Sarah Mitchell
François, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was a Roman Catholic and the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. He was born on March 18, 1554, or 1555 and died on June 10, 1584, at the age of 30. He was heir to the French throne between 1574 and his untimely death in 1584. In 1579, negotiations commenced for his marriage to Elizabeth I of England, who referred to him affectionately as her frog. Despite their closeness, the proposed marriage caused discontent among the English public due to religious differences, as Elizabeth's subjects viewed the Duke as a Papist. Elizabeth eventually abandoned the marriage plans in 1581.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hercule François de Valois-Angoulême |
| Title | Duke of Anjou and Alençon |
| Birth Date | 18 March 1554 or 1555 |
| Death Date | 10 June 1584 |
| Parents | King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici |
| Siblings | Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III (all Kings of France) |
| Spouse | None (negotiated a marriage contract with Elizabeth I of England but it was never concluded) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic (leader of the moderate Catholic faction called the Politiques) |
| Physical Description | Small, swarthy, scarred and pitted face from smallpox, slightly deformed spine, short stature |
| Political Role | Duke of Anjou, Touraine, and Berry; Duke of Brabant; Count of Flanders; "Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands" |
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What You'll Learn
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was a Catholic
Francis was a leader of the moderate Roman Catholic faction called the Politiques. In 1576, he was made Duke of Anjou, Touraine, and Berry. He also held the title of Duke of Alençon from 1566 to 1576. In 1579, negotiations began for a potential marriage between Francis and Elizabeth I of England. Despite their close relationship and affectionate letters, the match was controversial among the English public due to religious differences, with English Protestants referring to Francis as a "Papist" and expressing their disapproval of a French Catholic marrying their queen.
Elizabeth's councillors were divided in their opinions, with some strongly opposing the marriage due to religious differences and the potential hazards of childbirth at the queen's age. Ultimately, Elizabeth abandoned the marriage negotiations in 1581, citing parliamentary disapproval of the public practice of the Roman Catholic religion in England as an excuse. Francis died at the age of 30 on 10 June 1584 from a fever, possibly malaria.
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He was the son of Catherine de' Medici
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was the son of Catherine de' Medici and King Henry II of France. He was born Hercule François de Valois-Angoulême on 18 March 1554 or 1555 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. He was the youngest of four brothers, the others being Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, all of whom became kings of France.
Catherine de' Medici was eager to gain the friendship of England and offered her son as a bridegroom to Queen Elizabeth I in 1572. At the time, Elizabeth was 38, and Francis was only 17. Despite their age difference and religious differences—with English Protestants warning the Queen that he was a "Papist"—Elizabeth was quite fond of Francis. She referred to him affectionately as her "frog", and they exchanged many affectionate letters.
Francis was the only one of Elizabeth's suitors to court her in person, and he even negotiated a marriage contract with her in 1579. However, the match was never concluded, and Elizabeth eventually abandoned the idea of marriage in 1581.
As the leader of the moderate Roman Catholic faction called the Politiques, Francis was not popular with the Dutch and Flemish, who saw the Catholic French as enemies. Despite this, he was invited to become the hereditary sovereign of the United Provinces in 1579 and assumed the title "Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands" in 1580.
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He was heir to the French throne
Monsieur François, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was a French Catholic and the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. He was born on 18 March 1555 (or 1554, according to some sources). At the age of eight, he contracted smallpox, which left him with a scarred and pitted face and a slightly deformed spine.
In 1574, following the death of his brother Charles IX of France and the accession of his other brother, Henry III of France, he became heir to the French throne. However, he fled the French court in 1575 after alienating himself from King Henry III due to their differences. Despite this, he remained the heir to the throne until his untimely death from a fever in 1584 at the age of 30.
During his time as heir, the Duke of Alençon was involved in various political and diplomatic endeavours. In 1579, he negotiated a marriage contract with Elizabeth I of England, becoming the last serious contender for her hand in marriage. Despite the considerable age gap, the pair were very close, exchanging affectionate letters, and Elizabeth referred to him as her "frog". However, the proposed marriage caused discontent among Elizabeth's xenophobic subjects, and she eventually abandoned the idea in 1581.
In addition to his romantic pursuits, the Duke of Alençon sought to exploit the unsettled conditions in the Netherlands during the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule. In 1580, he signed the Treaty of Plessis-les-Tours, assuming the title of "Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands". However, he was not popular with the Dutch and Flemish, who continued to view the Catholic French as enemies.
As heir to the French throne, the Duke of Alençon's position and ambitions played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of his time. His pursuit of Elizabeth I's hand in marriage and his involvement in the Dutch revolt highlight his efforts to strengthen his position and that of France during a tumultuous era.
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He courted Elizabeth I of England
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was a Catholic. He was the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. He was born on 18 March 1555 and died on 10 June 1584.
In 1579, negotiations commenced for Francis to marry Elizabeth I of England. He was the last serious contender for her hand in marriage. At the time, Elizabeth was 45 or 46, and Francis was 23 or 24, but despite the age gap, the pair became very close. Elizabeth referred to Francis as her "frog", and they exchanged affectionate letters. Elizabeth was aware that Francis was probably her last chance of matrimony and of bearing an heir.
Francis was the only one of Elizabeth's foreign suitors to court her in person. He made two visits to England, in 1579 and 1581-82. However, the proposed marriage caused a great deal of discontent among the English public. English Protestants warned Queen Elizabeth not to marry a Frenchman and a Papist. They also disapproved of his mother, Catherine de' Medici, referring to her as "the Jezebel of our age".
Among members of Elizabeth's Privy Council, only William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, supported the marriage scheme wholeheartedly. Most notable councillors, including Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Sir Francis Walsingham, strongly opposed it, warning the Queen of the hazards of childbirth at her age.
Whether or not Elizabeth truly planned to marry Francis is a hotly debated topic. She was quite fond of him, but she eventually abandoned the idea in 1581.
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He was Duke of Brabant and Count of Flanders
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, was a Roman Catholic. He was the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. He was born on 18 March 1554 or 1555 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, and died on 10 June 1584 at the age of 30.
In 1579, negotiations commenced for Francis to marry Elizabeth I of England. He was the only one of Elizabeth's foreign suitors to court her in person, and she referred to him affectionately as her "frog". Despite the closeness of their relationship, the proposed marriage caused a great deal of discontent among the English public due to religious differences. Elizabeth eventually abandoned the idea of marriage in 1581.
In addition to being Duke of Anjou and Alençon, Francis was also Duke of Touraine and Berry. On 29 September 1580, he was ceremoniously installed as Duke of Brabant and Count of Flanders. However, he was not popular with the Dutch and Flemish, who continued to see the Catholic French as enemies. The provinces of Zeeland and Holland refused to recognise him as their sovereign.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Francis, Duke of Alençon, was Catholic. He was also a leader of the moderate Roman Catholic faction called the Politiques.
Yes, in addition to being the Duke of Alençon, he was also the Duke of Anjou, Touraine, and Berry. He was also referred to as Monsieur and was heir to the French throne.
No, despite negotiations for their marriage and a marriage contract, the marriage never took place. Elizabeth referred to Francis affectionately as her "'frog'", but her subjects disapproved of the match due to the age difference and religious differences.
