French History:
Marguerite of Valois (1553 – 1615)
She was Queen of France and Navarre during the late sixteenth century. A royal princess of France by birth, she was the last of the House of Valois. Marguerite was daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici, and sister of French Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III, and Queen Elisabeth of Spain. Marguerite was one of the most fashionable women of her time, influencing most of Europe’s Royal Courts with her clothing. Famous for her beauty and licentious life, she was highly skilled in creating music, art, and literature. She was also highly literate and well read. Marguerite’s relationship with her next oldest brother, Henry, Duke of Anjou,(later known as Henry III) sparked great interest and speculation in her own time and also for later historians. Marguerite and Henry were accused by their enemies of having an incestuous relationship. The charges seemed to affect these two Valois in particular because they both had reputations for sexual deviance. As with most scandalous rumors, it is impossible to prove or disprove either way. However, given the stormy relations between the two, one is hard pressed to accept the rumors as true.
Her wedding with the Protestant King Henry of Navarre, later Henry IV of France, which was intended to mark the peace between Catholics and Protestants, instead was a prelude to the massacre of Protestants on Saint Bartholomew’s Day. Marguerite has been credited with saving the lives of several prominent Protestants, including her husband’s, during the massacre, by keeping them in her rooms and refusing to admit the assassins. Henry of Navarre had to feign conversion to Catholicism. Five or six days after the massacre, Catherine of Medici tried to convince Marguerite to divorce Henry of Navarre. However, Marguerite declared that she was content to remain as she was. Marguerite’s actions not only showed loyalty towards her marriage, but perhaps also showed her concern for her husband. As long as Marguerite was Henry’s wife, no overt plot against his life could be carried out. By allying herself with her husband, Marguerite had forced her family to realize that they no longer had her complete allegiance. As punishment for siding with her husband, Marguerite received the same sentence as he and was also confined to the Louvre. However, Marguerite was very skilled in cultivating and maintaining friendly relationships with the palace guards and was never restricted as tightly as was her husband. After more than three years of confinement at court, Henry escaped Paris leaving his wife behind.
Marguerite made many attempts to leave the Valois court to join her husband in Navarre, but was constantly delayed or prevented from joining him. Having completed her mission of helping her brother d’Alençon begin his expedition to Flanders, Marguerite finally received permission to go to her kingdom in Navarre and rejoin her husband. Marguerite remained in Navarre with Henry for about four years. Although they were generally comfortable with each other, Marguerite and Henry never fully solidified their marriage. Henry continued with his many mistresses while Marguerite pretended not to notice. Although they were finally living as a married couple, Marguerite remained childless. While their marriage was proving sterile, Henry and Marguerite’s political partnership flourished. There is no doubt that Marguerite did have numerous affairs. However, there is no evidence supporting the more outlandish claims of incest and orgies. Marguerite instead seems to have had a few long lasting and emotional affairs which were openly tolerated by her husband, who was involved in numerous affairs of his own.
Throughout Marguerite’s time in Navarre, she acted as an advisor to Henry and a diplomat between him and her brother the King of France. As such, the outbreak of another religious war meant that Marguerite’s powerful skills of persuasion and diplomacy were once again needed to restore peace between her husband and brother, Henry III of France. Marguerite was induced to return to Paris by promises from her mother and Henry III that they would consider her visit an act of trust and peace, leading to reconciliation. Marguerite agreed to the trip in 1582, but in this her political savvy failed her. After only a year, Henry expelled her from court and she returned to Navarre. His official reasoning was her affair with Jacques de Harlay, lord of Champvallon. However, Marguerite claimed in later letters that she was actually sent away because of her continued support for her younger brother, François, Duke of Alençon.
After long negotiations, she was allowed to return to her husband’s court in Navarre, but she received an icy reception. Marguerite soon found herself ignored and isolated in Navarre. Although Henry of Navarre had treated Marguerite with respect and kindness for most of their marriage, his attentions also cooled once he no longer needed her political power. In 1585, Henry embarked on a passionate love affair with a widow called Diane d’Andouins, nicknamed La Belle Corisande. Marguerite found it impossible to ignore this particular lover of Henry’s, since d’Andouins was pressing Henry to repudiate Marguerite so that she could become Queen of Navarre herself. Marguerite responded by attempting to poison Henry, and then she shot at him with a pistol but missed. She left the court of Navarre to her property at Agen. Marguerite attempted to strengthen the fortifications at Agen, raise troops, and ally with the Catholic League against her husband.
She was taken prisoner by her brother Henry III and confined at the castle of Usson in Auvergne, but she soon became lady of the castle. She was able to retain her independence through the grace and assistance of her sister-in-law, Elisabeth of Austria, the Dowager Queen of France and widow of Marguerite’s brother, Charles IX. Elisabeth shared half of her revenues with Marguerite, thereby saving the Queen of Navarre from certain economic ruin. During her imprisonment and exile, eighteen years, she immersed herself in reading, writing, and doing charitable acts, and she put on every appearance of being perfectly happy at Usson. In this time, Marguerite wrote her memoirs. She left letters and memoirs the latter of which are admirably written, and rank among the best of the French Renaissance. Marguerite’s charm and literary talent were admired by the leading writers of the age.
Henry of Navarre assumed the French throne as Henry IV in 1589, Marguerite was the new Queen of France. He ordered Marguerite to remain at Usson, making it clear that she would not be welcome in his court. She refused to agree to Henry IV’s demand for the annulment of their marriage so he could marry his mistress Gabrielle d’Estrées, although she finally consented to the annulment after Gabrielle’s death. Their marriage was eventually annulled, but she was allowed to keep the title of Queen of France. Reconciled to her former husband and his second wife, Marie of Medici, Queen Marguerite returned to Paris and established herself as a mentor of the arts and benefactress of the poor. She founded an academy in Auvergne to study poetry and philosophy and another in Paris. Marguerite lived the rest of her life in Paris and her salon became one of the foremost literary gatherings in Europe.
Once at court, Marguerite became friendly with Marie of Medici and continued to advise Henry IV on many matters. In this way, she was able to renew some of her old sources of power. Marguerite came to respect Henry IV’s leadership and their late-life relationship was much as their earlier relationship had been; friendly and respectful. When Henry IV was assassinated in 1610, Marguerite continued in her advisory role, assisting the new regent, Marie of Medici, who acted as regent for her young son, Louis XIII. Marguerite even made Louis XIII her heir. Nearing the end of her life and finding herself edged out by Marie of Medici’s favorites, the Florentine Marshal d’Ancre and his wife Leonora (who were both eventually executed), Marguerite retired to her salon. She spent the rest of her days attempting to help the young Louis XIII mitigate his mother’s heavy-handed policies and happily engaging in charity and literary circles. Marguerite of Valois died in her Hostel de la Reyne Margueritte, on 27 March 1615, and was buried in the funerary chapel of the Valois in the Basilica of St. Denis.
Isabelle played her in in the movie “Queen Margot” (1994)
(via isadomna)
