Catherine de Chabot

## Baronne de Croÿ

Baronne de Croÿ, Catherine de Chabot, 1575

### Burial

13th July 1609, Crypt of Château de Mont Saint Jean, Charny, Kingdom of Burgundy

### Issue

Charles Philippe de Croÿ, Seigneur de Chimay †

### Siblings

Charlotte de Chabot, Comtesse de Mansfeld †

Marguerite de Chabot, Comtesse de Charny

Eleonore de Chabot, Comtesse de Varax

Catherine de Chabot, Comtesse de Champlitte †

Françoise de Chabot, Comtesse de Cheverny †

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

Signature of Catherine de Chabot on her wedding document, 1575

**Catherine de Chabot** (17th July 1556 - ) was the daughter of the Comte de Charny and his first wife, Claude Gouffier, Comtesse de Charny. Upon her birth, she was given the title "Mademoiselle de Buzançais." Catherine was born as the second daughter of her parents, and her birth was a disappointment. She was the Dame d'Honneur for Marie Madeleine d'Autriche, until her death in 1598, and held the position for six years. Through her marriage to Charles de Croÿ, she was the Duchesse d'Aerschot, Princesse de Chimay, and Comtesse de Beaumont.

## Early Life

### Birth

Catherine de Chabot, Mademoiselle de Buzançais, was born on 17th of July in 1556 at the Château de Mont Saint Jean, in Charny, Kingdom of Burgundy. She is the second daughter of the Comte de Charny and his first wife, Claude Gouffier. Catherine was born at 12:01 pm on the hottest day of the year. As the second daughter of a sonless marriage, her father was so distraught at her birth he locked himself away in his study for three days. It also did not help that she came out with red hair. While giving birth, Catherine's mother suffered excessive bleeding, which almost killed her. The heat and cramped space in which her mother delivered most definitely caused her complications. The birth left her mother infertile, and unable to give the desired heir. Her name was chosen after her great-aunt, with her parents opting to not give her a second name.

Being a member of the Chabot family, that meant Catherine was related to French Royalty. Her parental grandfather was Philippe Chabot, who was known as "Admiral de Brion" and a favorite of King François I of France. Her paternal grandmother, Françoise de Longwy, was a half-niece of François I of France, her mother being his natural born half-sister. This meant that her father is the first cousin once-removed of Henry III of France. This also meant that she grew up close to the Burgundian Royal Family, later becoming the Dame d'Honneur of the Infante Madeleine.

On her mother's side, Catherine's grandfather Claude Gouffier (not to be confused with her mother), Marquis of Boissy and Caravaz, was the tutor to the Comte d'Angoulême who later became François I of France. The Gouffiers flourished under François I, becoming patrons of the arts and literature, and were seated at the Château d'Oiron. After he was captured in Italy in 1536, he was ransomed for a huge sum of 6000 gold crowns by François I in 1538. Her maternal grandmother, Jacqueline de La Tremoille, was sentenced to prison after she attempted to murder her husband by poisoning. She died in 1544. Her maternal grandfather went on to marry four more times before dying in 1570.

### Childhood

The majority of her time as a child was spent indoors. This did not mean she was kept away from others, but rather she could not go walk in the gardens. Her mother had become possessive over her, saying that she was her "petite poupée." The nickname came from her porcelain skin, which was a result of her being sheltered. Catherine was described as a happy baby, constantly giggling and playing. She was mostly taken care of by her governess, Anne d'Arenberg, who fed and bathed her. Unusual for the time, her mother watched over her baths, and paid extra attention to her during infancy. Her father, however, could not have cared less for her. Besides that, Catherine has described this time as "fun and light-hearted."

As she grew, Catherine's height became a topic of discussion. Due to her complicated birth, her growth had been stunted to a measly 4'11" and she had stopped growing at age 10. Not small enough to be classified as a little person, Catherine made up for her height with tall heels. She was never insecure about her height, even when others looked at her oddly. She got her period at age 8, which was highly uncommon. This lead to her father already trying to marry her off, while her mother flat out refused to give her away stating that she was "too young". Convinced she was going to be a spinster, Catherine did not care much for men and instead surrounded herself with her women friends. The only exception to this was the King, Charles II, who was her friend's younger brother. She cared for him dearly, and admired his entire person.

