List of French royal consorts
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This is a list of the women who have been Queens consort or Empresses consort of the French monarchy. As all monarchs of France have been required by law to be male, there has never been a Queen or Empress regnant of France (although some women have governed France as regents).
Since 987 there have been 53 French consorts: 49 queens, 3 empresses and one untitled consort (Madame de Maintenon). Ingeborg of Denmark and Anne of Brittany were each queen more than once. Marie Josephine Louise of Savoy was queen de jure during the Republican and Imperial periods, but never wife of the de facto head of the French state.
From 1285 - 1328, the crowns of Navarre and France were united by virtue of the marriage of Joan I, Queen regnant of Navarre, to Philip IV, King of France, and by the succession of their three sons, Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV. Thus, the wives of these three kings were queens consort not only of France but of Navarre. With the death of Charles IV, however, Navarre passed out of the hands of the French Kings until 1589, when Henry III of Navarre became Henry IV of France.
Upon Henry's succession, his wife, Marguerite de Valois, who was already Queen consort of Navarre, also became Queen consort of France. Thereafter, until 1791, queens of France were also queens of Navarre; the crown of Navarre merged with the French crown in 1620 but the French kings continued to use the title of King of Navarre until 1791. The title 'King of Navarre' was reassumed with the Restoration of 1814-15, and dropped with the Revolution of 1830; the Bonaparte and Orleans consorts did not use it.
Regents
Many French consorts acted as regents for their husbands or children, during their minorities. These were:
- Anne of Kiev, 1060-66, during the minority of her son, Philip I
- Adèle of Champagne, 1190-92, whilst her son was participating in the Third Crusade
- Blanche of Castile:
- 1226-1234: During the minority of her son Louis IX
- 1248-1252: During the absence of her son Louis IX on crusade.
- Joan the Lame, who often governed for her husband Philip VI whilst he was fighting.
- Isabeau of Bavaria (inconsistently between 1393-1420), during the insanity of her husband Charles VI, during which she vied for power with her husband's uncles
- Catherine de' Medici:
- 1552: While her husband Henry II left the kingdom for the campaign of Metz.
- 1560-1563: During the minority of her second son, Charles IX
- 1574: During the absence of her third son, Henry III, in Poland
- Marie de' Medici, 1610-1614, during the minority of her son, Louis XIII
- Anne of Austria, 1643-1651, during the minority of her son Louis XIV
- Empress Eugenie, three times for her husband, Napoleon III, during his absence.
Madame de Maintenon
Madame de Maintenon, mistress of Louis XIV, married the king in the winter of 1685-1686 privately by François de Harlay de Champvallon, archbishop of Paris, in the presence, it is believed, of Père la Chaise, the king's confessor, the Marquis de Montchevreuil, the chevalier de Forbin, and Alexandre Bontemps. Owing to the inequality of social status, she and the King did not marry openly (which would have allowed her to become Queen). No written proof of the marriage is extant, but that it took place is nevertheless certain. It is important to remember that Madame de Maintenon was never Queen of France, simply a royal consort.
