Margaret Paleologa

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For another person, see Margaret Paleologa (1364–1420).
Margaret Paleologa
John Georg Palaiologos
SuccessorFederico II Gonzaga
Born(1510-08-11)11 August 1510
Casale Monferrato
Died28 December 1566(1566-12-28) (aged 56)
Mantua, Duchy of Mantua
SpouseFederico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
IssueFrancesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
Isabella Gonzaga
Roman Catholicism

Margaret Palaeologa (

Federico II, Duke of Mantua. Margaret acted as the regent of the Duchy of Mantua twice during the minority of her sons: for her elder son Francesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua in 1540-1549, and for her younger son Guglielmo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
, between 1550 and 1556.

Early life

Margaret was born in

William IX of Montferrat[1] and his wife Anne of Alençon.[2]

Margaret was the second of three children. Her elder sister was

Boniface IV of Montferrat
, who died when he was only 18 years of age.

Marriage

In 1517, Margaret's elder sister, Maria, was betrothed to

Marquis and Duke of Mantua.[a][3] The marriage contract was annulled in 1529.[4] Federico's attentions turned to Margaret. Having weighed up the various proposals for Margaret's hand, her mother Anne d'Alençon opted for the link with the House of Gonzaga and the marriage was concluded in October 1531.[5]
The marriage lasted for nine years until Federico's death, at the age of 40. The couple's last child was born the year of his death.

In 1533, Margaret inherited the title Marquise of Montferrat from her uncle John George, Marquis of Montferrat. However, in practice, her realm was under Spanish occupation at the time. In 1536, her husband was made ruling Marquis of Montferrat by right of his marriage to her.

Regent of Mantua

On Federico's death in 1540, their eldest son,

Duke of Mantua
as well as Marquis of Montferrat. As Francesco was still only a minor aged eight, Margaret acted as his regent.

Margaret had her son married to

Guglielmo married to Catherine's younger sister, Eleanor
. Francesco died one year after his marriage to Catherine in 1550, and no children were born to their union.

Margaret's second son Guglielmo then became Duke of Mantua. Margaret acted as his regent, with the help of her brother-in-law Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga. As regent, Margaret issued laws and regulations which benefitted the economy of Mantua by the establishment of businesses. She made improvements on the river harbour and had the fortifications and defence of the Duchy strengthened. In her foreign policy, she was pro-Spanish, which caused the French king to occupy Montferrat in 1555 - it was to be held by France until the Treaty of Cambresis in 1559.

Her regency was terminated when her son came of age in 1556.

Margaret died in Mantua on 28 December 1566.

In 1574, Margaret's homeland of Montferrat became part of the Duchy of Mantua, after the death of Margaret's son. In Montferrat, Guglielmo was known as Guglielmo X.

Issue

Margaret and Federico had:

Ancestry

Notes

  1. ^ Hickson states that a "marriage" ceremony took place but the legality of the ceremony owing to Maria's age(6) made it questionable.[3]

References

  1. ^ Bertelli 2001, p. 146.
  2. ^ a b c Boltanski 2006, p. 503.
  3. ^ a b Hickson 2016, p. 102.
  4. ^ Hickson 2016, p. 104.
  5. ^ Hickson 2016, p. 101.
  6. ^ a b c Antenhofer 2011, p. 67.
  7. ^ Commire & Klezmer 1999, p. 365.

Sources

  • Boltanski, Ariane (2006). Les Ducs de Never et L'Etat Royal (in French). Librairie Droz S.A.
  • Antenhofer, Christina (2011). "From Local "Signori" to European High Nobility: The Gonzaga Family Networks in the Fifteenth Century". In Johnson, Christopher H.; Teuscher, Simon; Sabean, David Warren; Trivellato, Francesca (eds.). Transregional and Transnational Families in Europe and Beyond: Experiences. Berghahn Books.
  • Bertelli, Sergio (2001). The King's Body: Sacred Rituals of Power in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. Translated by Litchfield, R. Burr. Pennsylvania State University Press.
  • Commire, Anne; Klezmer, Deborah, eds. (1999). Women in World History. Vol. Gab–Harp. Yorkin Publications.
  • Hickson, Sally Anne (2016). Women, Art and Architectural Patronage in Renaissance Mantua: Matrons, Mystics, and Monasteries. Routledge.


Margaret Paleologa
Cadet branch of the Palaiologos dynasty
Born: 11 August 1510 Died: 28 December 1566
Regnal titles
Preceded by Marchioness of Montferrat
1533–1540 		Succeeded by
Francesco III Gonzaga
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