List of French consorts

See also List of French monarchs and List of Frankish queens

This is a list of the women who have been Queens consort or Empresses consort of the French monarchy. As all monarchs of France have been required by law to be male, there has never been a Queen or Empress regnant of France (although some women have governed France as regents).

Since 987 there have been 53 French consorts: 49 queens, and 3 empresses. Ingeborg of Denmark and Anne of Brittany were each queen more than once. Marie Josephine Louise of Savoy was queen de jure during the Republican and Imperial periods, but never wife of the de facto head of the French state.

From 1285 - 1328, the crowns of Navarre and France were united by virtue of the marriage of Joan I, Queen regnant of Navarre, to Philip IV, King of France, and by the succession of their three sons, Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV. Thus, the wives of these three kings were queens consort not only of France but of Navarre. With the death of Charles IV, however, Navarre passed out of the hands of the French Kings until 1589, when Henry III of Navarre became Henry IV of France.

Upon Henry's succession, his wife, Margaret of France, who was already Queen consort of Navarre, also became Queen consort of France. Thereafter, until 1791, queens of France were also queens of Navarre; the crown of Navarre merged with the French crown in 1620 but the French kings continued to use the title of King of Navarre until 1791. The title 'King of Navarre' was reassumed with the Restoration of 1814-15, and dropped with the Revolution of 1830; the Bonaparte and Orléans consorts did not use it.

Contents

Regents

Many French consorts acted as regents for their husbands or children, during their minorities. These were:

Madame de Maintenon

Madame de Maintenon, mistress of Louis XIV, married the king in the winter of 1685–1686 privately by François de Harlay de Champvallon, archbishop of Paris, in the presence, it is believed, of Père la Chaise, the king's confessor, the Marquis de Montchevreuil, the chevalier de Forbin, and Alexandre Bontemps. Owing to the inequality of social status, she and the King did not marry openly (which would have allowed her to become Queen). No written proof of the marriage is extant, but that it took place is nevertheless certain. It is important to remember that Madame de Maintenon was never Queen of France, simply a royal consort.

Carolingian Dynasty

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Ermentrude of Orléans Odo, Count of Orléans 823 842 869 Charles II the Bald
Richilde of Provence Bivin of Gorze c.845 870 5/6 October 877 2 June 910
Adelaide of Paris Adalard of Paris c. 850-853 February 875 5/6 October 877 10 April 879 10 November 901 Louis II the Stammerer
Richardis Erchanger, Count of Nordgau c.840 862 12 December 884 13 January 888 18 September, 894-896 Charles the Fat
Théodrate of Troyes 868 before 885 February 888 1 January 898 903 Odo I
Frederonne 887 907 917 Charles III the Simple
Eadgifu of England Edward the Elder of England 902 7 October 919 922 after 955
Béatrice of Vermandois Herbert I, Count of Vermandois c.880 895 922 923 after 931 Robert I
Emma of France Robert I of France 894 921 13 July 923 934 Rudolph
Gerberga of Saxony Henry the Fowler of Germany c.913 939 10 September 954 5 May 984 Louis IV
Emma of Italy Lothair II of Italy c.948 965 26 March 986  ? Lothair
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian dynasty, Direct Capetians