## Adolescence and Adulthood

### Education

Catherine's education was underwhelming, and her father only enrolled her in what was expected of women at the time. Although, this didn't really matter, since she was rather air-headed. However, she did have common sense. Catherine was educated by her family's private tutor, Claude d'Argyl. She learned to read and write, though had much difficulty reading long passages. When taught how to read the Bible, she only ever memorized what was being read to her, not what she was actually reading. Writing came easier to her, though she was often clumsy and would spill the ink onto whatever she was writing. She didn't care, and once sent a half-black letter to her father. She was able to learn German, French, Italian, and some English by listening to the different languages of the Court, and her father's friends.

Catherine excelled in art, dancing, and embroidery. Her mother also taught her the harpsichord, harp, and how to sing. She endured rigorous training for these specific instruments, and was able to play along to any song requested of her. Catherine also had the gift of perfect pitch, meaning she can immediately tell a note just by hearing it. Her favorite composer was Claude Gervaise, a French composer who was known for his music that is intended for dancing. She did not like to talk about her talent, as her mother constantly used her for it to entertain guests at the Château. At only the age of 8, Catherine often lost her voice from the amount of times she was forced to sing. For this reason, she only played instrumentals and was too traumatized to use her voice for anything musically related. Regardless of this, she was usually seen around the harpsichord during her childhood years. She was constantly complimented on her skills as a child, leading her to take great pride in her accomplishments in adulthood, even if it was the tiniest of things.

### Death of Claude Gouffier

Tragically, in 1565, at just 39 years old, Catherine's mother died from influenza. She was distraught, since she spent the most time with her mother and followed her every word. Catherine had turned 9 a few days prior to this. Being at her mother's bed side the whole time, she saw the moment she passed. This memory would haunt her for the rest of her life. She received no sympathy for her father, while her sister consoled her. This was one of the first times they had ever hugged. Catherine fell into a deep depression, not eating or bathing for days. She had locked herself in her rooms, and could be heard sobbing at all hours. She was known to have had nightmares during this time, and could only be consoled with a lock of her mother's hair that was given to her after she had passed. Catherine's love of music and art had abruptly stopped after her mother's passing, and only recently continued at the age of 15. With her mother's passing, she began to question her religion, asking why God would punish her so. She never truly regained her faith in God and Roman Catholicism after this. Catherine tried to make up for this by acting over-religious at times. During this time, she usually sent letters to the Infante Madeleine, pouring her heart out to her. About a year later, she started to begin her life again. Her happy nature slowly returned, and she could be seen in the Château playing with her dolls.

After regaining her usual, cheerful self, Catherine was displeased to find out her father was to marry again. In 1568, the Comte married Françoise de Rye, Dame de Longwy. Françoise, at just 25 years old, was to be her new "mother." It was then after they were married that Marguerite (b. 1565), the Comte's illegitimate daughter with Françoise, was brought to meet the two sisters. The Comte legitimized her after the two were married. When introduced to her new step-mother, Catherine replied, *"Tu ne prendras pas la place de ma mère, car tu ne pourras jamais être à la hauteur de son nom!"* Her father slapped her across the face for this, resulting in a flood of tears from the 12 year old. The two never got on, with Catherine leaving a room if her step-mother were to enter. This mainly ended up with Catherine being locked in her rooms. She had a secret chest full of dolls for these specific occasions, and would occupy herself for hours. Catherine wanted nothing to do with her new sister, saying that she was ugly and should have never been born. Her innocent nature showed itself when she would stick her tongue out and pull harmless pranks on her step-mother. She'd often work together with her sister, Charlotte, to do this. In 1569, things began to lighten after she and her sister joined the Court of the new Roi de Bourgogne, Charles II.

At just the age of 13, she became one of the most well-mannered young ladies in Court, and memorized the Court rules. Etiquette came naturally to her, making her father proud for one of the first times in her life. She spent much of her time mingling with the Royals, and already had a great relationship with the Infante Madeleine. The two were able to related to each other as they both knew what it was like to have possessive mothers. Her relationship with her step-mother up to this point was still tense, though it was getting slightly more manageable. Her father had reprimanded her all her life, but around this time they had started to form a more friendly relationship, probably due to not living together. She was called immature for her age, and this was mainly due to the possessiveness and sheltering of her mother when she was still alive. She was never taught about marriage and marital duties. She did not know about sex until she was 18. Her reaction to this was quite disturbed. She was known for her complaints about men, and regarded them as *"cochons affamés."* This dislike gradually weakened over time, and by 17, she had a few male friends, one being the Seigneur de Roubaix. Her father also influenced her opinions on the male gender.