Carolingian Dynasty
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Ermentruda kralovna.jpg | Ermentrude of Orléans | Odo, Count of Orléans | 823 | 842 | 869 | Charles II the Bald | |||
Image:Richildaof Provence.gif | Richilde of Provence | Bivin of Gorze | c.845 | 870 | 5/6 October 877 | 2 June 910 | |||
Image:Adela hlava.jpg | Adelaide of Paris | Adalard of Paris | c. 850-853 | February 875 | 5/6 October 877 | 10 April 879 | 10 November 901 | Louis II the Stammerer | |
80px | Richardis | Erchanger, Count of Nordgau | c.840 | 862 | 12 December 884 | 13 January 888 | 18 September, 894-896 | Charles the Fat | |
Théodrate of Troyes | 868 | before 885 | February 888 | 1 January 898 | 903 | Odo I | |||
Frederonne | 887 | 907 | 917 | Charles III the Simple | |||||
80px | Eadgifu of England | Edward the Elder of England | 902 | 7 October 919 | 922 | after 955 | |||
Béatrice of Vermandois | Herbert I, Count of Vermandois | c.880 | 895 | 922 | 923 | after 931 | Robert I | ||
Emma of France | Robert I of France | 894 | 921 | 13 July 923 | 934 | Rudolph | |||
Gerberga of Saxony | Henry the Fowler of Germany | c.913 | 939 | 10 September 954 | 5 May 984 | Louis IV | |||
Emma of Italy | Lothair II of Italy | c.948 | 965 | 26 March 986 | ? | Lothair | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian dynasty, Direct Capetians
Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Direct Line)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Jeanne of Burgundy2.JPG | Joan the Lame | Robert II, Duke of Burgundy | 24 June 1293 | July 1313 | 1 February/1 April 1328 | 27 May 1328 | 12 September 1348 | Philip VI of France | |
80px | Blanche of Navarre | Philip III of Navarre | 1330-1333 | January of either 1349 or 1350 | not crowned | 22 August 1350 husband's death | 5 October 1398 | ||
Image:Joan I of Auvergne.jpg | Joanna I of Auvergne | William XII, Count of Auvergne | 8 May 1326 | 13 February 1349 | 22 August 1350 | 26 September 1350 | 29 September 1360 | John II of France | |
Image:JoanofBourbon.jpg | Joanna of Bourbon | Peter I, Duke of Bourbon | 3 February 1338 | 1350 | 8 April 1364 | 19 May 1364 | 4 February 1378 | Charles V of France | |
Image:Isabeau de Baviere2.jpg | Isabeau of Bavaria | Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria | c.1370 | 17 July 1385 | 1389 | 21 October 1422 husband's death | 24 September 1435 | Charles VI of France | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Lancaster
Some sources refer to Margaret of Anjou as Queen of France,<ref>Mary Ann Hookham: "The life and times of Margaret of Anjou, queen of England and France ", 1872</ref> but her right to enjoy that title is disputed. She was briefly recognized only in English-controlled territories of France. (See main article:Dual monarchy of England and France)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Margaret of Anjou.jpg | Margaret of Anjou | René I of Naples | 23 March 1430 | 23 April 1445 | not crowned as Queen of France | 19 October 1453 defeat of the English in the Hundred Years War | 25 August 1482 | Henry VI of England | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Valois restored
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Marie danjou.jpg | Marie of Anjou | Louis II of Naples | 14 October 1404 | 18 December 1422 | ? | 22 July 1461 husband's death | 1463 | Charles VII of France | |
Image:Charlotte of Savoy.PNG | Charlotte of Savoy | Louis, Duke of Savoy | 1443 | 14 February 1451 | 22 July 1461 | ? | 30 August 1483 husband's death | 1 December 1483 | Louis XI of France |
Image:Anne de Bretagne-Jean Bourdichon-reverse.jpg | Anne of Brittany | Francis II, Duke of Brittany | 25 January 1477 | 6 December 1491 | 8 February 1492 | 7 April 1498 husband's death | 9 January 1514 | Charles VIII of France | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Orléans Branch)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Joan of Valois Queen of France.jpg | Joan of Valois | Louis XI of France | 23 April 1464 | 8 September 1476 | 7 April 1498 husband's ascension | Not crowned | December 1498 annulment | 4 February 1505 | Louis XII of France |
Image:Anne de Bretagne-Jean Bourdichon-reverse.jpg | Anne of Brittany | Francis II, Duke of Brittany | 25 January 1477 | 8 January 1499 | 18 November 1502 | 9 January 1514 | |||
Image:Mary Tudor French Queen.jpg | Mary Tudor | Henry VII of England | 18 March 1496 | 9 October 1514 | 5 November 1514 | 1 January 1515 husband's death | 25 June 1533 | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Angoulême Branch)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:ClaudeFranceEdit.JPG | Claude of France | Louis XII of France | 14 October 1499 | 18 May 1514 | 1 January 1515 husband's ascension | 10 May 1517 | 20 July 1524 | Francis I of France | |
