Charlotte of Savoy

Charlotte of Savoy
Portrait of Charlotte of Savoy, a 19th century engraving based on a sculpture c.1472
Queen consort of France
Tenure	22 July 1461–30 August 1483
Born	11 November 1441
Died	1 December 1483 (aged 42) Amboise, France
Burial	Notre-Dame de Cléry Basilica, Cléry-Saint-André, France
Spouse	Louis XI of France
Issue	Anne, Duchess of Bourbon Joan, Queen of France Charles VIII of France
House	House of Savoy House of Valois
Father	Louis, Duke of Savoy
Mother	Anne of Cyprus

Charlotte of Savoy (11 November 1441 – 1 December 1483) was the second wife and only Queen consort of Louis XI of France. She had three surviving children, one of whom succeeded Louis as King Charles VIII of France, with her eldest daughter, Anne of France, acting as his regent.

Family

She was a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy, and Anne of Cyprus. Her maternal grandparents were Janus of Cyprus and Charlotte de Bourbon-La Marche. Her maternal grandmother, for whom she was probably named, was a daughter of John I, Count of La Marche, and Catherine de Vendôme.

She was one of 19 children, 14 of whom survived infancy.

Betrothal and marriage

On 11 March 1443, when Charlotte was just over a year old, she was betrothed to Frederick of Saxony (28 August 1439- 23 December 1451), eldest son of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. For reasons unknown, the betrothal was annulled. Less than eight years later on 14 February 1451, Charlotte married Louis, Dauphin France (future Louis XI), eldest son of Charles VII of France and Marie of Anjou. The bride was only nine years old and the groom twenty-seven. The marriage, which had taken place without the consent of the French king, was Louis' second; his first wife, Margaret of Scotland, had died childless in 1445. Upon her marriage, Charlotte became Dauphine of France.

In spite of her virtues, Louis neglected her. For example, upon his succession to the throne of France, he immediately abandoned her in Burgundy - where the two had been in exile - to secure his inheritance, leaving the young Queen dependent upon the aid of Isabella of Bourbon, wife of Charles, Heir of Burgundy. A contemporary of Charlotte's noted that "while she was an excellent Princess in other respects, she was not a person in whom a man could take any great delight"; She was, however, praised for the taste and excellence of her personal library.

On 22 July 1461, Charlotte became Queen consort of France. She held that position until her husband's death on 30 August 1483.

Charlotte gave her husband eight children; however, only three survived infancy; these were the future King Charles VIII, and princesses Anne of France (better known as Anne de Beaujeu), who would act as regent of the kingdom, and Jeanne of France, who later became the consort of Louis XII of France.

After a solitary life, Charlotte died on 1 December 1483 in Amboise, just a few months after her husband's death. She is buried with him in the Notre-Dame de Cléry Basilica [1] in Cléry-Saint-André (Loiret) in the arrondissement of Orléans.

Issue

With Louis XI of France:

• Louis (1458–1460)
• Joachim (1459-1459)
• Louise (1460-1460)
• Anne de Beaujeu (3 April 1461 -14 November 1522), Duchess of Bourbon, Viscountess of Thouars (1468–1473), Regent of France (1483–1491); married Peter II, Duke of Bourbon, by whom she had one daughter, Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon.
• Joan of France, Duchess of Berry (23 April 1464- 4 February 1505), was briefly married to King Louis XII of France as his first wife. She did not produce any children, and the marriage was quickly annulled.
• Francis (1466-1466)
• Charles VIII (30 June 1470- 7 April 1498), married Anne of Brittany; he died childless.
• Francis (1472–1473)

Upon the death of her daughter, Anne, Charlotte's line became extinct; her granddaughter, Suzanne having died in 1521 without surviving issue.

Ancestry and Succession

Family of Charlotte of Savoy

16. Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy 8. Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy 17. Bonne of Bourbon 4. Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy 18. John, Duke of Berry 9. Bonne of Berry 19. Joanna of Armagnac 2. Louis, Duke of Savoy 20. John II of France 10. Philip the Bold 21. Bonne of Bohemia 5. Mary of Burgundy 22. Louis II of Flanders 11. Margaret III, Countess of Flanders 23. Margaret of Brabant 1. Charlotte of Savoy 24. Hugh IV of Cyprus 12. James I of Cyprus 25. Alice d'Ibelin 6. Janus of Cyprus 26. Duke Philip of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 13. Helvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 27. Helisia of Dampierre 3. Anne of Cyprus 28. James I, Count of La Marche 14. John I, Count of La Marche 29. Jeanne of Châtillon 7. Charlotte of Bourbon-La Marche 30. John VI, Count of Vendôme 15. Catherine of Vendôme 31. Jeanne of Ponthieu