte of Nevers, Countess of Rethel (1472- 23 August 1500). She had two younger sisters, Charlotte d'Albret, wife of Odet de Foix, Count of Comminges; and Hélène d'Albret (16 July 1495- 28 October 1519). She had two illegitimate half-siblings, Jacques d'Albret, Bishop of Nevers, and Françoise d'Albret, Abbess of Notre Dame de Nevers.
Her paternal grandparents were Arnaud Amanieu d'Albret, Sire d'Orval (died 1463) and Isabelle de La Tour d'Auvergne
(died 8 September 1488), daughter of Bertrand V de La Tour, Count of Auvergne and Boulogne
and Jacquette du Peschin. Her maternal grandparents were John II, Count of Nevers
, Count of Rethel and Pauline de Bosse-Bretagne. Marie's paternal great-great-grandfather was Charles d'Albret
, Constable of France
, who was killed while commanding the French troops at the Battle of Agincourt
in 1415.
Marie became the sovereign Countess of Rethel at the age of nine upon the death of her mother, Charlotte, at the Chateau de Meillan-en-Berry, who had herself held the suo jure title.
and Charlotte of Bourbon-Vendôme. Upon her marriage she became the Countess of Nevers. Together Charles and Marie had a son:
Marie became a widow in 1521. In 1539, she took the title of Duchess of Nevers, although in point of fact, her son Francis was the suo jure duke.
On 27 October 1549 Marie died at the Hotel de Nevers in Paris at the age of fifty-eight. Her son Francis succeeded her as Count of Rethel.
Marie d'Albret had many illustrious descendants including Eleanor Gonzaga
, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
, King Louis XVI of France
and the latter's consort Marie Antoinette
.
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
Countess of Rethel
Counts and dukes of Rethel
This is a list of counts and dukes of Rethel. The first counts of Rethel ruled independently, before the county passed first to the Counts of Nevers, then to the Counts of Flanders, and finally to the Dukes of Burgundy. In 1405 the County became part of the Peerage of France, and in 1581 it was...
, a title which she inherited at the age of nine upon the death of her mother, Charlotte of Nevers, Sovereign Countess of Rethel, on 23 August 1500. She was the wife of Charles II of Cleves, Count of Nevers.
Family
Marie was born in the Chateau de CuffyCuffy, Cher
Cuffy is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of farming and forestry comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the Loire River and Lateral Canal, the river Allier and the small river Canche, some east of Bourges at the...
, France on 25 March 1491, the eldest child of Jean d'Albret
Albret
The lordship of Albret , situated in the Landes, gave its name to one of the most powerful feudal families of France in the Middle Ages...
, Sire of Orval, Governor of Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
(died 10 May 1524), and Charlotte of Nevers, Countess of Rethel (1472- 23 August 1500). She had two younger sisters, Charlotte d'Albret, wife of Odet de Foix, Count of Comminges; and Hélène d'Albret (16 July 1495- 28 October 1519). She had two illegitimate half-siblings, Jacques d'Albret, Bishop of Nevers, and Françoise d'Albret, Abbess of Notre Dame de Nevers.
Her paternal grandparents were Arnaud Amanieu d'Albret, Sire d'Orval (died 1463) and Isabelle de La Tour d'Auvergne
La Tour d'Auvergne
La Tour d'Auvergne was a French noble family. Its senior branch, extinct in 1501, held the titles of count of Auvergne and count of Boulogne for about half a century. Its junior branch, extinct in 1802, held the title of duke of Bouillon since 1594 and the titles of duke of Albret and duke of...
(died 8 September 1488), daughter of Bertrand V de La Tour, Count of Auvergne and Boulogne
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
and Jacquette du Peschin. Her maternal grandparents were John II, Count of Nevers
John II, Count of Nevers
John II, Count of Nevers He was the son of Philip II, Count of Nevers by his wife Bonne of Artois, daughter of Philip of Artois, Count of Eu. From 1442 to 1465 he was Count of Etampes. John's elder brother was also his predecessor in his titles, Charles I, Count of Nevers...
, Count of Rethel and Pauline de Bosse-Bretagne. Marie's paternal great-great-grandfather was Charles d'Albret
Charles d'Albret
Charles d'Albret was Constable of France from 1402 until 1411, and again from 1413 until 1415. He was also the co-commander of the French army at the Battle of Agincourt where he was killed by the English forces led by King Henry V....
, 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...
, who was killed while commanding the French troops at the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
in 1415.
Marie became the sovereign Countess of Rethel at the age of nine upon the death of her mother, Charlotte, at the Chateau de Meillan-en-Berry, who had herself held the suo jure title.
Marriage
On 25 January 1504, Marie married her cousin, Charles II of Cleves, Count of Nevers (died 17 August 1521), the son of Engelbert, Count of NeversEngelbert, Count of Nevers
Engelbert of Cleves, Count of Nevers was the younger son of John I, Duke of Cleves and Elizabeth of Nevers, only surviving child of John II, Count of Nevers....
and Charlotte of Bourbon-Vendôme. Upon her marriage she became the Countess of Nevers. Together Charles and Marie had a son:
- Francis I of Cleves, 1st Duke of Nevers, Count of Rethel (2 September 1516- 13 February 1561) on 19 January 1538 at the Louvre Palace he married Marguerite of Bourbon-La Marche (26 October 1516- 20 October 1589), daughter of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme and Françoise of Alençon, by whom he had six children including Henriette of ClevesHenriette of ClevesHenriette of Cleves, Duchess of Nevers and Duchess of Rethel was a French noblewoman and heiress of the Cleves-Nevers family. She was also known as Henriette de La Marck...
(31 October 1542- 24 June 1601), heiress to the Duchy of Nevers and County of Rethel, who in her own turn married Louis I Gonzaga of MantuaMantuaMantua 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...
.
Marie became a widow in 1521. In 1539, she took the title of Duchess of Nevers, although in point of fact, her son Francis was the suo jure duke.
On 27 October 1549 Marie died at the Hotel de Nevers in Paris at the age of fifty-eight. Her son Francis succeeded her as Count of Rethel.
Marie d'Albret had many illustrious descendants including Eleanor Gonzaga
Eleanor Gonzaga (1630-1686)
Eleonora Gonzaga of the ruling house of Mantua, the Gonzaga, was the consort of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor.- Family :...
, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
, King Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
and the latter's consort Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
.