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Marie Louise Gonzaga ( pl, Ludwika Maria; 18 August 1611 – 10 May 1667) was
Queen of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th ...
and
Grand Duchess of Lithuania The consort (or spouse) of the royal rulers of Lithuania and of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was in all cases a woman and nearly all took the title of Grand Duchess. Queen consort of Lithuania Morta and her sister were the only Quee ...
by marriage to two
kings of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Royal elections in Poland, free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electab ...
and
grand dukes of Lithuania The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—Hou ...
, brothers
Władysław IV Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym * W ...
and
John II Casimir John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...
. Together with
Bona Sforza Bona Sforza d'Aragona (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of ...
(1494–1557), she is regarded as one of the most influential and powerful queen consorts of the
Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to: Historical political entities *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031 *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exist ...
and the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. Born in
Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in central France. It was the principal city of the ...
to
Charles I, Duke of Mantua Charles Gonzaga ( it, Carlo I Gonzaga) (6 May 1580 – 22 September 1637) was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1627 until his death. He was also Charles III Duke of Nevers and Rethel, as well as Prince of Arche and Charleville. Biograp ...
and Catherine of Guise, Marie was brought up at court as the future bride of Duke Gaston of Orléans. In 1645, she married
Władysław IV of Poland Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym * W ...
, with whom she did not have a harmonious relationship. After his death in 1648, the widowed queen married his half-brother and successor,
John II Casimir John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...
. Marie Louise exuded considerable influence over her second husband and dictated the political course in the country. An ambitious and energetic woman, she was a strong supporter of an
absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitut ...
, for which she was reviled by certain spheres of the
Polish nobility The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...
. She, nevertheless, remained active in the Commonwealth's politics and co-sponsored the foundation of the first Polish newspaper, ''
Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny ''Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny'' (The Polish Mercury Ordinary; original 17th-century Polish spelling: ''Merkuryusz Polski Ordynaryiny''; full title: ''Merkuriusz Polski dzieje wszystkiego świata w sobie zamykający, dla informacji pospolitej'': ...
'' (Polish Mercury Ordinary), in 1661 as well as other public institutions. While her role is regarded as crucial in repulsing the foreign forces out of Poland-Lithuania during the
Swedish Deluge The Deluge ( pl, potop szwedzki, lt, švedų tvanas) was a series of mid-17th-century military campaigns in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In a wider sense it applies to the period between the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648 and the Truce ...
(1655–1660), she became increasingly unpopular due to her absolutist policies and intention of nominating her niece's husband, Henri Jules, the future Prince of Condé, the heir apparent to the Polish throne. This resulted in a military conflict with the internal opposition, which ended with the defeat of the royal army in 1666, during
Lubomirski The House of Lubomirski is a Polish princely family. The Lubomirski family's coat of arms is the Drużyna coat of arms, which is similar to the Szreniawa coat of arms but without a cross. Origin and the coat of arms The Lubomirski fa ...
's rebellion. Following Marie Louise's death, John Casimir in a hesitating position renounced the crown, and the Commonwealth's government officially curtailed the prerogatives of the royal consort.


Early life and marriage proposal

Marie Louise Gonzaga was born on 18 August 1611 in the city of
Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in central France. It was the principal city of the ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
to
Charles I, Duke of Mantua Charles Gonzaga ( it, Carlo I Gonzaga) (6 May 1580 – 22 September 1637) was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1627 until his death. He was also Charles III Duke of Nevers and Rethel, as well as Prince of Arche and Charleville. Biograp ...
, and Catherine of Guise, who died in 1618. Marie Louise was supposed to marry
Gaston, Duke of Orléans '' Monsieur'' Gaston, Duke of Orléans (Gaston Jean Baptiste; 24 April 1608 – 2 February 1660), was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his second wife, Marie de' Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a '' Fils de France''. He lat ...
in 1627, but King
Louis XIII of France Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
strongly opposed the marriage and subsequently imprisoned her in the Vincennes fortress and later in a small
convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
. The first proposal that she'd marry the newly elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania,
Władysław IV Vasa Władysław IV Vasa; lt, Vladislovas Vaza; sv, Vladislav IV av Polen; rus, Владислав IV Ваза, r=Vladislav IV Vaza; la, Ladislaus IV Vasa or Ladislaus IV of Poland (9 June 1595 – 20 May 1648) was King of Poland, Grand Duke of ...
, was made in 1634, but Władysław eventually married
Cecilia Renata of Austria Cecilia Renata of Austria (german: Cäcilia Renata, pl, Cecylia Renata; 16 July 1611 – 24 March 1644) was Queen of Poland as the wife of King Władysław IV Vasa. Selection and coronation Cecilia Renata was a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Fe ...
, the daughter of
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, Hungary, and List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Charles II, Archduke of Austria, Archd ...
and Maria Anna of Bavaria. This decision was very unfavorable for France and greatly angered
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
because of the newly established alliance between the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
and the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. In 1640, Marie Louise met Władysław's brother, John Casimir with whom she had an early affair. She later invited Prince John Casimir to France for her annual
literary salon A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "e ...
organised in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
.


