Anne of Brittany

Anne of Brittany (25/26 January 1477 – 9 January 1514) was Duchess of Brittany from 1488 until her death and Queen of France twice—first from 1491 to 1498 and again from 1499 until 1514. She is the only woman in history to have been Queen of France twice. During her life, she also held titles like Queen of Naples and Duchess of Milan.

Anne became Duchess of Brittany at age 11 when her father, Francis II, died. As one of the richest heiresses in Europe, she was quickly sought after in marriage. She first married Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor by proxy, but Charles VIII of France saw this as a threat to his power. He waged war and forced her to break that marriage. In 1491, Anne married Charles VIII. Unfortunately, none of their children survived, and when Charles died in 1498, Anne had to marry his cousin and successor, Louis XII, to secure Brittany's continued connection to France. Together, Anne and Louis had two daughters.

Anne worked hard to protect the independence of Brittany. She arranged for her daughter to be engaged to Charles of Austria, but after Anne's death in 1514, her daughter married her cousin, Francis I of France. This eventually led to the formal union between France and Brittany.

Anne is remembered as a strong and dedicated ruler of Brittany. She defended her duchy against French control and left a lasting cultural impact, especially in the Loire Valley, where she contributed to the building of several châteaux. After her death, Anne became a symbol of Breton pride and patriotism.

 Children 
Her marriage with Charles VIII of France produced six documented pregnancies:
 Charles Orland, Dauphin of France (11 October 1492 – 16 December 1495).  Anne's only healthy child with Charles, he died of measles at three years old and was buried at Tours Cathedral.
 Francis (August 1493). Anne had a stillborn son after going into labor during a journey. He was buried at Notre-Dame de Cléry.
 Stillborn daughter (March 1495).Another child was lost in late 1494.
 Charles, Dauphin of France (8 September 1496 – 2 October 1496). He died just weeks after his birth, causing Anne great despair. He was buried at Tours Cathedral.
 Francis, Dauphin of France (July 1497). Born and died on the same day. Buried at Tours Cathedral.
 Anne of France (20 March 1498). She died on the day of her birth at Château de Plessis-lez-Tours and was also buried at Tours Cathedral.

Her marriage with Louis XII of France, produced at least another five recorded pregnancies:
 Claude of France (13 October 1499 – 20 July 1524), who succeeded her as Duchess of Brittany and later also became Queen consort of France as wife of Francis I.
 Son ([late 1500/early 1501] – died young).
 Stillborn son (21 January [1503/07]).
 Renée of France (25 October 1510 – 12 June 1574), married Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and became Duchess of Chartres and Lady of Montargis on the occasion of her wedding.
 Stillborn son (January [1513]).

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References

Category:1477 births
Category:1514 deaths
Brittany
Category:Dukes and Duchesses of Brittany
Category:People from Nantes