CHARLES IX
Charles IX was ten years old when he succeeded his brother as King of France.
The court was in Orleans in October 1560 for a meeting with the Estates General due to commence in December.
Estates General
Meetings called by the French King assembling the 3 “estates” – clergy, nobility and commoners. Normally the meetings were called to seek funds for the kingdom. At the time of this meeting in 1560, the kingdom was about 40,000,000 livres in debt.
They had taken over the newly completed residence of a Protestant family. Five days before the meeting was due to commence, the 16-year-old King Francois II died.
This time Catherine de Medici was determined not to be sidelined as she had been by the Guise family when her eldest son François II became had become King. She made her move three days before Francois II died.
The obvious choice for Regent for the ten-year-old king Charles IX was Antoine de Bourbon, a “Prince of the Blood” (direct descendant in the male line of Saint Louis – King Louis IX). However Catherine moved first securing a deal with Antoine de Bourbon.
His brother was in prison due to be executed thanks to his activities as head of the Huguenots (French Protestants). Catherine interceded and in return for Bourbon renouncing his right to the regency, he would be made Lieutenant General of the kingdom and his brother’s life would be spared.
Catherine then had the Privy Council name her “Governor of the Kingdom” for her ten year old son. At 41 her reign had begun.
Just over a year later, the first of the “Wars of Religion” broke out. It lasted just over a year and claimed the lives of key players who could have presented a threat the Catherine’s power, including the Duke de Guise and Antoine de Bourbon.
Wars of Religion
A series of eight civil wars between the Catholics and French Protestants (Huguenots). The first was in 1562 and the final one was in 1598. The King of France at that time was Henri IV. Originally a Huguenot, he converted to Catholicism to end the wars, saying famously that Paris was “worth a mass”.
Catherine had been a great admirer of her father-in-law Francois I and had seen the benefits which came from his travels around the kingdom, interacting with his subjects. A year after the end of the first war between the Catholics and Protestants, she began a tour of the Kingdom with her son Charles IX. She believed it would unite the country and help her young son to understand the country he ruled and inspire loyalty from his subjects.
This “Grand Tour” began in January 1564 and lasted for more than two years and three months and covered more than 4000 kilometers. At any given time, there were between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the entourage, stretching more than 20 kilometers.
Beds and tables had to be transported as there was not suitable accommodation at every point. Catherine needed 16 pack mules for her furniture.
This map is on Wikipedia’s website – Charles IX’s grand tour of France. In the French version, every stop is listed with accommodation where applicable. Many of the places they stayed can still be visited and in some cases you can actually stay.
For more information, click here.
Unfortunately, the ultimate aim of bringing peace to the kingdom did not last and the year after the court returned to Paris, the second War of Religion began, quickly followed by the Third War of Religion.
When he was 19 Charles IX fell in love with a beautiful young Protestant girl who was about the same age. Her name was Marie Touchet and her father was the Bailiff at Orleans. Initially Charles kept the relationship secret from his mother. When Catherine found out what was going on, she made enquiries and was satisfied with the outcome. Marie was not ambitious and not at all interested in involving herself in politics or religion and young Charles was much happier with her around.
The question of a suitable wife for her son had been a major preoccupation of Catherine. She wanted Charles to marry Anna, the eldest daughter of the Austrian Emperor. The problem was, Anna was to become the third wife of her uncle Philip II of Spain. Catherine settled on the Emperor’s second daughter Elisabeth.
When the marriage took place near the border of France when Charles was 20 and Elsabeth was 16, Charles was very happy with the pretty Austrian princess. Communication was something of a problem because although Elisabeth spoke German, Italian, Spanish and Latin, she did not speak French at all. A countess who was a member of her entourage was her interpreter.
With Catherine’s preoccupation being an heir to the throne, she organised for Marie Touchet to leave the court for the time. Charles was affectionate and caring with Elisabeth but as soon as she became pregnant, he considered he had done his duty and returned to Marie.
When Elisabeth gave birth to their daughter Marie Elisabeth, Marie Touchet was already three months pregnant
Charles renovated the Chateau des Hauts near Orleans and gave it to Marie.
Charles’ son was named after his father. The baby was just over one year old when Charles IX died at the age of 23.
CHARLES’ WOMEN AFTER HIS DEATH
Elisabeth returned to Vienna the following year, leaving their daughter Marie with the royal court in France (as was the custom). She never remarried. She founded a convent and dedicated herself to looking after the poor and sick. Elisabeth died of pleurisy at the age of 37.
Charles IX and Elisabeth’s daughter died when she was five years old. She was buried at St Denis with her father.
Charles IX’s brother became King Henri III. He legitimised Charle’s son by Marie Touchet. He also organised Marie’s marriage to a noble widower named François de Balzac d’Entragues. Their daughter Henriette d’Entragues would later become mistress of King Henri IV, and a thorn in the side of his queen, Marie de Medici.
Marie bought an apartment in Paris in the new development at Place Royale (now Places des Vosges).
Charles added a new wing to the mansion. He lived there for the next 30 years.
You can still see the small watchtower he built overlooking the street.
The former residence can be visited as it is now the City of Paris’ Historic Library (Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris).
Charles IX’s legitimate daughter by Elisabeth could not inherit the throne, thanks to the Salic Law. His son, although accepted by his family, could not inherit as he was illegitimate. Next in line to the throne was Catherine’s third son who became Henri III.