Charlotte de Brézé

Charlotte de Brézé (ca. 1446-1477), also known as Charlotte de Valois, was an illegitimate daughter of Charles VII of France by his mistress Agnès Sorel,[1] one of three daughters born to the couple. Her sisters were Marie de Valois (1444–1473) and Jeanne de Valois (b. 1448), and she was a half-sibling of Louis XI of France.

Despite the circumstances of her birth, Charlotte was said to be a great favourite of Marie of Anjou, her father's wife.[2] On March 1, 1462, Charlotte married Jacques de Brézé, seneschal of Normandy and comte de Maulévrier, an arranged and politically expedient match.[1] From this marriage were born five children, including Louis de Brézé, who would go on to marry as his second wife Diane de Poitiers, herself a mistress of Henri II of France.[1]

Charlotte was killed on the night of May 31/June 1, 1477, by her husband.[1] He suspected her of having an affair with one of his huntsmen, Pierre de Lavergne.[1] Charlotte was buried at the Benedictine abbey of Coulombs.

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kathleen Wellman, Queens and Mistresses of Renaissance France, (Yale University Press, 2013), 191.
  2. ↑ Hamel, Frank. The lady of beauty (Agnes Sorel). p. 204.
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