### Revolts of Charles II

During the revolts of the Kingdom, Catherine was oblivious to what was going on. She didn't care to involve herself in politics, and didn't understand them. She'd often be seen staring at nothing when politics was brought up. She was simply, as quoted by the Baronne de Mortmart, *"in her own world."* When the Court had to move around multiple times, Catherine was usually seen as confused, irritated, and distraught over it. She didn't truly understand the reason behind it, and felt that it was just an inconvenience to her. Her hatred of carriage rides, due to motion sickness, also made the whole ordeal worse for her. When her face began to break out in hives due to stress, she had to use powder to hide the redness. This was a devastating blow to her, as her whole life she only ever had clear skin. She'd often be seen with a fan in front of her face, trying to hide her hives. Catherine was fond of Brussels and hated Namur. She also had a hatred of the commoners and rebels when she found out they were the reason she had to move. Catherine was known to be rude to the peasants and guards, completely contrasting to her actual personality. Upon one instance, she was seen hitting a guard after he accidentally grabbed her arm to steady her from falling.

In 1572, Catherine officially became the Demoiselle of her childhood friend, the Infante Marie Madeleine d'Autriche. Due to the Queen Dowager's control over her daughter, Catherine acted as one of Madeleine's only friends. Her sweet nature helped the Infante in times of melancholy. One of her jobs as Demoiselle was to help the Infante pick out clothes. This was Catherine's favorite job, and she took great pride in her fashion styles. She liked to stay up to date on the current fashion trends, and was constantly begging her father for a bigger allowance to buy more clothes. She didn't care much for shoes, as her height had already made her reliant on heels. Her favorite color was pink, and she put it everywhere in her rooms, no matter the Palace. Along with the Infante, Catherine had made many friends among the Court. She was quite fond of the Duchesse de Montpensier, because she was also French. She also became friends with Yolanda, Jonkvrouw van Berlaymont, as there were possible marriage negotiations between Catherine and Yolanda's brother, Claudius. However, these plans failed, which caused the friendship between the two of them to cool. Catherine had never had the closest relationship with her sister, because her father favored Charlotte more. Though, the two would come together during certain times, such as the passing of their mother, and their mutual dislike of their step-mother. The tensions did ease as the two got older, but Catherine always held a grudge. She would sometimes go around Court saying how much prettier she was than her sister, and often make up rumors about her. This was usually when Charlotte would annoy her. One instance in particular was when she said that Charlotte was actually a man in disguise. This did not make sense, because even if her sister was, Charlotte would not have hidden it, and it just explained why their father favored her more.

When Namur was attacked and the Court had to flee, Catherine was excited to know that they would be staying in France. While in Paris, she visited her cousins in the Royal Family, which also included her great-aunt Catherine de' Medici. During this turbulent time, Catherine always has a chest packed with essentials if the Court has to move again. When the Court finally settled at the Château de Chenonceau in December of 1574, she was able to unpack her things and be more relaxed. She was constantly irritated about the moving, though she never showed it in front of the King, and often said her praises of him everyday. She somewhat viewed him as a little brother, and was always proud regardless of whether it be good or not. Upon the engagement of the King to Marie Elisabeth of France, Catherine's father began looking for potential marriages for her again. She was not amused with the idea, and always switched the conversation if the subject arose. Once she learned about sex, in the same year, the thought repulsed her and she was not ready to do such a thing. Catherine even made a promise to the Infante that she would never sleep in the same bed as a man. Many assumed this was due to her innocence, and brushed it off as nothing.

## Court of Charles II

### Seigneur de Croÿ

Having been the topic of many marriage proposals in her life, Catherine hid her feelings on the matter. Usually, it was only her father who tried to set these up. Her possible suitors were the Heer van Haultepenne, Baron van Hierges, Seigneur de Fouvent, and Baron de Montigny. All of these fell through due to her mother's possessiveness. She was never been distraught over these failed proposals, and was often seen smiling when they did. Her idea of being a spinster always greatly intrigued her, saying she *"would never have to sleep next to a man."* Catherine and the Infante Madeleine made jokes about joining a convent together if they were not married by 25. She once said she'd act crazy to scare off suitors, just so they could be together.