Image:Joos van Cleve 003.jpg | Eleanor of Habsburg | Philip I of Castile | 15 November 1498 | 4 July 1530 | 5 March 1532 | 31 March 1547 husband's death | 25 February 1558 | ||
Image:Catherine de Medicis.jpg | Catherine de' Medici | Lorenzo II de' Medici, Duke of Urbino | 13 April 1519 | 28 October 1533 | 31 March 1547 husband's ascension | 10 June 1549 | 10 July 1559 husband's death | 5 January 1589 | Henry II of France |
Image:Mary Stuart French Marriage.jpg | Mary, Queen of Scots | James V of Scotland | 8 December 1542 | 24 April 1558 | 10 July 1559 husband's ascension | Not crowned because already crowned Queen of Scotland | 5 December 1560 husband's death | 8 February 1587 | Francis II of France |
Image:François Clouet 003.jpg | Elisabeth of Austria | Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor | 5 June 1554 | 26 November 1570 | 25 March 1571 | 30 May 1574 husband's death | 22 January 1592 | Charles IX of France | |
Image:Louise Lorraine.jpg | Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont | Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur | 30 April 1553 | 13 February 1575 | Not crowned | 2 August 1589 husband's death | 29 January 1601 | Henry III of France | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon (Vendôme Branch)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:CLOUET MARGUERITE DE VALOIS.jpg | Margaret of Valois | Henry II of France | 14 May 1553 | 18 August 1572 | 2 August 1589 husband's accession | Not crowned | 1599 divorce | 27 March 1615 | Henry IV of France |
Image:MarieMedit.JPG | Marie de' Medici | Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | 26 April 1573 | 5 October? 1600 | 13 May 1610 | 14 May 1610 husband's death | 3 July 1642 | ||
Image:AnneAusEdit.JPG | Anne of Austria | Philip III of Spain | 22 September 1601 | 24 November 1615 | Not crowned | 14 May 1643 husband's death | 20 January 1666 | Louis XIII of France | |
Image:MariaSpainEdit.JPG | Maria Theresa of Spain | Philip IV of Spain | 10 September 1638 | 9 June 1660 | Not crowned | 30 July 1683 | Louis XIV of France | ||
Image:Francoise Aubigne 1.jpg | Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon (Royal consort) | Constant d'Aubigné | 27 November 1635 | 1685 | Not crowned | 1 September 1715 husband's death | 15 April 1719 | ||
Image:MariaLeszczynska03.jpg | Maria Leszczyńska | Stanisław I of Poland | 23 June 1703 | 4 September 1725 | Not crowned | 24 June 1768 | Louis XV of France | ||
Image:MariaAntedit.JPG | Marie Antoinette of Austria | Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor | 2 November 1755 | 19 April 1770 (by proxy) 16 May 1770 | 10 May 1774 husband's ascension | Not crowned | 21 September 1792 husband's deposition | 16 October 1793 executed | Louis XVI of France |
Image:Comtesse de Provence, Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun.jpg | Marie Josephine Louise of Savoy (titular queen) | Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia | 2 September 1753 | 16 April 1771 | 16 June, 1795 husband's proclamation | Not crowned | 13 November 1810 | Louis XVIII of France | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Bonaparte Dynasty
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Detail 12.JPG | Marie Josephe Tascher de la Pagerie, called Empress Joséphine | Joseph-Gaspard Tascher | 23 June 1763 | 9 March 1796 | 18 May 1804 husband's ascension | 2 December 1804 | 10 January 1810 divorce | 29 May 1814 | Napoleon I of France |
Image:Deatil dofp.JPG | Marie Louise of Austria, Empress | Francis I of Austria | 12 December 1791 | 11 March 1810 (by proxy) 1 April 1810 | Not crowned? | 6 April 1814 husband's abdication | 17 December 1841 | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon (Vendôme Branch)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Caminade - Duchesse d'Angouleme.jpg | Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France | Louis XVI of France | 19 December 1778 | June 1799 | 2 August 1830 for 20 minutes | Not crowned | 2 August 1830 husband's abdication | 19 October 1851 | Louis XIX |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon (Orléans Branch)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Marie-Amélie de Bourbon 1.JPG | Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies | Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies | 26 April 1782 | 25 November 1809 | 9 August 1830 husband's ascension | Not crowned | 24 February 1848 husband's abdication | 24 March 1866 | Louis-Philippe of France |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Bonaparte Dynasty
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Image:Eugénie edit.JPG | Eugénie de Montijo, Empress | Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero | 5 May 1826 | 30 January 1853 | Not crowned | 4 September 1870 husband's deposition | 11 July 1920 | Napoleon III of France | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
See also