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Adelaide of Aquitaine William III, Duke of Aquitaine c. 945 970 3 July 987 24 October 996 1004 Hugh
Rozala of Italy Berengar II of Italy c. 937 988/989 996 996 7 February 1003 Robert II
Bertha of Burgundy Conrad of Burgundy c. 952 996 1000 1035?
Constance of Arles William I, Count of Provence 986 1003 20 July 1031 25 July 1034
Matilda of Frisia Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia c. 1024 1034 1044 Henry I
Anne of Kiev Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Kiev c. 1024 19 May 1051 4 August 1060 1075
Bertha of Holland Floris I, Count of Holland c. 1055 1072 1092 1094 Philip I
Bertrade de Montfort Simon I de Montfort c. 1070 15 May 1092 29 July 1108 1117
Adélaide de Maurienne Humbert II, Count of Savoy 1092 3 August 1115 1 August 1137 18 November 1154 Louis VI
Eleanor of Aquitaine William X, Duke of Aquitaine 1122 22 July 1137 1137 25 December 1137 21 March 1152
annulment
1 April 1204 Louis VII
Constance of Castile Alfonso VII of León and Castile 1141 1154 1154 1160
Adèle of Champagne Theobald II, Count of Champagne c. 1140 1164 ? 18 September 1180 4 June 1206
Isabelle of Hainaut Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut 5 April 1170 1180 29 May 1180 1190 Philip II
Ingeborg of Denmark Valdemar I of Denmark 1175 15 August 1193 25 August 1193 5 November 1193
separated
29 July 1236
Agnes of Merania Berthold IV, Duke of Merania about 1175 June 1196  ? 1200
repudiated
20 July 1201
Ingeborg of Denmark Valdemar I of Denmark 1175 15 August 1193 1200
restored
14 July 1223
husband's death
29 July 1236
Blanche of Castile Alfonso VIII of Castile 4 March 1188 22 May 1200 14 July 1223 6 August 1223 8 November 1226 26 November 1252 Louis VIII
Margaret of Provence Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence c. 1221 27 May 1234  ? 25 August 1270 21 December 1295 Louis IX
Isabella of Aragon James I of Aragon 1247 28 May 1262 25 August 1270 Not crowned 28 January 1271 Philip III
Maria of Brabant Henry III, Duke of Brabant 1254 21 August 1274 24 June 1275 5 October 1285 10 January 1321
Joan I of Navarre Henry I of Navarre c.14 January 1271 16 August 1284 5 October 1285  ? 4 April 1305 Philip IV
Margaret of Burgundy Robert II, Duke of Burgundy 1290 23 September 1305 29 November 1314 uncronwed 15 August 1315 Louis X
Clementia of Hungary Charles Martel of Anjou 1293 19 August 1315 24 August 1315 5 June 1316 12 October 1328
Joan II, Countess of Burgundy Otto IV, Count of Burgundy 1291 1307 20 November 1316 9 January 3 January 1322 21 January 1330 Philip V of France
Blanche of Burgundy c.1296 1308 3 January 1322 Never Crowned 19 May 1322 April 1326 Charles IV
Marie of Luxembourg Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor 1304 21 September 1322 15 May 1323 26 March 1324
Jeanne d'Évreux Louis, Count of Évreux 1310 5 July 1325 11 May 1326 1 February 1328 husband's death 4 March 1371
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Direct Line)

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Joan the Lame Robert II, Duke of Burgundy 24 June 1293 July 1313 1 February/1 April 1328 27 May 1328 12 September 1348 Philip VI of France
Blanche of Navarre Philip III of Navarre 1330–1333 January of either 1349 or 1350 not crowned 22 August 1350 husband's death 5 October 1398
Joanna I of Auvergne William XII, Count of Auvergne 8 May 1326 13 February 1349 22 August 1350 26 September 1350 29 September 1360 John II of France
Joanna of Bourbon Peter I, Duke of Bourbon 3 February 1338 1350 8 April 1364 19 May 1364 4 February 1378 Charles V of France
Isabeau of Bavaria Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria c.1370 17 July 1385 1389 21 October 1422
husband's death
24 September 1435 Charles VI of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Lancaster

Some sources refer to Margaret of Anjou as Queen of France,[1] but her right to enjoy that title is disputed. She was briefly recognized only in English-controlled territories of France. (See main article:Dual monarchy of England and France)

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Margaret of Anjou René I of Naples 23 March 1430 23 April 1445 not crowned as Queen of France 19 October 1453
defeat of the English in the Hundred Years War
25 August 1482 Henry VI of England
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Valois restored

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Marie of Anjou Louis II of Naples 14 October 1404 18 December 1422  ? 22 July 1461
husband's death
1463 Charles VII of France
Charlotte of Savoy Louis, Duke of Savoy 1443 14 February 1451 22 July 1461  ? 30 August 1483
husband's death
1 December 1483 Louis XI of France
Anne of Brittany Francis II, Duke of Brittany 25 January 1477 6 December 1491 8 February 1492 7 April 1498
husband's death
9 January 1514 Charles VIII of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Orléans Branch)

