WI: Henri III of France and Louise of Lorraine have many children?

Basically, what if Louise of Lorraine doesn't undergo a miscarriage in 1576 and instead has a healthy child. And now they have many children. What are the effects in France upon his assassination (if it still happens ITL) and where does Catherine de Medici fit into the lives of her grandchildren?

Henri III of France (b.1551: d.1589) m. Louise of Lorraine (b.1553: d.1601) (a)
1a) Margaret de Valois (b.1576)

2a) Francis, Dauphin of France (b.1577)

3a) Henri, Duke of Orleans (b.1579)

4a) Louis, Duke of Anjou (b.1580: d.1583)

5a) Joan de Valois (b.1582)

6a) Charles, Duke of Anjou (b.1584)

7a) Charlotte de Valois (b.1587)
 
Margaret de Valois, Queen of Navarre (b.1576: d.1632)

Born in 1576, the Princess Margaret de Valois was the first French royal born in 20 years. She was the darling to both her parents and her grandparents, as well as the favoured niece of her only living uncle, Francis, Duke of Anjou.

Margaret, like her namesake and aunt the Queen of Navarre, would grow to be the most beautiful of her father's daughters, though not the most accomplished in a scholarly fashion (that would be Charlotte de Valois (b.1587), who wrote seven books in her lifetime about various subjects, from religion to agriculture). She was short but well-formed, with large, dark Italian eyes and thick blonde hair. In the words of her own mother:

"...My daughter is a wondrous, pale creature. Fair of hair and dark of eyes, like a creature of moonlight..."

The early life of Margaret de Valois was filled with ceremonies and warmth. She herself would reference the familial atmosphere of her youth to complain about her own unhappy family in later years. In particular, she would always stay close to her younger brother, Henri de Valois the Duke of Orleans.

She and her siblings would live in the country from 1583 onwards, after a particularly nasty threat from Henri, Duke of Guise. Her younger brother Louis would die shortly after, being the only sibling of hers to die very young.

Her marriage options were constantly changed, having her flit between countries constantly. Her longest betrothal would be to Prince James Stewart of Scotland, who would revoke her in 1582 (at least, her council would). He would be followed by Philip, Prince of Asturias and then Charles of Savoy. However, both of these options came to an end when, in 1587, Henri III of Navarre announced he and Margaret de Valois the Elder were seeking an annulment.

Henri IV of France was furious that his sister, a French Princess, would be replaced. He knew that the marriage would come to an end due to their childless state, but the King of France did not want another country to get their claws into the King of Navarre.

In 1589, Henri III of France was assassinated. Stabbed by Jacques Clemet, a Dominican friar, in a ruse in which he pretended to be a messenger. This, which was a second blow to the royal family after the death of Catherine de Medici early in the year, left the royal family with a whole.

Louise of Lorraine took control for the time being, marching herself and her eldest three children to Paris to have Francis coroneted as Francis IV of France. She agreed to a joint regency with the Duke of Guise and Francis would, until his majority in 1575, act mostly as a humble student to both. However, Louise would focus on her other children, finding them matches at the highest levels she could.

In 1591, the annulment of Henry III of Navarre and Margaret de Valois was finalised. Immediately, two women were considered by the King to become the next Queen of Navarre. Louise of Lorraine put her eldest daughter forward, who competed with the very rich Marie de Medici and, for a very brief time the Queen of England. but ultimately, the more closely available and thus easier to get Margaret was chosen.

Margaret and Henri would be married in March of 1593, at the age of 17. The couple would spend the majority of their early marriage in Paris, leaving in 1598 for the Court of Navarre to begin as a more solitary couple.

Margaret would have two sons, one of whom died young, and four daughters, two of which would die young. Her children would be: Antoine of Navarre (b.1596: d.1600), Marie Christine of Navarre (b.1599), Elisabeth of Navarre (b.1601: d.1603), Jeanne of Navarre (b.1602: d.1604), Henri of Navarre (b.1605) and Anne Charlotte of Navarre (b.1610). After the birth of Anne Charlotte, Margaret would never conceive again. However, she would adopt three peasant children in 1611, naming the babies Diane, Claude and Hercules. These three would find themselves as accomplices to their royal counterparts, particularly the beautiful Claude, who would become the lover to Prince Henri after his own marriage to the plain and violent Benedetta Gonzaga, many years in the future.