Catherine's dream of this came crashing down when the King called for her in his office. Unaware of what was about to happen, she happily walked into her worst nightmare with a graceful curtsy to His Majesty. Catherine knew somewhat of the contents of the letter she delivered, but not what it truly meant. She knew it meant war, but she was mostly scared they'd have to move again. Surprising to her, the King informed her that the Duc d'Aerschot was being held in captivity. Catherine did not know how to react, as she didn't understand why he couldn't just leave. Charles II informed her that they wished for her to marry the Duc's son, Seigneur de Cröy, to show that the Kingdom of Burgundy stands with him. Unable to protest, like she did with her father, Catherine simply agreed and was then excused. She cried for a whole two hours, throwing herself onto her bed while praying for it not to be true. She was only calmed by the Infante, who assured her she would always be by her side.

### Elisabeth of Austria

However, after meeting Charles IX of France, her first cousin twice-removed, and his wife Elisabeth of Austria, she became good friends with the latter. The two send letters almost everyday, writing in German because Elisabeth never truly learned French. She found herself oddly fond of Elisabeth, with new feelings she did not understand. Catherine would leave lipstick kiss marks on her letters, and spray it with her best perfume. Elisabeth would do the same to her letters, even leaving pressed red carnations in the envelopes. They often times sign their letters as *"Ma Chérie"* or *"Ma Amour"*. On one occasion, Catherine embroidered a pink carnation for Elisabeth, not knowing the meaning, she showed her sister the embroidery. Charlotte quickly took it away and burned it, telling her that she must never speak of this again. While crying, Catherine asked her sister her reasoning behind this, which truly showed how innocent she was.

The two continue this confusing relationship, with Catherine holding her letter from Elisabeth close to her heart each time she received one. She told no one about these letters, not even the Infante. Catherine kept all the letters in a small box and hid them in a secret compartment she made in one of her chests. She didn't necessarily know the reason behind why she ddid this, but Elisabeth had told her she must. Catherine was once gifted a miniature of Elisabeth, which she held when she was sad. Her father viewed her friendship with the Queen as beneficial to him, and often asks Catherine to try and get money from the Royal Family. Catherine refused every time. It was only known by others that Catherine has a wonderful friendship with the Queen of France, and not what the contents of their letters hold.

A couple days after her marriage to the Seigneur de Croÿ was announced, Catherine received a letter from the Queen Dowager of France. She was in a sitting room with the Court at the time, and opened it in front of everyone. As she read further, Catherine burst into tears at its contents.

> *"My Dear Catherine,*
>
>
> *I write you to tell you how much I love you, and with all my heart I give to you. Though, we both know this cannot last forever. Such sorrow I feel! I have had the best years of my life writing you, and forever I will be grateful. I must now put myself to God, give Him all of my love now. He will save me from such sin I have been committing, and only He can! When I visit the Court of Charles II, I must ask of you not to look at me. Oh, how terrible this is! I must ask you not talk to me! If you must, I will understand. However, I fear that if we communicate once again, I will never be able to escape my fate in Hell. I cannot keep living this lie... Please forgive me for all. My heart now belongs to God, and you, nothing.*
>
>
> *Forgive me,*
>
>
>
> *Elisabeth"*
>
>

Devastated by this, and embarrassed to be crying so heavily in front of everyone, Catherine tried to excuse herself. This failed, as the Queen Dowager demanded she know what the contents of the letter was. After much protest, she handed it to the Queen, shaking with fear. It was then that the Queen Dowager excused herself and Catherine, walking down to a private part of the Château in the servants quarters. This was quite uncommon, but as Catherine grew up with the Royals, the Queen was like a second mother to her. Expecting to be banished from court, she was surprised when the opposite happened. The Queen Dowager explained everything to Catherine. She explained to Catherine what her feelings for Elisabeth meant and how she should handle this information. Catherine sobbed and screamed into the vast gardens, experiencing her first heartbreak. The Queen Dowager forced Catherine to pray for hours on end, hoping to give her salvation. This was boring to her, as she was never overly religious in the first place. She had a sore throat until the next day. Catherine and the Queen burned all of the letters and gifts that Elisabeth had given her, and then burned the small chest it was in as well.

