Marie of Cleves, Duchess of Orléans
Duchess of Orléans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marie of Cleves (19 September 1426 – 23 August 1487) was the third wife of Charles I, Duke of Orléans. She was born a German princess, the last child of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves and his second wife, Mary of Burgundy.
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| Marie of Cleves | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Orléans | |
Marie of Cleves (or Anne of Cyprus) | |
| Born | 19 September 1426 |
| Died | 23 August 1487 (aged 60) Chaunay |
| Burial | Couvent des Célestins, Paris |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Marie, Viscountess of Narbonne Louis XII of France Anne, Abbess of Fontevraud |
| House | La Marck |
| Father | Adolph I, Duke of Cleves |
| Mother | Mary of Burgundy |
Marie was a patron of letters and commissioned many works; she was also an active poet herself, producing ballads and other verses.[1] After the Duke's death she was secretly remarried in 1480 to one of her gentlemen of the chamber, the Artesian "Sieur de Rabodanges", who was some years her junior.[1][2] She died in Chaunay.
Marriage and issue
On 27 November 1440, in Saint-Omer, the 14-year-old Marie was married to the 46-year-old Charles of Valois, Duke of Orléans, who was 32 years her senior.[1][3] She was his third and final wife. They had three children together, the first of whom was born 17 years after their wedding:
- Marie of Orléans, Viscountess of Narbonne (19 December 1457 – 1493); married John of Foix, Viscount of Narbonne in 1483, had issue.
- King Louis XII of France (1462–1515); married firstly Joan of France in 1476, annulled in 1498, no issue; secondly Anne, Duchess of Brittany, in 1499, had issue; and thirdly Mary Tudor in 1518, no issue.
- Anne of Orléans, Abbess of Fontevraud and Poitiers (1464–1491); died unmarried, no issue.
In literature
Marie is a character in Hella Haasse's historical novel about Charles, Duke of Orléans In a Dark Wood Wandering (original Dutch title Het Woud der Verwachting).