In 1611, a war broke out between Spain and Navarre which was to do over some small land quarrel, which left Margaret feeling threatened for her children's lives. Electing the support of her French relatives, she managed to successfully support her husband, who repulsed the invading Spaniards and felt entirely victorious. However, this was shot lived as he was killed in 1612 by a former monk, who felt he was betraying the Church with his reformist leanings.

Upon her husband's passing, Margaret would rush her family to Paris, fearing that Henri III of Navarre had been killed by the Spanish and her children were in danger. She would eventually return in 1615, when she felt the country free of the threat of assassination (well, more free than before, as he wore steel a her chest and back for the rest of her life to protect herself from possible threats).

She ruled as regent until 1618, when she was disgraced in the court by being discovered as the lover of the travelling Prince of Conde and had his bastard daughter, the short lived Renee de Bourbon (b.1619: d.1622). However, Margaret would remain at the Court of Navarre and made a match for her eldest daughter of the Prince of Wales in 1624, in lieu of the English Prince's failed Spanish match. Her younger daughter would marry the heir to Modena in 1625 and Margaret would leave Navarre forever in 1633, upon her son's marriage and first bastard child by his adopted sister.

Her last years were uncomfortable, after she gained almost double her weight in 3 years and she would die of heart failure in late 1637.



Margaret de Valois (b.1576: d.1632) m. Henri III of Navarre (b.1553: d.1512) (a), p. Henri, Prince of Conde (b.1588: d.1646 (b), adopted (c)
1a) Antoine of Navarre (b.1596: d.1600)

2a) Marie Christine of Navarre (b.1599: d.1668) m. Charles I of England and Scotland (b.1600: d.1649) (a)
1a) James II of England, VII of Scotland (b.1625)

2a) Margaret of England (b.1629)

3a) Henry, Duke of York (b.1630)

4a) Henrietta of England (b.1633: d.1633)

5a) Elizabeth of England (b.163: d.1633)

6a) Mary of England (b.1638)
3a) Elisabeth of Navarre (b.1601: d.1603)

4a) Jeanne of Navarre (b.1602: d.1603)

5a) Henri IV of Navarre (b.1605) m. Benedetta Gonzaga (b.1614: d.1637) (a), p. Diane 'The Peasant' (b.1611) (b)
1a) Henri of Navarre (b.1632)

2b) Louise la Bastard (b.1633)

3b) Miscarriage (c.1635)

4a) Marie Anne of Navarre (b.1636: d.1637)

5b) James la Bastard (b.1640: d.1640)
6a) Anne Charlotte of Navarre (b.1610: d.1633) m. Francesco d'Este, Duke of Modena (b.1610: d.1658) (a)
1a) Maria d'Este (b.1629)

2a) Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Modena (b.1631)

3a) Eleanor d'Este( b.1632: d.1633)
7a) Diane 'The Peasant' (b.1611: d.1654) m. Thomas Hamilton, Earl of Haddington (b.1600: d.1640) (a), George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham (b.1628: d.1687) (b)
1a) Richard Hamilton (b.1637: d.1641)

2a) Sophia Hamilton (b.1640: d.1644)

3b) Henrietta Villiers (b.1648)

4b) Katherine Villiers (b.1649)

5b) James Villiers, Duke of Buckingham (b.1651)

6b) Miscarriage (c.1654)
8a) Claude 'The Peasant' (b.1611) p. Henri IV of Navarre (b.1605) (a)
1a) Louise la Bastard (b.1633)

2a) Miscarriage (c.1635)

3a) James la Bastard (b.1640: d.1640)
9a) Hercules 'The Peasant' (b.1611: d.1690)

10b) Renee de Bourbon (b.1619: d.1622)
 
Francis III of France (b.1577: d. 1653)

Francis III of France was the second child and eldest son of Henry III of France and Louise of Lorraine. His mother and father greeted his birth with extreme enthusiasm, calling him the most perfect child in Christendom and the most beautiful child, after his elder sister. All in all, a child could not have been more loved.

