Marie of Guise: Life Story

It is likely that Marie spent the period 1531 – 1534 at the French Court. In 1534, Francois I personally involved himself in arranging her marriage to Louis d'Orleans, Duke of Longueville and Hereditary Grand Chamberlain of France. Marie’s father, who seems to have been rather close-fisted so far as his daughters were concerned, refused to give Marie a sufficient dowry. Francois stepped in to make up the 80,000 livres offered by Claud, to the required 120,000.

The Longueville estates were in the north and west of France, centred round Normandy and the Loire, and Marie received the chateau of Chateaudun as her jointure. The whole of the French Court was present for the ceremony at the Louvre on 4 August 1534. The bride was 18, and the groom some five years older.

Marie and Louis’ first son, Francois, was born 30 October 1535 at Amiens. Later letters from Marie’s own mother, Antoinette of Bourbon, hint at some discord between Marie and her mother-in-law, Jeanne de Hochberg, who was Countess of Neuchatel in her own right, but whether there was anything more substantial than the not-unusual mother-in-law difficulties, cannot be ascertained.

On 1^st January 1537 Marie attended the French court for the wedding of the Princess Madeleine to James V of Scotland. Madeleine's father had been reluctant to agree to the match as the princess was consumptive and the damp climate of Scotland was unlikely to suit her.

James strongly desired the match boost his ability to resist his menacing uncle, Henry VIII of England, and also seems to have become fond of Madeleine herself. Madeleine too, wanted the match – apparently saying she wished to be a queen before she died. The match was celebrated at Notre Dame with Marie in attendance.

In the spring of 1537, Marie returned to Chateaudun, her husband being due to follow her. Unfortunately, Louis fell ill, perhaps with chicken pox, and died at Rouen on 9^th June 1537. His last letter to his wife closes with the words

‘I shall say no more…praying God to give you always whatever you desire, your good husband and friend, Louis.’

Marie was pregnant and on 4th August 1537 gave birth to a second son, Louis, who died within months.