Marie of Cleves
Encyclopedia
Maria of Cleves was the third wife of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and the mother of his only son, King Louis XII of France
. She was born a German princess, the last child of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
and his second wife, Marie of Burgundy
.
. They had three children:
Maria was a patron of letters
and commissioned many works; she was also an active poet
herself, producing ballads and other verses. After the Duke's death she was secretly remarried in 1480 to one of her gentlemen of the chamber
, the Artesian
"Sieur de Rabodanges", who was some years her junior.
She died in Chaunay
.
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
. She was born a German princess, the last child of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
Adolph I of Cleves was 2nd. Count of Cleves and 4th. Count of Mark.- Life :He was the son of Adolph III, Count of Mark, and Margaret of Julich ....
and his second wife, Marie of Burgundy
Marie of Burgundy, Duchess of Cleves
Marie of Burgundy, Duchess of Cleves was the second child of John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria, and an elder sister of Philip the Good. Born in Dijon, she became the second wife of Adolph, Count of Mark in May 1415. He was made the 1st Duke of Cleves in 1417...
.
Marriage
At age fourteen, Maria married Charles of Valois, Duke of Orléans, a man 35 years her senior, on 27 November 1440 in Saint-OmerSaint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
. They had three children:
- Marie of OrléansMarie of Orléans (1457-1493)Marie of Orléans was the elder sister of King Louis XII of France. Due to her marriage to John of Foix, she was Countess of Étampes and Viscountess of Narbonne....
(19 December 1457 – 1493)- married John of Foix, Count of ÉtampesJohn of Foix, Viscount of NarbonneJohn of Foix was a younger son of Gaston IV of Foix and Queen Eleanor of Navarre. His elder brother was Gaston, Prince of Viana.-Life:...
in 1476
- married John of Foix, Count of Étampes
- Louis XII of FranceLouis XII of FranceLouis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
(1462–1515) - Anne of OrléansAnne d'OrléansAnne d'Orléans was the youngest child of Charles, Duke of Orléans and Maria of Cleves. Her only brother became king Louis XII of France in 1498....
(1464–1491)- AbbessAbbessAn abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Fontevrault and Poitiers
- Abbess
Maria was a patron of letters
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
and commissioned many works; she was also an active poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
herself, producing ballads and other verses. After the Duke's death she was secretly remarried in 1480 to one of her gentlemen of the chamber
Valet de chambre
Valet de chambre , or varlet de chambre, was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards. Royal Households had many persons appointed at any time...
, the Artesian
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
"Sieur de Rabodanges", who was some years her junior.
She died in Chaunay
Chaunay
Chaunay is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France....
.