Catherine was not seen for days after this. She locked herself in her room, only allowing friends to see her. She sobbed day and night, quietly calling out Elisabeth's name and to "come back to her." She even missed an event hosted by the King himself. Advised by the Queen Dowager, Catherine spoke no words about the letter to anyone, not even Infante Madeleine. She wrote letters upon letters to herself, saying how terrible she was and how she deserved this. She even returned to the Dowager's rooms to try and see if there was anything remaining of Elisabeth in the fire place. Her anxiety rose immensely during this time, and she had constant panic attacks in her room alone. Being able to draw well, Catherine sketched Elisabeth onto paper before crumpling or tearing it up. She was not bathing during this, which was highly unlike her. She refused to eat or drink, and had lost ten pounds in the week she spent alone. Being that she was already small, her new weight caused her to lose some of her curves. She did not fit well into her dresses, which depressed her even further.

She finally left her rooms on her 19th birthday, to celebrate with the Court. Not a grand occasion, Catherine received mostly dresses and jewels. Her Father had sent her money, and a portrait of her childhood dog. Her somberness had disappeared, and she was no longer in her "mourning" clothes. She played the harpsichord for the Court, and was even seen walking around the Château chatting with other ladies. Despite this, Catherine's personality completely changed. Her innocent nature was gone, having learned about her sexuality and having her heart broken. Even though she still stared off into space and was oblivious to the happenings around her, she was finally able to leave her child-like personality behind and begin her journey into womanhood.

#### Infante Marie Madeleine d'Autriche

During the ceremonial un-dressings of the Infante Madeleine after the celebration, Catherine finished her duties, and the two began to drink. They named the Infante's dogs Chabot and Bourgogne. They sang together, danced, and gossiped. At this point, the two were completely drunk. They got on the topic of Elisabeth of Austria, with Catherine crying and telling the Infante the truth of her sexuality. Fearing the worst and thinking she was to be ousted from her position, she cried. However, the Infante was understanding, even admitting she had the same feelings, but she was also attracted to men.

The two had a long talk about their feelings on God, sexuality, and love. The Infante expressed her feeling of Elisabeth of Austria, saying she was *"trying to steal my Lady."* Catherine and Madeleine eventually kissed, with Catherine pulling away to state, *"The Queen will kill me!"* This didn't matter to the Infante apparently, with the two continuing to kiss. The two did not have sex, instead falling asleep next to each other, cuddling the entire night. After this, the two did not speak on what happened. It was confusing for Catherine, and she didn't understand why it happened or how to move on. She had developed feelings for the Infante and usually didn't know how to act about it. She often found herself blushing around her, stuttering when speaking to her, and began to advert her gaze when the Infante was changing. During their stay at Palais des Papes d'Avignon, their relationship turned sexual. The two conducted their nightly affairs in secret, with Catherine having snuck out of her rooms to be with the Infante.

### Letter of War

It was actually Catherine that informed the King that the Dutch leaders decided to lend their support for the Huguenots. When she was given the letter from the Queen Dowager, Elisabeth d'Autriche, before their falling out, which stated this, she just thought it was another lovely letter from the Queen. Upon reading it, she suspected something was wrong, as there were some words she did not truly understand. Catherine read it a few more times, before she decided to give it to the King. She knew it was of political origin, as Elisabeth had specifically stated it at the top. Unlike her, Catherine ran to the King's office to deliver this letter, accidentally interrupting a meeting between the King and his advisors. She worriedly handed him the letter, wiping away tears dramatically. She announced,

> "*Sire, I believe this letter will be of great importance to you, for the Dowager Queen herself has wrote it! The Dutch heathens... I believe they wish to start another war!"*
>
>

The King took the letter, and kept it for himself. Catherine had been nervous about what she had read, and stepped out into the hall after their meeting. She was the one who broke the news to the Court, even after being told not to. Wide spread panic began because of this, with much of the Court looking to the King for answers. This was one of the first time's in her life that she actually understood the severity of the situation.

The Battle at Chenonceau caused the flight of the Court to the Palais des Papes d'Avignon. During the fight, the women had to wear veils to cover themselves, with the ability to hide their faces. In an unfortunate turn of events, Catherine was separated from the ladies of the Court, causes her to have to witness the carnage of the Battle. This made her have nightmares for weeks, which continued for some time after. She caught up to the group with the help of some soldiers, and was reunited with the Infante Madeleine, the two falling in to each other's arms.

