Margerita Gonzaga

Margerita Gonzaga (2 October 1591-7 February 1632) was the eldest daughter of Vincenzo I Gonzaga and Eleonora de' Medici, she is also a sister of Francesco IV Gonzaga, Ferdinando I Gonzaga, Vincenzo II Gonzaga and Eleonora Gonzaga. Her brothers all succeded their father as Duke of Mantua and Eleonora became Holy Roman Emperess by her marriage to Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Marriage

She married Henry II, Duke of Lorraine on 24 April 1606, he had previously been married Catherine of Navarre but Henry and Catherine where divorced because the marriage unhappy, childless and Catherine had refused to convert to the Roman Catholic faith.

Henry and Margerita had four children; two of them survived infancy, they were

* Nicolette (1608–1657), married Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
* Claude (1612–1648), married Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine

The two girls married their cousins who were Henry's successors since Margerita had not given him a son.

Death

Margarita died at Nancy in 1632, she was 40 years of age. She had been a widow since 1624.