Francesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
| Francesco III Gonzaga | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Mantua | |
 | |
| Duke of Mantua (as Francesco III) Duke of Montferrat (as Francesco I) | |
| Reign | 1540–1550 |
| Predecessor | Federico II Gonzaga |
| Successor | Guglielmo I Gonzaga |
| Born | 10 March 1533 |
| Died | 22 February 1550 (aged 16) |
| Spouse | Catherine of Austria (m. 1549–50; his death) |
| House | House of Gonzaga |
| Father | Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua |
| Mother | Margaret Paleologina |
Francesco III Gonzaga (10 March 1533 – 22 February 1550) was Duke of Mantua and Marquess of Montferrat from 1540 until his death. He was the eldest son of Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and his wife Margaret Paleologina.
Life
On 22 October 1549, he married Catherine of Habsburg, a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I. The marriage lasted only four months as Francesco drowned in the Lake Como on 21 February 1550. Widowed Catherine returned home to Innsbruck. Habsburgs claimed that the marriage was not consummated to increase Catherine's chances for a better second marriage.
Honours
Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Ancestry
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