Margherita Gonzaga, Duchess of Lorraine

Margherita

Margherita Gonzaga (2 October 1591, Mantua - 7 February 1632) was the eldest daughter of Vincenzo I Gonzaga and Eleonora de' Medici; she was also a sister of Francesco IV Gonzaga, Ferdinando I Gonzaga, Vincenzo II Gonzaga and Eleonora Gonzaga. Her brothers all succeeded their father as Duke of Mantua and Eleonora became Holy Roman Empress by her marriage to Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Marriage

She married Henry II, Duke of Lorraine on 24 April 1606. He had previously been married to Catherine of Navarre, sister of King Henry IV of France, but the marriage was childless due to the bride's age (Catherine was forty years old at the time of her marriage).

Henry and Margherita had four children; two of whom survived infancy, they were:

• Nicolette (1608–1657), married Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
• Claude (1612–1648), married Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine

Both of Margherita's two daughters married their cousins, who were Henry's successors due to the fact that Margherita had not given him a son to inherit his estates.

Death

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Margherita died in Nancy in 1632 at the age of forty. She had been a widow since 1624.

Ancestry

Preceded by Claude of Valois

Duchess of Lorraine 1608-1624

Succeeded by Christina of Salm

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Name	Gonzaga, Margherita
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