Renaissance Women Who Ruled
Notable female rulers of the European Renaissance
A brief overview of several notable Renaissance women who ruled, either directly or indirectly, as wives, mistresses, sisters and mothers of the king.
There were many influential women who ruled during theEuropean Renaissance. Some were queens in their own right, while others ruled from behind the throne- as wives, mistresses, sisters and mothers to the king. All were fascinating- controlling their own destiny in an age when women were considered little more than a man’s property.
Diane de Poitiers (1499-1559)- Mistress to King Henri II of France
Her official title was Duchess of Valentinios, however history remembers the beautiful Diane as one of the most influential women of the Renaissance, through her role as the domineering mistress of Henri II. Following the death of her husband, Louis de Breze in 1531, Diane became the mistress of Henri II, despite the fact he was twenty years her junior. Diane dominated Henri’s life- he lavished her with many gifts, including the crown jewels of France. Diane’s primary interest was in the arts. She became a great patron of many artists, and played an important role in spreading the Renaissance through Northern Europe. After Henri’s unexpected death from a jousting accident in 1550, his estranged wife, Catherine de Medici became regent, ousting Diane from court. Diane quietly retired to her chateaux at Anet. She died there in 1566 at the age of 67.
Elizabeth of Gorlitz/Luxembourg
Elizabeth was the second wife of Antoine of Burgundy, the Duke of Brabant. Elizabeth and her husband seized the throne of Luxembourg in 1412- while the Holy Roman Emperor, Wenceslas IV (who held the legitimate claim to Luxembourg) was imprisoned as a heretic. In 1415, Antoine died, and Elizabeth managed to outlive all her direct heirs, ruling the tiny duchy of Luxembourg by herself until 1443. She then passed on the title of Duke to her late husband’s nephew, Philip the Good. Luxembourg was then joined with the house of Burgundy.
Isabella I (1451-1504) – Queen of Castile and Leon
Isabella went against her older brother’s wishes and married her second cousin, Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Aragon. Their marriage would forever change the world. Their daughter, Catherine of Aragon, would be the first wife of Henry VIII, and her inability to produce a male heir would lead England to break with the Catholic Church.
Isabella would persuade her husband to help finance a little known Italian sailor by the name of Christopher Columbus on his journey to the “New World” in 1492. This chance of fate would bring Spain unparallel riches and forever change the world. Isabella was also a great patron of the arts and literature, contributing to the flourishing Renaissance spirit of the fifteenth century.
On a darker note, both Isabella and Ferdinand were responsible for the inquisition in Spain, where thousands of people were burned at the stake, for heresy.
Margaret of Austria (1522-1586) Duchess of Parma and Governor General of The Netherlands
Margaret was appointed governor general of the Netherlands by her half-brother, Philip of Spain. Despite high taxes during her regency, the provinces prospered. Religious turmoil, stemming from the Protestant Reformation soon forced Margaret to take military action in 1567. Because her brother would not send troops to aid her, she was forced to hire German mercenaries. The Duke of Alva eventually replaced Margaret as regent. She died in Italy in 1586.
Follow the links below to read more about other notable Renaissance Women:
Sources
Herman, Eleanor. Sex With Kings. New York: Harper Collins, 2004
Jackson, Guida M..Women Who Ruled. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1990.
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