Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues
Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, Marquise de Verneuil [katʁin ɑ̃ʁjɛt də balzak dɑ̃tʁaɡ maʁkiz də vɛʁnœj] (1579–1633) was the favourite mistress of Henry IV of France after Gabrielle d'Estrées died: her sister Marie-Charlotte de Balzac d’Entragues was also a mistress of the king. She was the daughter of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and his wife Marie Touchet, who was formerly the sole mistress of Charles IX of France.[1]
Henriette d'Entragues Marquise de Verneuil | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues | |
| Born | 1579 |
| Died | 1633 |
| Children | Gaston Henri, Duc de Verneuil Gabrielle Angelique, Mlle de Verneuil |
| Parent(s) | Charles Balzac d'Entragues Marie Touchet |
Royal mistress
Catherine Henriette de Balzac was raised at a time when women often sought to become a royal mistress to royalty, and her mother Marie had previously been a mistress to Charles IX before her birth.
Ambitious, pretty and intriguing, by her late teens she had succeeded in becoming a mistress to Henry IV. While Henry was still deeply grieving over the death of Gabrielle d'Estrées,[1][2] she induced him into a written promise to marry her. This led to bitter scenes of jealousy and arguing at the court when shortly afterwards Henry married Marie de' Medici instead.[1]
Terribly infuriated and feeling betrayed, she carried her spite so far as to be deeply compromised in a conspiracy against the king in 1608, but escaped with only a slight punishment after the plot was foiled,[3] and in 1608 Henry took her back into favour again as one of his mistresses.[4][5]
She was later involved in the Spanish intrigues which preceded the death of the King in 1610.[4] Upon the King's death, his wife, Marie de' Medici, was named Regent by Parliament, and immediately exiled Catherine from the royal court. She lived 23 years after Henri's death, until she died in 1633 at the age of 54.[6]
Children
She had two children with the king:[7]
| Name | Birth | Legitimized | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Henri, Duc de Verneuil | 1601 | 1603 | 1682 | Married Charlotte Seguier, daughter of Pierre Séguier, Duc de Villemor. |
| Gabrielle Angelique, called Mademoiselle de Verneuil | 1603 | 1627 | Married Bernard de Nogaret de Foix, Duc de La Valette et d'Épernon. |
References
- Singleton, Esther (1904) "Famous women as described by famous writers" p. 208
- Singleton, Esther (1904). Famous women as described by famous writer (An e-book link to read). Dodd, Mead. p. 208.
- Roberts, William j (2004) "France: a reference guide from the Renaissance to the present (European Nations)" p. 272
- Chisholm 1911.
- Singleton, Esther (1904). Famous women as described by famous writer (An e-book link to read). Dodd, Mead. p. 212.
- Herman, Eleanor (2005). Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge. In Tears and Lamentations: William Morrow Paperbacks. p. 80. ISBN 0060585447.
- Roberts, William J (2004). France: a reference guide from the Renaissance to the present (European Nations), An e-book link to read. Catherine Henriette de Balzac d' (1583-1633): Facts on File. p. 272. ISBN 0816044732.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
Further reading
- Herman, Eleanor. (2005). Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge. Harpercollins. ISBN 0060585447
- Williamson, David. (1991). Debrett's kings and queens of Europe. Salem House Pub. ISBN 0881623644
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Entragues, Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 660.
External links
Media related to Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues at Wikimedia Commons