René II, Duke of Lorraine
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René II (Angers, May 2, 1451 – December 10, 1508, Fains) was Count of Vaudémont from 1470, Duke of Lorraine from 1473, and Duke of Bar from 1483 to 1508. He claimed the crown of the Kingdom of Naples and the County of Provence as the Duke of Calabria 1480–1493 and as King of Naples and Jerusalem 1493–1508. He succeeded his uncle John of Vaudémont as Count of Harcourt and Aumale in 1473, using the first title before 1495 and the second title after. He succeeded as Count of Guise in 1504.
[edit] Family
He was the son of Yolande of Lorraine and Frederick, Count of Vaudémont. On his mother's side, he was a grandson of Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine. His father was a member of the Vaudémont family, a junior branch of the Lorraine ducal family, descending from John I, Duke of Lorraine. He was thus both heir-general and heir-male to the Duchy when he succeeded on the death of his cousin Nicholas in 1473.
His maternal grandfather René I of Anjou died in 1480 his mother succeeded to René's claims as King of Naples and René took the title of Duke of Calabria, as heir apparent.
When his mother Yolande of Anjou died in 1483, he succeeded as Duke of Bar, and in her claims to the kingdoms of Naples and Jerusalem.
He married on September 9, 1471 Jeanne d'Harcourt (d. 1488), Countess of Tancarville, but the marriage was annulled in 1485.
René married Phillipa of Guelders in Orléans on September 1, 1485 and had the following children:
- Charles (b. August 17, 1486, Nancy), d. young
- François (July 5, 1487, Pont-à-Mousson) (died at birth)
- Antoine, Duke of Lorraine (1489–1544)
- Nicholas (April 9, 1493, Nancy), d. young
- Claude, Duke of Guise (1496–1550), first Duke of Guise
- John, Cardinal of Lorraine and Bishop of Metz (1498–1550)
- Louis, Count of Vaudémont (1500–1526)
- Francis, Count of Lambesc (1506–1525)
- Anne (December 19, 1490, Bar-le-Duc – 1491)
- Isabelle (November 2, 1494, Lunéville – bef. 1508)
- Claude and Catherine (twins) (November 24, 1502, Bar-le-Duc), d. young
[edit] Life
During his rule, René had to fight an attempted invasion of Lorraine by Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy. With the king's help, and that of his army of Swiss mercenaries, René defeated Charles at the Battle of Nancy.
[edit] See also
| Preceded by: Frederick |
Count of Vaudémont 1470–1508 |
Succeeded by: Anthony |
| Preceded by: Nicholas I |
Duke of Lorraine with Yolande to 1483 1473–1508 |
|
| Preceded by: — |
Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson 1480–1508 |
|
| Preceded by: Yolande |
Duke of Bar 1483–1508 |
|
| Preceded by: John |
Count of Harcourt/Aumale 1473–1495–1508 |
Succeeded by: Claude |
| Preceded by: Charlotte d'Armagnac, 7th Duchesse de Nemours |
Count of Guise 1504–1508 |
