Louise of Lorraine (French: Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont; 30 April 1553 – 29 January 1601) was Queen of France as the wife of King Henry III from their marriage on 15 February 1575 until his death on 2 August 1589. During the first three months of their marriage, she was also Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania. As a dowager queen, Louise held the title of Duchess of Berry.
Contents
Life
Early life
Louise was born in Nomeny in the Duchy of Bar, she was the third daughter and youngest child born to Nicholas of Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur, and his first wife, Countess Margaret of Egmont (1517–1554). Louise was the only surviving child of her parents; her older siblings, two sisters and one brother, having died in infancy.
A few days after her birth Louise was baptized in the chapel at Nomeny, her godparents were Toussaint d´Hocedy, bishop of Toul and Louise de Stainville, comtesse de Salins and wife of Jean VIII, maréchal of Lorraine. Louise's mother died shortly before her first birthday in 1554, and her father quickly remarried, in 1555, to Princess Joanna of Savoy-Nemours (1532–1568), a second cousin to Henry II. Louise was given a classical education and her step-mother Joanna introduced her to Nancy's court at the age of ten. Her education was also overseen by a governess, Mme de Changy (or de Changi or de Champi), whose daughter Gillette de Changy became one of Louise´s companions. Later an additional governess Mlle de Montvert joined Louise´s household.