His early life mirrored his sister's, moving from the city to the country and eventually taking Paris back from the Catholic radicals. He entered the city at the age of 12, acting as a benevolent, outwardly forgiving the Duke of Guise and actually pushing his mother to accept the joint regency. However, Francis would always have a hatred of the Guise family and, at his coronation, he deliberately snubbed the Duke of Guise. He would also, when asked for the hand of his daughter Louise for Francis, Prince of Joinville, laughed directly in the Duke's face and told him he would ask his father's corpse.

In 1593, Francis III of France attended his sister's wedding to Henri IV of Navarre and personally granted her the Dukedom of Berry for her lifetime. He would retain a good relationship with his sister but, upon her death and his nephew's pleas that her income's be retained for himself and his court, he took back the title and estates.

His marriage to Italian Princess Marie de Medici in 1597 would never be categorised as 'strong', but the two would have 7 children: Louis, Dauphin of France (b.1599: d.1670), Philippe, Duke of Angouleme (b.1600: d.1606), Nicholas, Duke of Aquitaine (b.1603: d.1687), Louise of France (b.1607: d.1630), Gaston, Duke of Angouleme (b.1609: d.1609), Anne Christina of France (b.1612: d.1670) and Henrietta of France (b.1614: d.1615), as well as a stillborn son in 1611.

His eldest son Louis married Henriette de Lorraine (b.1605: d.1660) in 1626, which resulted in one child to survive, who would die 3 years after Francis and thus leave Louis XIII heirless. However, he would not remarry until his wife's death in 1660, when he married Catherine Beatrice of Savoy (b.1636: d.1698) and had 3 living children (5 were born).

His third son, Nicholas, would have an interesting and varied love life. He began an affair with Henri III of Navarre's bastard daughter Catherine Henriette de Bourbon (b.1596: d.1664) in 1618, ending in 1622 with the birth of their short lived daughter Marie de Aquitaine. He then was quickly married to Marie de Bourbon (b.1605: d.1625) and had two children. He then remarried to his cousin Claudia de Medici (b.1604: d.1648), who supplied him with 5 children, only 2 of which survived. He lived with many mistresses after his second wife's death, including the notable Catherine de Lorraine (b.1626: d.1645) and later Marie Gabrielle de Orleans (b.1646: d.1679). However, in 1676 he married Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria (b.1660: d.1690), who gave birth to 2 of his children (one of which survived) before his death. He would be known as a charming and sweet man who, despite his many mistresses and wives, was always gentle and generous to any girl in need. However, due to the many women he 'knew', there were rumours the mother of his bastard son Louis of Aquitaine (b.1676: 1700) was with a misremembered product of a previous night of passion.

The eldest daughter of Francis III, Louise of France, would become the first wife of Philip IV and the two would have 2 children, Carlos (b.1627) and Maria Catalina of Spain (b.1630). Both her children would have issue, though only the children of Charles would survive more than one generation, as Maria Catalina's three daughter's would all either choose a life in the church or, in the case of her youngest daughter Marianna, fail to have children with their spouses.

And finally, his youngest daughter to survive childhood was Anne Christina, who would marry Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (b.1614:d.1662) and would have 4 children: Maria Anna of Austria (b.1650: d.1650), Francis of Austria (b.1652: d.1652), Barbara of Austria (b.1653: d.1657) and Christina of Austria (b.1656). Her daughter Christina would marry Henri VI of Navarre and only have a single child: Jeanne IV of Navarre (b.1672), who would marry Henri IV of France and bring Navarre to France.

Francis III of France would have continual war with Spain over both the issue of Naples and Milan, punctuated by peace brought on his eldest daughter's marriage in 1626 and his youngest daughter's marriage in 1647. However, this war came to an end in 1652, when his grandson Louis, future Dauphin of France was betrothed to Maria Catalina of Spain, who would never marry or meet her betrothed as he died young. His son would instead offer his niece Marie Henriette de Aquitaine for Charles II of Spain, who eventually married her and had two sons.



