Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici were married on October 28, 1533, and their marriage produced ten children. Henry and Catherine became the ancestors of monarchs of several countries.

Background, pedigree and family ties

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Both Henry and Catherine were from illustrious families and had notable people in their respective family trees.

 
Henry II of France

Henry II of France

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Henry's father was Francis I of France, the patron of Leonardo da Vinci and a member of the Valois-Angoulême branch of the House of Valois. His maternal grandfather was Louis XII of France, the conqueror of the Neapolitan Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Milan. Both Kings of France were descendants (in the male line) of Charles V, King of France, and as such represented, as the only extant line of the House of Valois, the descent of Charles, Count of Valois, fourth son of King Philip III of France, from the House of Capet.

Henry's maternal grandmother was Anne of Brittany, the defiant Duchess Regent of Brittany and Queen of France twice over. Her grandmother was Eleanor of Navarre, the daughter of John II of Aragon and half-sister of Ferdinand II of Aragon. Therefore, this made Henry a distant half-cousin of his son-in-law Philip II of Spain. This also made him a second cousin once-removed of his other son-in-law, Henry IV of France, who was also a distant cousin through their common male-line ancestor, St. Louis of France.

 
Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de' Medici

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Catherine's father and grandfather were Lorenzo II de' Medici, Duke of Urbino and Piero the Unfortunate, respectively. The latter was a son of Lorenzo il Magnifico, the great Renaissance ruler of Florence. This made Catherine a scion of the illustrious House of Medici. Also her guardian till her marriage was Pope Clement VII, formerly Giulio De'Medici, illegitimate son of Giuliano De'Medici, brother of Lorenzo il Magnifico. Therefore, from her father's side, Catherine had high Italian ancestry.

Her mother was from the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, her father being the last Count of Boulogne from the aforementioned House. Her maternal grandmother Jeanne de Bourbon-Vendôme was a direct patrilineal descendant of Louis, the first duke of Bourbon. This made Catherine a direct descendant of Louis IX of France, and of the House of Capet, albeit through a female line. Also this made her a 7th cousin, once removed of her husband Henry and a 6th cousin, 3 times removed of Henri of Navarre, her son-in-law.

Ultimately both Henry and Medici, through Louis IX and the House of Capet, descended from Hugues Capet, the King of the Franks.

Children

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During their marriage, the royal couple faced health problems with their children: their fourth child, Louis, died when he was a baby and Catherine almost died giving birth to her youngest children who were the twins, Jeanne and Victoire. After their birth, the doctors told Henry and Catherine that their marriage should not produce more children.

The following table lists all the children of Henry and Catherine.

Name Portrait Birth Death Marriages and Issue/Notes
Francis II, King of France   January 19, 1544 December 5, 1560 Married Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) on 24 April 1558. They have no children.
Elizabeth of France   April 2, 1545 October 3, 1568 Married Philip II, King of Spain (1527–1598) on 22 June 1559. They had six children but only two daughters survived.
Claude of France   November 12, 1547 February 21, 1575 Married Charles III, Duke of Lorraine (1543–1608) on 19 January 1559. They had nine children.
Louis, Duke of Orléans   February 3, 1549 October 24, 1550 Died young; no issue.
Charles IX, King of France   June 27, 1550 May 30, 1574 Married Elizabeth of Austria (1554–1592) on 26 November 1570. Had one legitimate daughter (the only Valois grandchild of his parents) who died young.
Henry III, King of France   September 19, 1551 August 2, 1589 Married Louise of Lorraine on 15 February 1575. Had no issue. Briefly King of Poland in 1574.
Margaret of France   May 14, 1553 March 27, 1615 Known as "Queen Margot". Married Henry IV, King of France on 18 August 1572 and divorced on 17 December 1599. No issue.
Hercules, Duke of Anjou   March 18, 1555 June 19, 1584 Later known as Francis, Duke of Alençon and Anjou. No issue.
Victoire of France   June 24, 1556 August 17, 1556 Died young.
Jeanne of France   June 24, 1556 June 24, 1556 Stillborn

Descendants of Elizabeth of Valois

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Progeny of Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain

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Name of Descendant Portrait Birth Marriages and Issue Death Miscellaneous
Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain   12 August 1566, Elisabeth of Valois and Philip II of Spain Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
No surviving Issue
December 1, 1633 co-sovereigns of the Spanish Netherlands