Queen of Poland, politics and conflict with nobility

Following the death of Cecilia Renata in 1644, Cardinal Jules Mazarin was determined to diminish and destroy the alliance between the Polish
Vasa dynasty The House of Vasa or Wasa Georg Starbäck in ''Berättelser ur Sweriges Medeltid, Tredje Bandet'' pp 264, 275, 278, 291–296 & 321 ( sv, Vasaätten, pl, Wazowie, lt, Vazos) was an early modern royal house founded in 1523 in Sweden. Its mem ...
and the Austrian
Habsburg dynasty The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
, the rivals of the French state and a possible future threat to France. Mazarin insisted that Marie Louise should marry the widowed sovereign and in cruel, but purposeful ways made sure that she was the only candidate. Under the pressure of the French government and other
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
nations Marie Louise Gonzaga finally married Władysław by proxy on 5 November 1645. The proper wedding of Marie Louise and Władysław IV took place in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
on 10 March 1646. She was forced by the Polish parliament (
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of t ...
) and the strongly zealous nobility to change her name from Marie Louise to Ludwika Maria in order for the marriage to take place, as in Poland the first name ''Maria'' was at that time considered reserved only for
Mary, mother of Jesus Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
. Two years later, on 20 May 1648, Marie Louise was
widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...
ed by the sudden death of Władysław IV. John Casimir was eventually elected the next King of Poland by the parliament, and married her on 30 May 1649. During an 18-year marriage with John Casimir, she gave birth to two children, Maria Anna Teresa and John Sigismund, who died in infancy. She also suffered several miscarriages. From the moment she officially became queen once more, Marie Louise immediately focused on influencing the political views of her new husband. Marie Louise believed that she was more able to control John Casimir rather than his deceased brother Władysław, who was described as extremely stubborn, self-centered and overwhelmingly supportive of the nobility, which Marie Louise opposed and sought to decrease the power of the nobles in the parliament. Intelligent, tenacious and with a strong personality, at many times she not only supported John Casimir, but guided him throughout entire political and several military campaigns. This was noticed by a
Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...
ian diplomat named Hoverberk who stated in his diaries that "by incessant insistence, molestation, complaints and other tricks she controlled the poor king and therefore the entire ill-fated country itself." In contrast to her husband, Marie Louise was reportedly not sympathetic towards the servants, peasants and lower classes, but sought to achieve the set goals and was determined to strengthen the Polish nation in case of war with the powerful and dangerous eastern empires - the
Turkish Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
,
Swedish Empire The Swedish Empire was a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic region during the 17th and early 18th centuries ( sv, Stormaktstiden, "the Era of Great Power"). The beginning of the empire is usually ta ...
and
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. Marie Louise was an active and energetic woman, with ambitious economic and political plans for the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
were scandalized at the queen's political meddling, believing that no foreign woman should interfere. Nevertheless, she played an instrumental role leading the Polish in repulsing the Swedish during the Swedish invasion of the Commonwealth, commonly known as the "Deluge". She wished to change the voting system of the Polish senate and grant the king more power. However, she was unable to do so as such actions would result in a rebellion of the higher and wealthy classes that could possibly devastate the economy of the Commonwealth. She had no qualms in order to achieve her objectives. Marie Louise opposed Poland's policy of religious toleration. She believed that Poland was a "place of shelter for heretics" and wanted them burnt at the stake. Marie Louise made use of bribery and false promises to the
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
. She brought many noble ladies to the Polish court from France that would be obliged to marry
voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
s, princes and wealthy landowners, and eventually serve as a defensive shield if the higher classes decide to rebel against the government, one of the most well known examples being her relative and favorite
Klara Izabella Pacowa Klara Izabella Pacowa, born ''Claire Isabelle Eugenie de Mailly-Lespine'' (1631 - 11 March 1685), was a Polish court official. She was a lady-in-waiting and confidante of two of the queens of Poland, Marie Louise Gonzaga and Eleanor of Austria, Q ...
. Marie Louise also strongly followed French cultural patterns and introduced new French customs to the Commonwealth. She was known to always wear French clothing and collect small memorabilia like coins, jewelry and perfume bottles - this was a common practice during the reign of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
and subsequently
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...
.


