FRANÇOIS’ MOTHER
From the time François was born he had been surrounded by women and it was a situation
he was comfortable with for his entire life.
Francois’ parents had been part of a very unorthodox domestic arrangement.
Francois” mother was Louise, daughter of the Duke of Savoy.
Her mother died when she was six years old and her father sent her to the French Court in Amboise where she was brought up by the young King Charles VIII’s sister. A marriage was arranged for her when she was just 11, which even in those days was not considered right.
Her husband was 28 year old Charles d’Angoulême, a member of an illustrious family. He was however in disgrace for taking part in a rebellion. He returned to his land in Nouvelle Aquitaine (south western France) where he had a chateau in Angoulême and another in Cognac, about 30 kilometres away.
Both chateaux still exist, at least in part.
The Town Hall of Angoulême was built in the late 19 th century around two of the original towers. The “Marguerite Tower” is where Louise’ daughter Marguerite was born.
François was born in the chateau of Cognac, now headquarters of the Otard Cognac house.
Louise arrived and found her new husband already had two live-in mistresses named Antoinette and Jeanne. It must have come as a pleasant surprise to Charles to find she was not shocked.
Her father had set the scene when she was a young child. The year after Louise’s father married her mother (when they were both 34) his mistress gave birth to a baby who became known in French history as “René the Grand Bastard”. The mistress gave birth to two more children before Louise’s mother died and she was sent to the French court.
Louise accepted the situation and made Antoinette her lady in waiting and gave Jeanne a position in the household. The three women became good friends.
At the age of 15 Louise gave birth to a daughter they named Marguerite. Two years later she gave birth to François. During this time the mistresses had given birth to three daughters.
Just over a year after François’ birth, his father’s easy life with the three women and five children
came to an abrupt end. Charles d’Angoulême had been hunting in freezing conditions and he died
from a resulting chill at the age of 36. It was New Years Day 1496. He had no idea that nineteen
years later – to the day – his baby son would become King of France.
Charles’ unexpected death left Louise a widow at 19. She had no intention of remarrying, nor did
she even consider evicting her husband’s two mistresses and their children. Louise kept the unusual
household together at the château of Cognac where she took great care with the education of her
children. Her late husband had been as interested in books as women and they had an impressive collection for the time.
Little François was surrounded by two generations of women, all of whom adored him. It was a
situation he would always enjoy and find perfectly normal for the rest of his life.
When François was three years old. King Charles VIII died in an accident at the age of twenty seven. Charles Orland, his eldest son and heir to the throne had died of measles at the age of three.
Although the Queen Anne of Brittany had given birth to six children, none had survived.
With the intention of keeping Brittany tied to the French throne, the late King Charles VIII’s will
called for his successor to marry the Queen Anne of Brittany if he died without an heir.
Until the new King Louis XII and Anne of Brittany had a child, the next in line to the throne would be
the three year old François d’Angoulême. Given that, the new King decided Louise should bring
François from Cognac to grow up in the French court, which was then based mainly in the Loire
Valley. Louise duly arrived at the French court at Amboise with François and his sister
Marguerite, as well as her late husband’s two mistresses and three daughters. The court was
shocked but as far as Louise was concerned, it was non-negotiable.
Louise had decided to never remarry. This was clearly demonstrated by permanently wearing black.
She ensured a high level of education for both of her children. Her official motto was “Libris et
Libertis” – “for my books and my children”.
François’ sister Marguerite was an important part of his life. We will visit her before going on to the
other women in François’ life.