Progeny of Catherine Michaela of Spain

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Name of Descendant Portrait Birth Marriages and Issue Death Miscellaneous
Catherine Michaela of Spain   October 10, 1567, Elisabeth of Valois and Philip II of Spain Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
10 children
November 6, 1597
Isabella of Savoy   11 March 1591, Daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and Catherine Michaela of Spain Alfonso III d'Este
14 children
28 August 1626
Francesco I d'Este   September 6, 1610, Son of Alfonso III d'Este and Isabella of Savoy
October 14, 1658
Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy   8 May 1587, Son of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and Catherine Michaela of Spain Christine Marie of France
8 children
7 October 1637
Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy   20 June 1634, Son of Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy and Christine Marie of France Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans
Marie Jeanne of Savoy
1 child
12 June 1675
Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia   14 May 1666, Son of Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy and Marie Jeanne of Savoy Anne Marie d'Orléans
Anna Teresa Canalis di Cumiana
5 children
31 October 1732
Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy   6 November 1636, Daughter of Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy and Christine Marie of France Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria
4 children
18 March 1676
Duchess Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria   28 November 1660, Daughter of Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy and Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria Louis, Dauphin of France
3 children
20 April 1690
Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria   July 11, 1662, Son of Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy and Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria Maria Antonia of Austria
Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska
5 children
February 26, 1726
Margaret of Savoy, Vicereine of Portugal   28 April 1589, Daughter of Catherine Michaela of Spain and Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
1 child
26 June 1655
Maria Gonzaga, Duchess of Montferrat   29 July 1609, Daughter of Margaret of Savoy, Vicereine of Portugal and Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua Charles II Gonzaga
2 children
14 August 1660
Eleanor Gonzaga   18 November 1630, Daughter Maria Gonzaga, Duchess of Montferrat and Charles II Gonzaga Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
2 children
6 December 1686
Eleonora Maria of Austria   31 May 1653, Daughter of Eleanor Gonzaga and Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor Michael Korybut
Charles V, Duke of Lorraine
2 children
17 Dec 1697
Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano   December 21, 1596, Son of Catherine Michaela of Spain and Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy Marie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons
3 children
January 22, 1656

Descendants of Claude of Valois

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Progeny of Henry II, Duke of Lorraine

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Name Portrait Birth and Parents Marriages and Issue Death Miscellaneous
Henry II, Duke of Lorraine   November 8, 1563, Claude of Valois and Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Catherine of Navarre, Duchess of Lorraine
Margerita Gonzaga
2 children
July 31, 1621
Nicolette of Lorraine   October 3, 1608, Daughter of Henry II, Duke of Lorraine and Margerita Gonzaga Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
No Issue
February 2, 1657
Claude of Lorraine   6 October 1612, Daughter of Henry II, Duke of Lorraine and Margerita Gonzaga Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine
1 child
2 August 1648

Progeny of Christine of Lorraine

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Name of Descendant Portrait Birth Marriages and Issue Death Miscellaneous
Christina of Lorraine   16 August 1565, Daughter of Claude of Valois and Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
5 children
19 December 1637
Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany   12 May 1590, Son of Ferdinando I de' Medici and Christina of Lorraine Maria Maddalena of Austria
8 children
28 February 1621
Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany   14 July 1610, Son of Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Maria Maddalena of Austria Vittoria della Rovere
2 children
23 May 1670
Margherita de' Medici   May 31, 1612, Daughter of Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Maria Maddalena of Austria Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma
5 children
February 6, 1679
Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma   17 September 1630, Son of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma, and Margherita de' Medici Marguerite Yolande of Savoy
Isabella d'Este
Maria d'Este
3 children
11 December 1694
Elisabeth of Parma   22 October 1692, Daughter of Odoardo II Farnese and Dorothea Sophie of the Palatinate-Neuburg
Granddaughter of Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma
Philip V of Spain
7 children
11 July 1766
Anna de'Medici   21 July 1616, Daughter of Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Maria Maddalena of Austria Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Further Austria
1 child
11 September 1676
Claudia Felicitas of Austria   30 May 1653, daughter of Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria and Anna de'Medici Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
2 children
8 April 1676
Claudia de' Medici   June 4, 1604, Daughter of Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Christina of Lorraine Federico della Rovere
Leopold V, Archduke of Austria
5 children
December 25, 1648
Vittoria della Rovere   7 February 1622, Daughter of Claudia de' Medici and Federico della Rovere Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
2 children
5 March 1694
Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Further Austria   May 17, 1628, Son of Claudia de' Medici and Leopold V, Archduke of Austria Anna de'Medici
1 child
December 30, 1662
Archduchess Isabella Clara of Austria   c. 1629, Daughter of Claudia de' Medici and Leopold V, Archduke of Austria Charles III, Duke of Mantua
1 child
c. 1685
Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat   August 31, 1652, Son of Archduchess Isabella Clara of Austria and Charles III, Duke of Mantua Anna Isabella Gonzaga
Susanne de Lorraine
No Issue
July 5, 1708
Sigismund Francis, Archduke of Further Austria   27 November 1630, Son of Claudia de' Medici and Leopold V, Archduke of Austria Never married
No Issue
25 June 1665
Maria Leopoldine of Austria   6 April 1632, Daughter of Claudia de' Medici and Leopold V, Archduke of Austria Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
1 child
7 August 1649

