Claudine de Brosse

Claudine was born in Brittany to Jean II de Brosse and Nicole de Châtillon in 1450.^[1][2]

The daughter of a countess and a jure uxoris count, Claudine was exposed to political manoeuvring in her youth.^[3] She adopted a motto from one of her grandfathers: encore est vive la souris ("the mouse is still alive"), itself likely taken from a ballad by Charles, Duke of Orléans.^[4][3]

Claudine married Philip II, Count of Bresse on 11 November, 1485.^[3][5][6] She was his second wife, following the death of Margaret of Bourbon in 1483.^[5][7] Early in their marriage, she was frustrated to find competition for her husband's favour with existing members of his inner circle.^[3] Nonetheless, she made reference to her motto ("the mouse is still alive") in a letter to a friend, and suggested she was confident that she could secure her position.^[3]

Through marrying Philip, Claudine became the step-grandmother of Francis I of France, then heir presumptive to the throne.^[8] She also assumed responsibility for raising Philip's children from a previous marriage,^[9] and had six children with him, three of whom survived infancy.^[10][11] Their eldest was Charles III, who succeeded his half-brother as duke of Savoy; their youngest was Philiberta of Savoy, eventual Duchess of Nemours.^[10][12] Son Philip later became duke of Nemours.^[10] Of their remaining children, Louis (1488–1502), died as a teenager, and two died shortly after birth: Assolone (1494) and Giovanni Amedeo (1495).^[11]

Claudine would develop an especially close relationship with Philiberta, who served as her "constant companion" until Claudine's death in 1513.^[9]

In April 1496, Claudine's husband became duke of Savoy, and she became duchess consort.^[13] His reign was short-lived: he died in November 1497, while Claudine was still pregnant with their daughter, Philiberta.^[13][14] Upon Philip's death, she became the usufructuary dowager of several territories throughout Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.^[3][15] Of these, her favourite was Billiat; she retreated to an estate there in 1498, where she largely spent the rest of her life.^[16][17]

She also acted as regent of the duchy of Savoy until her husband's successor, Philibert II, came of age.^[18][19] The wax seal she used during this period depicted a combined coat of arms representing the families Savoy, Brosse, and Brittany.^[19]

In widowhood, Claudine concentrated on spiritual affairs.^[9] She donated a vineyard in the parish of Bassens in return for an understanding that its canons end every mass with an antiphon in honour of the Virgin Mary.^[20] She particularly revered the Shroud of Turin, a relic believed by some Catholics to be the burial shroud of Jesus, which was in the House of Savoy's possession.^[20][21] She believed it was capable of miracles, such as protecting those who viewed it from illness, and kept it with her at Billiat for a time.^[16][17] Her strong religious convictions greatly influenced Philiberta.^[9][16]

In 1504, Philibert II died, and her eldest son Charles became the duke of Savoy.^[22] At the time of Charles' ascension, nearly two-thirds of Savoy's annual revenues were committed to payments for widows of previous dukes, of which Claudine was one, alongside Blanche de Montferrat and Marguerite d’Autriche.^[22]

In 1506, Claudine and Charles successfully petitioned Pope Julius II to declare that the shroud was a true relic of Jesus.^[16][17] They also convinced the Catholic Church to introduce the Feast of the Holy Winding Sheet of Christ.^[16][23] The Catholic Church has not maintained its explicit endorsement of the relic's authenticity in the centuries since, though the feast day continues.^[23][24]

With the urging of the French crown, Philiberta was engaged to Italian nobleman Giuliano de' Medici in 1513.^[6][25] Giuliano was the brother of Pope Leo X, and the marriage between the House of Savoy and House of Medici was seen as politically advantageous for both France and Italy.^[12][26] In one of her final acts before her death, Claudine approved the engagement.^[27]

Claudine died on 13 October, 1513 in Chambéry.^[28] She was initially buried at the Sainte-Chapelle, the chapel at the House of Savoy's Château des ducs de Savoie complex in Chambéry.^[28] Her eldest son, Charles, organised a grand funeral for her.^[29]

Some time before the late 19th century, her remains were relocated to the Chapel of Nemours at the same complex to rest beside those of her daughter, Philiberta.^[30][31]