### Wedding and Marriage

Catherine married Charles, Seigneur de Croÿ in a lavish ceremony a week after the Court's arrival at Palais des Papes d'Avignon. The wedding ceremony lasted two hours, with the bride and groom avoiding eye contact during it. The entire Court was in attendance and the Cardinal de Sant'Euphemia, Charles d'Angennes de Rambouillet, preformed the ceremony. The Comte de Charny was not in attendance due to business matters. Catherine did not mind it much, and was actually somewhat relieved. Catherine and Charles made small talk as the ceremony went on, and mostly commented on each other's outfits. The two wore matching red and white, with an ermine coat on the Seigneur's shoulders. The Mademoiselle de Croÿ sobbed during this, and was offered multiple handkerchiefs by Courtiers. The bride and groom also made commentary on this, and Catherine began to realize that her new husband was not as terrible as she thought.

After the initial ceremony, the marriage document was signed by the families and all important individuals that were in attendance. The festivities began immediately after, with a ten course feast and a ball hosted by the King. The events continued well into the night, and once they ended, the two were whisked away to the bed chamber. Catherine's face was twisted in disgust, which was noticed by most. The Cardinal blessed the bed, and the King bid them goodnight. After the Court left not much happened. The two stayed in bed, not speaking to each other for roughly an hour. They began to make small talk and this continued for another hour. Finally, after three hours, the two consummated the marriage. Catherine laid stiff as a board during the entire ordeal, not saying a single thing. After Charles finished, he almost immediately fell asleep, and Catherine snuck off to sleep in the Duc d'Aerschot's empty room. Keeping her promise to the Infante, she did not sleep in the same bed as a man.

The next morning, a breakfast was held in honor of the new Baron and Baronne de Croÿ by the King. A privilege and an honor, Catherine sat next to the Infante during this. She blushed the entire time, and many thought it was because of her love for her new husband. The King was informed of the consummation of the marriage, which he toasted to the *"success of the marriage."* Promenades were held in the gardens, much to the dislike of Catherine. The entire time the Baron and Baronne were together that day, Catherine stared at Infante Madeleine, and Charles at the Infante Grégorie. There were mass prayers held for the safe return of the Duc d'Aerschot. The evening ended with the Duchesse d'Aerschot watching the young couple perform their marital duties. The Duchesse continued to do this for the next week and a half. saying she wanted to *"make sure she received a grandson."* After this, Catherine would sneak back into the empty Duc d'Aerschot's room, feeling too uncomfortable to share a bed with the Baron. This continued, until Catherine eventually began sneaking into her old room, in the Infante's chamber, or in the Infante's bed.

The Baron and Baronne de Croÿ formed an unlikely friendship, with them being seen gossiping and laughing by the Court. The two often sit next to each other, and smile if making eye contact. The Baron spoiled her, claiming to her that *"his wife shall not look anything other than a Croÿ."* He spent lavishly, buying her new dresses, shoes, and gifting her a dog. Charles commissioned portraits of her, hanging them all over their shared room, and the Croÿ's apartments at Palais des Papes d'Avignon. Catherine greatly appreciated these gifts, and spoke of his praises to others. The two got along so well that Catherine began to mistakenly sign her letters as *"Catherine de Croÿ"* rather than *"Catherine de Chabot."* She was rather confused about all of this, but didn't mind it. Catherine knew of the Baron's feelings for Infante Grégorie, and told him:

> "*I do not care if you have a thousand women pleasing you, rather, I would be glad. Do as you may, Baron, for I ask only the same of me, might you be so kind as to leave me to my own."*
>
>

The two respected each other as equals, and Charles even comforted Catherine upon her father's arrival at Court. They constantly hosted their own salons and Catherine performed the harpsichord at most of them. Catherine's bubbly personality and ability to talk to anyone with ease helped her gain popularity among the Court. She gained her husband's respect, saying that she was *"bringing happiness back to the Croÿ's."* Catherine became close to her mother-in-law, the Duchesse d'Aerschot. The two linked arms, gossiped, and spend much time together. Though, She never neglected her duties to the Infante, and tried to spend as much time with her as possible, while still socializing with others. Catherine smileed, laughed, and spoke more.