Swedish invasion and hope for victory

All the features of the Marie Louise, the persistence and determination combined with great diligence and courage, were particularly highlighted during the Swedish invasion. Reportedly she risked her life on the front lines and after the defeat, forced to leave the
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
, she did not lose her faith in victory and went to
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
; thence she directed the army to fight against the invaders. She vividly tried to establish a contact with all citizens who resisted the Swedes. Marie also developed extensive diplomatic campaign aimed at receiving help from other European rulers and monarchs. To acquire the aid of the Habsburgs, she would not even hesitate to hand over the Polish throne following the death of John Casimir. She participated and also worked on setting the peace conditions with Sweden -
Treaty of Oliwa The Treaty or Peace of Oliva of 23 April (OS)/3 May (NS) 1660Evans (2008), p.55 ( pl, Pokój Oliwski, sv, Freden i Oliva, german: Vertrag von Oliva) was one of the peace treaties ending the Second Northern War (1655-1660).Frost (2000), p.183 ...
. During the invasion the queen reached the peak of her popularity, but that quickly passed after the presentation of the draft reform; the strengthening of royal power and election '' vivente rege'' (Latin meaning "for the life of the king"). At first, she used different methods to build up the party gathered around the court and started a propaganda campaign, which aimed to reform the public acceptance of the nobility. At the same time she was determined for her niece -
Anne Henriette of Bavaria Anne of the Palatinate known in France as Anne of Bavaria, Princess Palatine (Anne Henriette Julie; 13 March 1648 – 23 February 1723) was a Princess of the Palatinate and Countess Palatine of Simmern by birth and was the wife of Henri Jules ...
, whose husband was to be
Henri Jules, Prince of Condé Henri Jules de Bourbon (29 July 1643, in Paris – 1 April 1709, in Paris, also ''Henri III de Bourbon'') was ''prince de Condé'', from 1686 to his death. At the end of his life he suffered from clinical lycanthropy and was considered insane. Bi ...
- to be the wife of the next elected
King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16t ...
and Grand Duke of Lithuania. This enraged the wealthier classes and the nobles, who accused her of meddling Poland into French politics that were hostile towards
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, Sweden, allied
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. At the beginning success was certain, because the majority of senators were in favour of her plans and opposed
Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski Prince Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski (20 January 1616 – 31 December 1667) was a Polish noble (szlachcic), magnate, politician and military commander, and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. He was the initiator of the Lubomirski Rebellion of 1665 ...
and broader masses of the nobility. This also influenced the peasants and lower classes and their attitude was reflected in the well-known saying and rhyme ''"Bij Francuzów bij, wziąwszy dobry kij, wal Francuzów wal, wbijaj ich na pal!"'' (Beat the French, impale the French...). To decide between the court and the opposition, however, there was no fighting in words, but on the battlefield. The so-called Sejm of Lubomirski sentenced Lubomirski to infamy and ordered the confiscation of his property. A proud magnate who believed that he would be elected the next king, Lubomirski has rejected the proposal of reconciliation and openly challenged King John II Casimir. In 1665, Lubomirski announced a
rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
and his army entered the Commonwealth. On 13 July 1666 he faced the royal army under the King himself at Mątwy. Lubomirski's forces were victorious. In the aftermath of the battle, elite regiments of the royal Polish Army were executed by the rebels (in total, the army had lost almost 4,000 of its most experienced men). On 31 July, at the village of Legowice, the King and Lubomirski have signed an agreement. John II Casimir and Marie Louise were forced to give up their plans of reform and were obliged to declare amnesty for the rebels, while Lubomirski signed a letter of apology.


