History knows many famous and great women. Among them are rulers, scientists, actresses, writers and amazing beauties. Margarita of Navarre did not do great things, but many know about her. In history, several women are known by this name. Today we will talk about the first wife of King Henry IV.
Childhood and youth
Margarita of Navarre belonged to the dynasty of French kings. She was the youngest child in the family. Her mother is the famous queen of France and one of the most influential women of Europe in the 16th century - Catherine de Medici. Father - Henry II Valois.
From childhood Margarita was distinguished by beauty and charm. For this, she was nicknamed the pearl of France. She captivated not only good looks, but also wit. A smart queen beyond her years, she studied literature, philosophy, medicine and was fluent in several languages: ancient Greek, Italian, Spanish.
Marriage
Parents predicted for Margarita husbands one of several applicants: the king of Portugal, the Spanish heir and the future king of Navarre. Rumors of the bride’s windiness destroyed the matrimonial plans with Spain and Portugal, and Margarita was married to Heinrich Bourbon. The marriage was a forced political union, and there was no question of any feelings of the newlyweds.
The 16th century in France is a time of struggle between Protestants and Catholics. Two years before marriage, Margarita de Valois began a serious affair with the Duke Heinrich de Guise. She was ready to marry him, but her parents forbade her to think about this marriage. This marriage could upset the delicate balance established between the two warring groups, as the Duke was the unofficial head of Catholics in France.
In 1572, nineteen-year-old Margarita became the wife of Heinrich of Navarre, one of the leaders of the Protestants (Huguenots). He was 18 years old at that time.
Bloody Wedding
Many Huguenots arrived at the celebration in Paris, including their leaders. Heinrich de Guise and his supporters took advantage of this. The event that occurred on August 24, 1572, went down in history as Bartholomew’s Night, when the Catholics attacked and killed Protestants who had arrived at the wedding. Historians believe that the inspirer and organizer of this massacre was Catherine de Medici. Apparently, Margarita of Navarre, whose biography is full of tragic and terrible events, was unaware of the plans of her mother and de Guise. Some researchers are even sure - the queen of France hoped that her daughter would die with Henry, and this would give her additional trump cards in the fight against the hated Huguenots. But Margarita showed amazing courage and composure. She did not allow her husband to be killed, refusing to divorce him, as the family insisted. The Queen of Navarre saved several of his people. Whatever their relationship would later be, Henry IV never forgot who he owed his salvation to that terrible night.
Margarita - Queen of Navarre: life under supervision
After the events of August 24, Henry was forced to flee Paris. Margarita remained virtually a hostage to her own family. She was suspected of helping her husband escape. And that was really so. Only after 6 years she was able to reunite with her husband when a temporary peace was concluded between Protestants and Catholics. Until 1582, she lived in Navarre, where she created a brilliant courtyard. At the insistence of her mother, she returned to Paris, but after a quarrel with King Henry III, who believed that she was preoccupied with herself and did little to help her family in political affairs, Margarita left for her husband in Navarra. But Henry was already carried away by another, and the queen was out of work.
She went to her county, in Agen. Margarita of Navarre again began a relationship with the Duke de Guise and took part in intrigues against her husband and brother, King Henry III. The next 18 years she spent in Usson Castle, in which at first she was not a captive for long. With the help of the Duke de Guise, she received freedom and became the mistress of the fortress.
Divorce from Henry IV and the last years of his life
In 1584, Henry IV was crowned in the Chartres Cathedral. After a quarrel with Margarita in 1585, their relationship was actually broken. The childless king had to take care of the heir. For large compensation, he achieved a divorce in 1599. Despite the fact that the relationship between Margarita and Henry in marriage was difficult, after his death, the Queen of Navarre (this title was left to her) supported the second wife of her ex-husband, Maria Medici.
Margarita of Navarre, whose biography is unusually interesting, died in 1615 at an advanced age. The last years she spent in Paris and until the end remained an active participant in the political life of France.
Margarita of Navarre and her image in art
During her life, she captivated with beauty and wit, after death, the biography of an amazing woman became an inspiration for many works of art. Margarita of Navarre (Margot) became the central character in the novel by Alexander Dumas Sr. Her appearance here is very romanticized, many facts of the biography are distorted to please the creative intention of the writer or simply invented. But the image turned out to be unusually solid and lively. "Queen Margot" is rightfully considered one of the best novels by Dumas.