Renata of Lorraine

Renata of Lorraine (20 April 1544 – 22 May 1602), was by birth a member of the House of Lorraine and by marriage Duchess of Bavaria.

Born in Nancy, France, she was the second child and eldest daughter of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine and Christina of Denmark. Her paternal grandparents were Antoine, Duke of Lorraine and Renée of Bourbon-Montpensier and her maternal grandparents were Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Austria.

Life

In the early 1560s, king Eric XIV of Sweden (1533–77, reigned 1560–68), a Lutheran, hoped to marry her and sent a deputation to propose her. Eric had several unsuccessful royal marriage plans at different times, but ultimately married his low-born mistress Karin Månsdotter. As to Renata, Eric's desire was mostly based on her being the granddaughter of king Christian II of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and thus one of heirs of that deposed monarch.

On 22 February 1568, Renata married with William, Hereditary Prince of Bavaria in a large ceremony in Munich, which was described in detail by Massimo Troiano in his Dialoghi (1569). The festival lasted 18 days, it took about 5,000 riders part in it, and the festival music was the occasion by Orlande de Lassus to compose.

Despite her status, Renata -along with her husband- had a life of charity and humility. They left the Munich Residenz and lived in the Jesuit Kollegienbau at the west of Munich. Renata took care of sick, poor and pilgrims. In this task, she was completely supported by her husband. After her William became reigning Duke in 1579, Renata spent much of her time in the Herzogspitalkirche, founded in 1555 by her father-in-law.

Renata died in Munich, aged 58. Her grave is located in the St. Michael's Church, whose consecration was the last high point in both she and her husband's lives. She was revered as a saint by the people, but never canonized. Her husband (who abdicated in 1597) survived her twenty-four years, dying in 1626.

Among her direct descendants was Josephine of Leuchtenberg, who married one of Eric XIV's successors, the future king Oscar I of Sweden and Norway in 1823. Renata's descent ascended the Swedish and Norwegian thrones in 1859 in person of Charles XV of Sweden and Norway and the Danish throne in person of Christian X of Denmark in 1912. All current monarchs of the three Scandinavian countries are Renata's direct blood descendants. Among her other numerous notable descendants are Franz Josef of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico.

Issue

• Christoph (born and died 23 January 1570).
• Christine (23 September 1571 – 27 April 1580).
• Maximilian I (17 April 1573 – 22 September 1651), future Duke and Elector of Bavaria.
• Maria Anna (8 December 1574 – 8 March 1616), married on 23 April 1600 to Ferdinand, Archduke of Inner Austria and future Holy Roman Emperor.
• Philipp Wilhelm (22 September 1576 – 18 May 1598), Bishop of Regensburg from 1595, Cardinal from 1597.
• Ferdinand (6 October 1577 – 13 September 1650), Archbishop and prince-elector of Cologne (1612–1650).
• Eleonore Magdalene (7 October 1578 – 18 April 1579).
• Karl (30 May 1580 – 27 October 1587).
• Albert VI (13 May 1584 – 5 July 1666), Landgrave of Leuchtenberg by marriage.
• Magdalene (4 July 1587 – 25 September 1628), married on 11 November 1613 married Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg.

References

• Anna de Crignis-Mentelberg: Herzogin Renata. Die Mutter Maximilians des Großen von Bayern. Freiburg im Breisgau 1912.
• Helmut Dotterweich: Der junge Maximilian. Jugend und Erziehung des bayerischen Herzogs und späteren Kurfürsten Maximilian I. von 1573 bis 1593. München 1962.
• Andrea Rueth: Renata von Lothringen, Herzogin von Bayern. In: Wurst, Jürgen und Langheiter, Alexander (Hrsg.): Monachia. München: Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, 2005. p. 142.

Ancestry

Princesses of Lorraine The generations start from the children of Réné II 1st Generation Princess Anne* Princess Isabelle* Princess Claude* Princess Catherine* 2nd Generation Anne, Princess of Orange Princess Élisabeth 3rd Generation Reneta, Duchess of Bavaria Dorothea, Duchess of Calenberg* Princess Marguerite Princess Catherine Princess Marguerite Princess Christine Princess Louise Marie, Queen of Scotland Princess Louise Renée, Abbess of St. Pierre Antoinette, Abbess of Faremoutier Louise, Queen of France* 4th Generation Christine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany Antoinette, Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.* Princess Anne* Catherine, Duchess of Nevers Élisabeth, Electress Palatine Princess Claude* Françoise, Duchess of Vendôme Catherine, Abbess of Remiremont* Princess Catherine* Princess Marie* Princess Christine* Princess Renée* Princess Jeanne* Louise Marguerite, Princess of Conti* 5th Generation Nicole, Duchess of Lorraine* Claude Françoise, Duchess of Lorraine Henriette, Princess of Lixheim* Marguerite, Duchess of Orléans* Princess Christine* Marie, Duchess of Guise* Françoise Renée, Abbess of Montmartre* 6th Generation Princess Marie Anne* Princess Anne Eléonore* Anne Marie Thérèse, Abbess of Remiremont* Princess Anne Marie* Princess Catherine Henriette* Béatrice Hiéronyme, Abbess of Remiremont* Élisabeth, Princess of Epinoy* Marie, Princess of Monaco Charlotte, Mademoiselle d'Armagnac Marguerite, Duchess of Cadaval Anne Élisabeth, Princess of Vaudémont Marie Eléonore, Abbess of Saint Jacques Marie Françoise, Abbess of Saint Germaine Suzanne Henriette, Duchess of Mantua Louise Anne, Princess of Navailles 7th Generation Princess Eléonore* 8th Generation Élisabeth Charlotte, Abbess of Remiremont* Princess Louise Christine* Princess Marie Gabrièle* Princess Joséphine Gabrièle* Princess Gabrièle Louise* Princess Eléonore* Élisabeth Thérèse, Queen of Sardinia* Anne Charlotte, Abbess of Remiremont* Louise Henriette Françoise, Duchess of Bouillon Élisabeth Sophie, Duchess of Richelieu Louise, Duchess of Bouillon 9th Generation Joséphine, Princess of Carignan Anne Charlotte, Abbess of Remiremont* *died without issue