The 16th century in France saw big changes in intellectual life, culture, religion, and politics, for both women and men. Italian influences brought new ideas in humanism, arts, architecture, and literature. Like men, women writers and thinkers began to explore ideas about the dignity and potential of the individual, reflecting the influence of humanism. At
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The Renaissance marriage of Germaine [Germana] de Foix is a perfect example that for centuries, royal women were pawns in power and politics.
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Countess Françoise de Dinan, Breton Heiress and Powerbroker was one of the most sought-after women in 15th Century Brittany. she is best known to history as gouvernante to Duchess Anne of Brittany. She was also highly educated, extremely rich, and a peer in Brittany in her own right. As the sole heir of the great
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A review of Rozsa Gaston’s Margaret of Austria Introducing Margaret of Austria’s eventful life On to the story itself. After three unfortunate marriages in France, Spain & Savoy, Margaret of Austria comes into her own after 1504, when she is again widowed. Refusing to marry again despite intense pressure from her father, Emperor Maximilian I,
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In an era when newspapers were still in their infancy, letters played an indispensable role in connecting minds and disseminating news. Madame de Sévigné, became one of the earliest of the French letter writing luminaries. She navigated the intricate web of court politics, fashion, and social dynamics, while penning her insights with eloquence and humor.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Table of contents When did Marguerite de Rohan live? Who were Marguerite’s brothers and sisters? Who was her husband, Count Jean d’Angoulême? Who were Marguerite and Jean’s children? Where Marguerite and Jean have their lands? Some sources for information about Marguerite de Rohan Marguerite de Rohan, Countess d’Angoulême was the
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I began this website with facts not fiction about the women of 16th Century France. It was too limiting. , I posted historical content about the women I was fictionalizing. It was too limiting. Now my site is more eclectic. I have lots about my fiction, the blog posts with historical content about the women
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Who are the four women in The Importance of Pawns who dominate the action? At the centre of the plots are Princess Claude and Princess Renée of France, the elder and younger daughters of the French King and Queen. The third, Baronne Michelle de Soubise, Renée’s Gouvernante*, fights to shield herself and the two daughters
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In 1519 Françoise de Foix became the first official mistress to King François 1. Countess Françoise de Chateaubriant, an exceptional beauty, was already married. Her husband, Jean de Laval, Count de Chateaubriant, did not take it well, being a jealous man and head of a leading Breton family. But François was king when royal power
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From the moment of her birth, Suzanne de Bourbon was well-loved by both her mother and father. When she married, her husband loved her well too. In this, she was a fortunate woman for her times. Basic Facts Father: Pierre de Beaujeu, later Duke de Bourbon [1488] Mother: Anne de France, Duchess de Beaujeu-Bourbon, aka
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The Three Graces Trilogy offers something unusual: novels of the French religious conflict with noblewomen as heroines. The three de Clèves sisters find themselves on differing sides, so each brings a unique perspective. Thus Laura du Pre offers her readers an experience of the religious wars in a personal, female way. The Three Graces Trilogy: Engaging
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