Death and legacy

The great effort put into the stabilization of the economy and the subsequent political disaster rapidly affected the health of the queen, who was suffering from fever, severe weight loss, constant coughing and a permanently bleeding nose. She was dying knowing the fact that towards the end she was unable to fulfill at least a small part of her ambitious but near impossible plans. Lying on her deathbed, she forbade the servants and guards to call for her husband, who at the time was busy taking part in one of the important Polish parliament sittings. Marie Louise died unexpectedly in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
on 10 May 1667 and was buried in
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
at
Wawel Cathedral The Wawel Cathedral ( pl, Katedra Wawelska), formally titled the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus, is a Roman Catholic cathedral situated on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1000 years old, it is part of the ...
. John II Casimir, shocked by the sudden death of his wife and in deep grief, abdicated the Polish throne a year later as he was not able by himself to cope with the heavy burden of responsibility of a Polish ruler. Marie Louise founded the first Polish
newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...
, ''
Merkuriusz Polski ''Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny'' (The Polish Mercury Ordinary; original 17th-century Polish spelling: ''Merkuryusz Polski Ordynaryiny''; full title: ''Merkuriusz Polski dzieje wszystkiego świata w sobie zamykający, dla informacji pospolitej'' ...
'' (The Polish Mercury, 1661), and the first Polish
convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
of the
Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary , image = Salesas-escut.gif , size = 175px , abbreviation = V.S.M. , nickname = Visitandines , motto = , formation = , founder = Saint Bishop Francis de ...
(1654). She supported
Tito Livio Burattini Tito Livio Burattini ( pl, Tytus Liwiusz Burattini, 8 March 1617 – 17 November 1681) was an inventor, architect, Egyptologist, scientist, instrument-maker, traveller, engineer, and nobleman, who spent his working life in Poland and Lithuania. ...
, an Italian polymath (one of the first Egyptologists), who also designed "flying machines". He lived in Poland since the early 1650s. As a former salonist in France, she opened a literary salon in Poland, the first in the country. She was the patron of the next king,
John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobie ...
, who would follow the example of trying to reform Poland's legal system, also without major successes. Rumours pointed her out as the mother of her successor as queen,
Marie Casimire Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien ( pl, Maria Kazimiera Ludwika d’Arquien; 28 June 1641 – 30 January 1716), known also by the diminutive form "Marysieńka", was a French noblewoman who became the queen consort of Poland and grand d ...
, through adultery, but there are no confirmation to these rumours. She certainly had a close relationship with Marie Casimire, whom she educated on political matters and according to Robert Nisbet Bain, spoiled her in the process. After Marie Louise had to give up her project of bringing Duke d'Enghien to Poland, she centred her hope on Sobieski and the marriage between her two protegés (which happened). The long reign of Marie Louise Gonzaga is strictly assessed by both contemporaries and historians. Together with
Bona Sforza Bona Sforza d'Aragona (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of ...
she was without a doubt the most energetic and the most important Polish queen of the modern age, who played an instrumental role in repulsing the Swedish armies during the Deluge, but it was her stubborn nature and ambitious plans for reform that lead to her demise.


Gallery

File:Ludwika Maria.jpeg, ''Marie Louise Gonzaga'' by
Daniel Dumonstier Daniel Dumonstier (14 May 1574 – 22 June 1646) was a French artist, nicknamed as ''the best artist in crayons in Europe'' of his time but now little known. His father Cosme Dumonstier (Daniel was born illegitimate but was later legitimised) ...
, 1627 File:Ferdinand Bol - Portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as Maria Louise Gonzaga (1611-1667), Queen of Poland 2015 NYR 03747 0015.jpg, Portrait by
Ferdinand Bol Ferdinand Bol (24 June 1616 – 24 August 1680) was a Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman. Although his surviving work is rare, it displays Rembrandt's influence; like his master, Bol favored historical subjects, portraits, numerous self-port ...
File:Królowa Ludwika Maria.jpg, Portrait by
Daniel Schultz Jerzy (Georg) Daniel Schultz known also as Daniel Schultz the Younger (1615–1683) was a prominent painter of the Baroque era, born and active in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He painted many Polish and Lithuanian nobles, members of ...
File:Władysław IV Waza z żoną i z bratem Kazimierzem.jpg, King Władysław and Prince John Casimir with Marie Louise File:Entry of Queen Marie Louise into Gdańsk.JPG, Entry of Queen Marie into
Gdańsk Gdańsk ( , also ; ; csb, Gduńsk;Stefan Ramułt, ''Słownik języka pomorskiego, czyli kaszubskiego'', Kraków 1893, Gdańsk 2003, ISBN 83-87408-64-6. , Johann Georg Theodor Grässe, ''Orbis latinus oder Verzeichniss der lateinischen Benen ...


See also

* Holy Cross Church *
Kazimierzowski Palace The Kazimierz Palace ( pl, Pałac Kazimierzowski) is a rebuilt palace in Warsaw, Poland. It is adjacent to the Royal Route, at '' Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28''. Originally built in 1637-41, it was first rebuilt in 1660 for King John II Casim ...
*
Ujazdów Castle Ujazdów Castle ( pl, Zamek Ujazdowski) is a castle in the historic Ujazdów district, between Ujazdów Park (''Park Ujazdowski'') and the Royal Baths Park (''Łazienki Królewskie''), in Warsaw, Poland. Its beginnings date to the 13th century ...
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Visitationist Church Church of St. Joseph of the Visitationists ( pl, Kościół Opieki św. Józefa w Warszawie) commonly known as the Visitationist Church ( pl, Kościół Wizytek) is a Roman Catholic church in Warsaw, Poland, situated at '' Krakowskie Przedmieście ...


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, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzaga, Marie Louise 1611 births 1667 deaths Polish people of French descent Nobility from Paris
Marie Louise Marie Louise or Marie-Louise may refer to: People *Marie Louise of Orléans (1662–1689), daughter of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, queen consort of Charles II of Spain *Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688–1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave ...
Remarried royal consorts 17th-century French people 17th-century Italian nobility Polish queens consort Grand Duchesses of Lithuania Prussian royal consorts Polish women in war Burials at Wawel Cathedral Polish Roman Catholics Polish salon-holders Women who experienced pregnancy loss