#### Pregnancy

Exactly two months after their wedding, Catherine was told she was with child. Her father was in the room with her when she found out, his face beaming with happiness. Quite shocked, Catherine did not appear happy and looked rather mortified. Congratulations from The King and Court were sent, along with flowers to keep in her room. Her morning sickness made it hard to get ready in the morning, and she constantly felt faint, which it did not help that she barely eats. Her cravings included sweets, cheeses and fruits.

On the 30th of September, 1575, Catherine endured a 12 hour long labour after returning to the Château de Chenonceau. At 12:13 AM, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, who weighed 8lbs 7oz. The delivery was smooth, even though Catherine cried out in pain, which could be heard throughout the entire Château. The Baron was not able to attend the birth, for he was still returning from the Battle of Ostend. With her during the birth was her father, Comte de Charny, Seigneur de Havré, Infante Catherine Grégorie, Comte de Champlitte, Baron van Groesbeek, Weduwe Gravin van Hoogstraten, and the Graf von Mansfeld-Vorderort. Upon the baby's arrival, the Comte de Charny cried out:

> *"Can you believe it to be true, Havré? I, a grandfather! My line continues! He has the Chabot eyes and the Croÿ's brown hair! Ma fille, you have served your duty, rest now."*
>
>

The couple decided to name their son *Charles Philippe*. For Charles, they honor The King and the Baron himself. For Philippe, the couple honored the captive Duc d'Aerschot, as well as Catherine grandfather, Philippe de Chabot. She made a quick recovery, thanks to her easy labour and delivery.

### Duchesse d'Aerschot

After the death of the Duc d'Aerschot in 1595, Catherine and her husband inherited the titles Duc et Duchesse d'Aerschot, Prince et Princesse de Chimay, and Comte et Comtesse de Beaumont. They spent this time collecting coins, books, and keepsakes from their travels around Europe. Through her continuation as Dame d'Honneur for the Infante Madeleine, Catherine continued to be a staple for fashion in the Burgundian Court. Their relationship remained sexual until the Infante's marriage to Philip II of Spain in 1580. Afterwards, the two exchanged letters weekly, professing their love and yearning for each other.

After the death of the Infante in 1598, Catherine was plunged into deep mourning and vowed to wear black for the rest of her life, which she did so. To further vex her, Catherine and Charles lost their only child and son, Charles Philippe de Croÿ, Seigneur de Chimay, in 1599. Catherine shut herself off from public life, only attending Court when need be. She spent the remainder of her life embroidering, journaling, and sleeping as much as she could, in which she described as *"her only times to see her beloved Madeleine."* Her once bubbly exterior now replaced with that of a depressing life.

#### Death

Catherine de Chabot died peacefully in her sleep on the 10th of July, in 1609, just shy a week of her 53rd birthday. Her death was felt throughout her family and the Court, even though she had not been seen in years. Her funeral was attended by her immediate family, and she was buried in the crypt at her childhood home, Château de Mont Saint Jean. Her tomb stone read: *"Here lies Catherine de Chabot, Duchesse d'Aerschot, Princesse de Chimay, Comtesse de Beaumont. May she fly with the Angels and Our Lord."*

## Personality and Appearance

### Appearance

Catherine was regarded as pretty, though she didn't believe it. Being only 4'11", she made up for her height with her body. Her figure was described as an hourglass, and she prided on how she fit in dresses. She had long, thick red hair, which shocked her parents when she was born. Catherine liked the color of her hair, and had said that *"I am as unique as the flowers; No flower is ever the same."* As a child, she was sometimes made fun of for her hair color, being called a "Tudor", referring to Queen Elizabeth I. Her pale, porcelain skin made her look like a doll, and she didn't get blemishes. Though when stressed, she did break out in hives. She was the victim of excessive blushing, especially when being complimented. Because of this, she usually fanned herself or left the room to calm down. She was described as having a long, slim, slightly curved down nose. Her lips had been called "plump", but Catherine herself described them as small. Catherine had nice teeth for the time, something she unknowingly bragged about. Her almond eyes gave her lots of lid space, giving the illusion of big eyes. Her eyes were a brown color, and turned to a honey color in the sunlight. She had a large forehead, which was accentuated from the way she wore her hair. She liked to keep herself well groomed, and took baths twice a week. She was never caught without her favorite perfume, which was a mix of sandalwood and rose. She also sometimes liked lavender. Catherine had a tall, slender neck, which was good for the tall collars and ruffs of the time. She liked to wear her hair naturally when alone, and it fell to her lower back.

