List of Queens and Empresses of France

:"See also List of French monarchs"This is a list of the women who have been Queens consort or Empresses consort of the realm of France. As all monarchs of France have been required by law to be male, there has never been a Queen or Empress regnant of France (although many women have ruled France as Queen regents).

Since 987 there have been 53 French consorts: 49 Queens, 3 Empresses and one untitled consort (Madame de Maintenon). Ingeborg of Denmark and Anne of Brittany were each queen more than once. Marie Josephine Louise of Savoy was queen "de jure" during the Republican and Imperial periods, but never wife of the "de facto" head of the French state.

From 1285 - 1328, the crowns of Navarre and France were united by virtue of the marriage of Joan I of Navarre, Queen regnant of Navarre and Queen-consort of France, to King Philip IV of France, and by the succession of their three sons, Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV. Thus, the wives of these three Kings were Queen-consort not only of France but of Navarre. With the death of Charles IV, however, Navarre passed out of the hands of the French Kings until 1589, and the succession to the French throne of Henry IV of France.

Upon Henry's succession, his wife, Marguerite de Valois, who was already Queen consort of Navarre, also became Queen consort of France. Thereafter, until 1791, Queens of France were also Queens of Navarre; the crown of Navarre merged with the French crown in 1620 but the French kings continued to use the title of King of Navarre until 1791. The title 'King of Navarre' was reassumed with the Restoration of 1814-15, and dropped with the Revolution of 1830; the Bonaparte and Orleans consorts did not use it.

Regents

Many French consorts acted as regents for their husbands or children, during their minorities. These were:
* Anne of Kiev, 1060-66, during the minority of her son, Philip I
* Adèle of Champagne, 1190-92, whilst her son was participating in the Third Crusade
* Blanche of Castile:
** 1226-1234: During the minority of her son Louis IX
** 1248-1252: During the absence of her son Louis IX on crusade.
* Joan the Lame, who often governed for her husband Philip VI whilst he was fighting.
* Isabeau of Bavaria (inconsistently between 1393-1420), during the insanity of her husband Charles VI, during which she vied for power with her husband's uncles
* Catherine de' Medici:
** 1552: While her husband Henry II left the kingdom for the campaign of Metz.
** 1560-1563: During the minority of her second son, Charles IX
** 1574: During the absence of her third son, Henry III, in Poland
* Marie de' Medici, 1610-1614, during the minority of her son, Louis XIII
* Anne of Austria, 1643-1651, during the minority of her son Louis XIV
*Empress Eugenie, three times for her husband, Napoleon III, during his absence.

Madame de Maintenon

Madame de Maintenon, mistress of Louis XIV, married the king in the winter of 1685-1686 privately by François de Harlay de Champvallon, archbishop of Paris, in the presence, it is believed, of Père la Chaise, the king's confessor, the Marquis de Montchevreuil, the chevalier de Forbin, and Alexandre Bontemps. Owing to the inequality of social status, she and the King did not marry openly (which would have allowed her to become Queen). No written proof of the marriage is extant, but that it took place is nevertheless certain.

It is important to remember that Madame de Maintenon was never Queen of France, simply a royal consort.it s was "dead in 789

Carolingian Dynasty

Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (Orléans Branch)

Bonaparte Dynasty

Bonaparte Dynasty

References

*Joy Law, Fleur de lys: The kings and queens of France. ISBN-13: 978-0070366954
*Rene de La Croix, duc de Castries, The Lives of the Kings & Queens of France. ISBN-10: 0394507347
* Elsie Thornton-Cook, Royal Line of France: The Story of the Kings and Queens of France. ISBN-13: 978-0836909395

ee also

* Members of the French Royal Families
* Kings of France family tree
* List of French Monarchs