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Joan of Valois Louis XI of France 23 April 1464 8 September 1476 7 April 1498
husband's ascension
Not crowned December 1498
annulment
4 February 1505 Louis XII of France
Anne of Brittany Francis II, Duke of Brittany 25 January 1477 8 January 1499 18 November 1502 9 January 1514
Mary Tudor Henry VII of England 18 March 1496 9 October 1514 5 November 1514 1 January 1515
husband's death
25 June 1533
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Angoulême Branch)

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Claude of France Louis XII of France 14 October 1499 18 May 1514 1 January 1515
husband's ascension
10 May 1517 20 July 1524 Francis I of France
Eleanor of Austria Philip I of Castile 15 November 1498 4 July 1530 5 March 1532 31 March 1547
husband's death
25 February 1558
Catherine de' Medici Lorenzo II de' Medici, Duke of Urbino 13 April 1519 28 October 1533 31 March 1547
husband's ascension
10 June 1549 10 July 1559
husband's death
5 January 1589 Henry II of France
Mary, Queen of Scots James V of Scotland 8 December 1542 24 April 1558 10 July 1559
husband's ascension
Not crowned
because already crowned Queen of Scotland
5 December 1560
husband's death
8 February 1587 Francis II of France
Elisabeth of Austria Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor 5 June 1554 26 November 1570 25 March 1571 30 May 1574
husband's death
22 January 1592 Charles IX of France
Louise of Lorraine Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur 30 April 1553 13 February 1575 Not crowned 2 August 1589
husband's death
29 January 1601 Henry III of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Margaret of Valois Henry II of France 14 May 1553 18 August 1572 2 August 1589
husband's accession
Not crowned 1599
divorce
27 March 1615 Henry IV of France
Marie de' Medici Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany 26 April 1573 5 October? 1600 13 May 1610 14 May 1610
husband's death
3 July 1642
Anne of Austria Philip III of Spain 22 September 1601 24 November 1615 Not crowned 14 May 1643
husband's death
20 January 1666 Louis XIII of France
Maria Theresa of Austria Philip IV of Spain 10 September 1638 9 June 1660 Not crowned 30 July 1683 Louis XIV of France
Marie Leszczyńska Stanisław I of Poland 23 June 1703 4 September 1725 Not crowned 24 June 1768 Louis XV of France
Marie Antoinette of Austria Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor 2 November 1755 19 April 1770 (by proxy)
16 May 1770
10 May 1774
husband's ascension
Not crowned 21 September 1792
husband's deposition
16 October 1793
executed
Louis XVI of France
Marie Joséphine of Savoy (titular queen) Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia 2 September 1753 16 April 1771 16 June 1795
husband's proclamation
Not crowned 13 November 1810 Louis XVIII of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Bonaparte Dynasty

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Marie Josephe Tascher de la Pagerie, called Empress Joséphine Joseph-Gaspard Tascher 23 June 1763 9 March 1796 18 May 1804
husband's ascension
2 December 1804 10 January 1810
divorce
29 May 1814 Napoleon I of France
Marie Louise of Austria, Empress Francis I of Austria 12 December 1791 11 March 1810 (by proxy)
1 April 1810
Not crowned? 6 April 1814
husband's abdication
17 December 1841
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Marie Thérèse of France Louis XVI of France 19 December 1778 June 1799 2 August 1830 for 20 minutes Not crowned 2 August 1830
husband's abdication
19 October 1851 Louis XIX
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Capetian Dynasty, House of Orléans

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies 26 April 1782 25 November 1809 9 August 1830
husband's ascension
Not crowned 24 February 1848
husband's abdication
24 March 1866 Louis-Philippe of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Bonaparte Dynasty

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Eugénie de Montijo, Empress Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero 5 May 1826 30 January 1853 Not crowned 4 September 1870
husband's deposition
11 July 1920 Napoleon III of France
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Coronation Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

See also

References

  1. ^ Mary Ann Hookham: "The life and times of Margaret of Anjou, queen of England and France ", 1872