She was often seen in bright colors, and had helped the Infante Madeleine break away from her dark clothes. The only reason she wore dark clothes were for portraits or evening gowns. Her love of flowers was always somehow incorporated into her looks, even if it means an embroidered flower on her shift. Catherine was often seen with her hair covered, but always made a fashion statement of it. She adored jewels, and wears diamond earrings. Her favorite type of jewel was a ruby, saying it matched her hair. She never wore anything simple, and even her night gowns have some sort of accent. Her dresses were always in style, as she kept up with trends. She was constantly described as a "poupée dodue courte."

### Personality

Catherine was described as an "air-head". She had never been very intelligent, but was surprisingly able to learn three languages. Her personality is described as bubbly. Although, she was be prone to melancholy. Unable to comprehend most of what was going on, Catherine was not concerned with much. The most she got stressed over are fashion trends and moving. She would get too excited, as if she is a puppy, and was always ready to do anything. She was able to talk to anyone, as she was caring. Catherine was insecure about herself, and said she *"is not beautiful in the slightest."* Her favorite activity was embroidery, and due to her upbringing, she did not like to go outside. If she got even the slightest tan, she would lock herself away from days until it is gone.

However, after her heartbreak, Catherine's innocent personality was overtaken with her new found confidence and sense of self. Though she was still be described as bubbly. When she figured out that she was a lesbian, she never told anyone for fear of being ostracized. Her new found attitude on life had caused her to be included in more mature groups of people, since she did not act like a child anymore. She kept her head up high, and prided herself on her position and family. Catherine was often seen giving side eye and gossiping. Her face was very expressive, and she did not tolerate any nonsense from others. She sometimes was prone to judging, and would gossip about it with the Infante in their rooms. She was quite literally the Infante's eyes and ears in the Court. Her new essence was a welcome change from her previous naive and innocent personality.

She was kind by nature, and would always try to help if she could. However, when gossiping, she was rather mean. Sometimes, she would repeat things other people said only slightly differently to seem as though she was contributing to the conversation. She was usually by the Infante's side, and really only left it to sleep. She liked to write letters and her clumsiness with ink had almost disappeared with time. Even though she was clumsy by nature, she tried her hardest not to be. Her laugh was sweet, and her voice was comforting. She could be soft spoken at times when she doesn't know what to say, and she'd often be seen staring into nothing. Her favorite foods were sweets, and had been warned multiple times by her mother to not get fat. She was obsessed with her figure, as her mother drilled into her that it is a sin in her eyes to be large. However, Catherine had a hatred for exercise, and because of this she rarely ate and was constantly light-headed. Although not vain, when she passed by mirrors she always made sure she looked thin and perfect. She could become very anxious if she feels as if she is not.

Catherine's bubbly personality and optimism on life was annoying to some. She was once told to quiet herself by her father after saying, "*All things will go well if we pray they will!"* She was usually excited over small things, such as a flower blooming or the smell of books. She could strike up a conversation with anyone, but would sometimes blank and move on to the next. Catherine often had to have something explained to her multiple times, and even then she may not have got it. After the passing of her mother, Catherine would sometimes begin to sob at even the slightest mention of her. This was because she never truly got over her mother's death. Even though she was not overly religious, she still liked to attend mass, as she memorized all of the scriptures in the Bible. She didn't usually know what to say when spoken to about politics and anything related to it. She was very dramatic, and could change moods quickly depending on the situation. When irritated, she would huff or sigh loudly. When happy, a wide smile was on her face and her voice would heighten slightly. She often gasped at something not worthy of it. Even so, it was refreshing to talk to her, as she could always lighten a mood.

## Issue

With her husband, Charles de Croÿ, she had one child:

* Charles Philippe de Croÿ, Seigneur de Chimay (30th September 1575 - 28th September 1599)

## Titles and Styles

* **17th July 1556 - 1st June, 1575** Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle de Buzançais
* **1st June 1575 - 11 December 1595** Madame, Baronne de Croÿ
* **11 December 1595 - 10th July 1609** Madame, Duchesse d'Aerschot, Princesse de Chimay, Comtesse de Beaumont