Progeny of Francis II, Duke of Lorraine

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Name of Descendant Portrait Birth and Parents Marriages and Issue Death Miscellaneous
Francis II, Duke of Lorraine   February 27, 1572, Claude of Valois and Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Christina of Salm
3 children
October 14, 1632
Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine   April 5, 1604, Son of Claude of Valois and Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Nicolette of Lorraine
Béatrice de Cusance
3 children
September 18, 1675
Anne of Lorraine   c. 1639, Daughter of Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine and Béatrice de Cusance François Marie, Prince of Lillebonne
3 children
c. 1720
Élisabeth Thérèse de Lorraine   5 April 1664, Daughter of Anne de Lorraine and François Marie, Prince of Lillebonne Louis de Melun
2 children
7 March 1748
Anne Julie de Melun   c. 1698, Daughter of Élisabeth Thérèse de Lorraine and Louis de Melun Jules, Prince of Soubise
3 children
18 May 1724
Charles, Prince of Soubise   16 July 1715, Son of Anne Julie de Melun and Jules, Prince of Soubise Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
Princess Anna Teresa of Savoy
Landgravine Anna Viktoria of Hesse-Rotenburg
2 children
4 July 1787
Charlotte de Rohan   7 October 1737, Daughter of Charles, Prince of Soubise and Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé
2 children
4 March 1760
Louis Henri, Prince of Condé   13 April 1756, Son of Charlotte de Rohan and Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé Bathilde d'Orléans
1 child
30 August 1830
Victoire de Rohan   28 December 1743, Daughter of Charles, Prince of Soubise and Princess Anna Teresa of Savoy Henri Louis, Prince of Guéméné
3children
20 September 1807
Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine   December 12, 1612, Son of Francis II, Duke of Lorraine and Christina Salm Claude of Lorraine
1 child
January 25, 1670
Charles V of Lorraine   April 3, 1643, Son of Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine and Claude of Lorraine Eleonora Maria of Austria
2 children
April 18, 1690
Leopold, Duke of Lorraine   11 September 1679, Son of Charles V of Lorraine and Eleonora Maria of Austria Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans
5 children
27 March 1729
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor   8 December 1708, Son of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans Maria Theresa of Austria
16 children
18 August 1765
Marguerite of Lorraine   22 July 1615, Francis II, Duke of Lorraine and Countess Christine of Salm Gaston, Duke of Orléans
5 children
13 April 1672 (aged 56)
Marguerite Louise d'Orléans   28 July 1645, Daughter of Gaston de France, Duke of Orléans and Marguerite of Lorraine Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
3 children
17 September 1721 (aged 76)
Élisabeth Marguerite d'Orléans   26 December 1646, Daughter of Gaston de France, Duke of Orléans and Marguerite of Lorraine Louis Joseph, Duke of Guise
1 child
17 March 1696 (aged 49)
Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans   13 October 1648, Daughter of Gaston de France, Duke of Orléans and Marguerite of Lorraine Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
No Issue
14 January 1664

Descendants of Charles IX

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Name Portrait Birth and parents Death Marriages and issue/notes
Marie Elisabeth of Valois   October 27, 1572
Elisabeth of Austria
Charles IX of France
April 9, 1578 Died young; no issue

See also

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