Michelle of France was a Duchess consort of Burgundy. She was a daughter of Charles VI of France

Charles VI of France

Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...

 and Isabella of Bavaria-Ingolstadt. She was named for Saint Michael the Archangel

Michael (archangel)

Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...

 after her father noted an improvement in his health after a pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches...

 in 1393.

Biography

Although rumors persist that Michelle and her siblings were neglected by their parents, this was not the case. Queen Isabeau

Isabeau of Bavaria

Isabeau of Bavaria was Queen consort of France as spouse of King Charles VI of France, a member of the Valois Dynasty...

 purchased luxurious toys, clothes and gifts for her children, and regularly wrote them letters when apart. In times of plague, she ensured they were sent to safety in the countryside.

In June 1409, Michelle married the future Philip III, Duke of Burgundy

Philip III, Duke of Burgundy

Philip the Good KG , also Philip III, Duke of Burgundy was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty . During his reign Burgundy reached the height of its prosperity and prestige and became a leading center of the arts...

, later known as Philip the Good. She became melancholic in 1419 following the involvement of her brother, the future King Charles VII of France

Charles VII of France

Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...

, in the murder of her father-in-law, John the Fearless. Michelle had borne a daughter, Agnes, but she died in infancy.

Michelle fell ill and died in Ghent

Ghent

Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...

 in 1422 while her husband was away preparing for the battle of Cone. All of the inhabitants grieved, as she was much loved by the people. Michelle was interred in the monastery of St Bavon near Ghent

Ghent

Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...

. Only a fragment of her recumbent tomb still remains.

After her death, it was believed she had been poisoned by a lady attendant from Germany, Dame de Viesville, a close confidante who had been dismissed to Aire just before Michelle's death. The lady was never charged.

Succession

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