Renata of Lorraine
Renata of Lorraine | |
---|---|
Duchess consort of Bavaria | |
Tenure | 24 October 1579 - 15 October 1597 |
Born | Renée de Lorraine 20 April 1544 Nancy, Duchy of Lorraine |
Died | 22 May 1602 Munich, Duchy of Bavaria | (aged 58)
Spouse | William V, Duke of Bavaria |
Issue | |
House | Lorraine |
Father | Francis I, Duke of Lorraine |
Mother | Christina of Denmark |
Renata of Lorraine (French: Renée de Lorraine, German: Renata von Lothringen) (20 April 1544 – 22 May 1602) was a French noblewoman of the House of Lorraine who became a Duchess of Bavaria by her marriage to Duke William V.
Early life
Born in Nancy, Renata was the second child and eldest daughter of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine[1] and Christina of Denmark.[2]
Renata was described as a beauty and a desirable match. In 1558, after the death of his first wife
In 1561, Renata's mother planned to marry her to king
However, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand opposed the plan due to the destructive effect it could have on the balance of power among the German nations, if Saxony (being strongly allied with Denmark) opposed Christina's claims. Neither did she manage to acquire the support of Philip of Spain. The planned marriage alliance between Lorraine and Sweden was finally ended when Eric XIV married his non-noble lover Karin Månsdotter in 1567.[3]
Duchess consort of Bavaria
Finally, on 22 February 1568, Renata married her paternal second, but maternal first cousin
Despite their large wedding and status, Renata, along with her husband, led a life of charity and humility. They left the
After her husband inherited the duchy in 1579 as William V of Bavaria, Renata spent much of her time in the
All current monarchs of the three Scandinavian countries (
Issue
Renata and William had:
- Christoph (born and died 23 January 1570).
- Christine (23 September 1571 – 27 April 1580), died in childhood.
- Maximilian I (17 April 1573 – 22 September 1651),[4] future Duke and Elector of Bavaria.
- Maria Anna (8 December 1574 – 8 March 1616), married on 23 April 1600 to Ferdinand, Archduke of Inner Austria and future Holy Roman Emperor[4]
- Cardinalfrom 1597.
- Ferdinand (6 October 1577 – 13 September 1650), Archbishop and prince-elector of Cologne (1612–1650)[4]
- Eleonore Magdalene (7 October 1578 – 18 April 1579), died in infancy.
- Karl (30 May 1580 – 27 October 1587), died in childhood.
- Albert VI (26 February 1584 – 5 July 1666), Landgrave of Leuchtenberg by marriage.
- Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg[4]
References
- ^ Thomas 2010, p. 148.
- ^ van Tol 2019, p. 32.
- ^ a b c d Cartwright, Julia (1913). Christina of Denmark: Duchess of Milan and Lorraine 1522–1590. New York: E. P. Dutton.
- ^ a b c d e Thomas 2010, Appendix C.
- ^ M. A. Katritzky, The Art of Commedia: A Study in the Commedia Dell'Arte 1560–1620 (Rodopi, 2006), p. 44.
Sources
- Thomas, Andrew L. (2010). A House Divided: Wittelsbach Confessional Court Cultures in the Holy Roman, c.1550-1650. Brill.
- van Tol, Jonas (2019). Germany and the French Wars of Religion, 1560-1572. Brill.
- Anna de Crignis-Mentelberg: Herzogin Renata. Die Mutter Maximilians des Großen von Bayern. Freiburg im Breisgau 1912.
- Helmut Dotterweich: Der junge Maximilian. Jugend und Erziehung des bayerischen Herzogs und späteren Kurfürsten Maximilian I. von 1573 bis 1593. München 1962.
- Andrea Rueth: Renata von Lothringen, Herzogin von Bayern. In: Wurst, Jürgen und Langheiter, Alexander (Hrsg.): Monachia. München: Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, 2005. p. 142.