Henry II (
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
: ''Henri II''; 8 November 1563 – 31 July 1624), known as "the Good (''le Bon'')", was
Duke of Lorraine from 1608 until his death. Leaving no sons, both of his daughters became Duchesses of Lorraine by marriage. He was a brother-in-law of
Henry IV of France.
History and family
Henry was the son of
Charles III, Duke of Lorraine, and
Claude of Valois, daughter of
Henry II of France and
Catherine de' Medici. His paternal grandparents were
Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, and
Christina of Denmark.
Henry married, firstly,
Catherine of Bourbon,
Duchess of Albret, daughter Antoine of Navarre and Jeanne d'Albret, sister of
King Henry IV of France
Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch ...
. The couple were married at the
Château de Saint Germain-en-Laye outside Paris on 31 January 1599. The bride was already 39 years of age and the union was merely to secure relations with the
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spanis ...
which had previously been rivals with the
House of Lorraine. As Catherine was a Protestant and Henry was a Catholic, a papal dispensation was needed for the two to marry. Pope Clement VIII refused to grant a dispensation, but Catherine's brother, Henry, convinced their illegitimate half-brother, Charles, Archbishop of Rouen, to officiate at the wedding.
Catherine died childless in 1604, aged 45. With no issue from that union, Duke Henry married, secondly,
Margherita Gonzaga on 24 April 1606 in Mantua. She was the eldest daughter of
Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and his wife
Eleonora de' Medici. Margherita's sister
Eleonor Gonzaga was a future
Holy Roman Empress.
Henry was succeeded by his younger brother as
Francis II, Duke of Lorraine.
Issue
Henry and Margherita had four daughters, two of whom survived to adulthood:
* Stillborn daughter (February 1607).
*
Nicole of Lorraine (3 October 1608 – 23 February 1657), married her cousin,
Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, separated in 1635.
* A daughter (10 February 1611 - 11 February 1611).
*
Claude Françoise de Lorraine (6 October 1612 – 2 August 1648), married her cousin,
Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine,
Ancestry
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry Ii, Duke Of Lorraine
1563 births
1624 deaths
Dukes of Bar
Dukes of Lorraine
Marquesses of Nomeny
Nobility from Nancy, France
Marquesses of Pont-à-Mousson
Princes of Lorraine
16th-century French people
17th-century French people
Hereditary Princes of Lorraine