Francis III of France (b.1577: d.1653) m. Marie de Medici (b.1575: d.1642) (a)
1a) Louis XIII of France (b.1599: d.1670) m. Henriette de Lorraine (b.1605: d.1660) (a), Catherine Beatrice of Savoy (b.1636: d.1698) (b)
1a) Miscarriage (c.1630)

2a) Stillborn Boy (c.1633)

3a) Louis, Dauphin of France (b.1638: d.1656)

4a) Anne of France (b.1644: d.1644)

5b) Marie Adelaide of France (b.1664)

6b) Henriette Catherine of France (b.1664: d.1665)

7b) Henri IV of France (b.1668)

8b) Philippe of France (b.1669: d.1669)

9b) Anne Sophie of France (b.1670)
2a) Philippe, Duke of Angouleme (b.1600: d.1606)

3a) Nicholas, Duke of Aquitaine (b.1603: d.1687) m. Marie de Bourbon (b.1605: d.1625) (a), Claudia de Medici (b.1604: d.1648) (b), Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria (b.1660: d.1690) (c), p. Catherine Henriette de Bourbon (b.1596: d.1664) (d), Catherine de Lorraine (b.1626: d.1645) (e), Marie Gabrielle de Orleans (b.1646: d.1679) (f), Unknown Women (g)
1d) Marie de Aquitaine (b.1622: d.1630) - bastard

2a) Margaret de Aquitaine (b.1623: d.1624)

3a) Henri, Duke of Aquitaine (b.1625)

4b) Marie Henriette of Aquitaine (b.1628)

5b) Francis of Aquitaine (b.1629: d.1629)

6b) Charles of Aquitaine (b.1629: d.1630)

7g) Maurice de Aquitaine (b.1630: d.1660)

8b) Victoria of Aquitaine (b.1631)

9b) Henriette of Aquitaine (b.1632: d.1633)

10e) Beatrice de Aquitaine (b.1643) - bastard

11e) Henri de Aquitaine (b.1644) - bastard

12f) Marie Christine de Aquitaine (b.1673: d.1690) - bastard

13f) John de Aquitaine (b.1676) - bastard

14g) Louis of Aquitaine (b.1676: 1700) - bastard

14f) Eleanor de Aquitaine (b.1678) - bastard

15c) Gaston of Aquitaine (b.1679: d.1680)

16c) Suzanne de Aquitaine (b.1685)
4a) Louise of France (b.1607: d.1630) m. Philip IV of Spain (b.1605: d.1665) (a)
1a) Charles II of Spain (b.1627)

2a) Maria Catalina of Spain (b.1630)
5a) Gaston, Duke of Angouleme (b.1609: d.1609)

6a) Stillborn Boy (c.1611)

7a) Anne Christina of France (b.1612: d.1670) m. Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (b.1614:d.1662) (a)
1a) Maria Anna of Austria (b.1650: d.1650)

2a) Francis of Austria (b.1652: d.1652)

3a) Barbara of Austria (b.1653: d.1657)

4a) Christina of Austria (b.1656)
8a) Henrietta of France (b.1614: d.1615)
 
Henry, Duke of Orleans (b.1579: d.1635) m. Francoise de Mercœur (a)
1a) Louise de Orleans (b.1612) m. Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy (b.1587: d.1637) (a)
1a) Louis Augustus, Duke of Savoy (b.1630)

2a) Charles Emmanuel of Savoy (b.1631)

3a) Margaret Yolande of Savoy (b.1633)

4a) Francis Amadeus of Savoy (b.1634: d.1640)

5a) Henrietta Adelaide of Savoy (b.1636)

6a) Catherine Beatrice of Savoy (b.1636: d.1698)
2a) Henri, Duke of Orleans (b.1616: d.1644) m. Alexandra Farnese (b.1621: d.1683) (a)
1a) Margaret de Orleans (b.1643)

2a) Charles, Duke of Orleans (b.1644)

3a) Stillborn Boy (c.1644)
3a) Philippe de Orleans (b.1617: d.1619)

4a) Francoise de Orleans (b.1620: d.1700) m. Duarte of Brazanga (b.1605: d.1649) (a), Charles d'Albret d'Ailly, Duke of Chaulnes (b.1625: d.1698) (b)
1a) Jaime of Brazanga (b.1645: d.1648)

2a) Catherine of Brazanga (b.1647)

3b) Madeline d'Albret d'Ailly (b.1654)

4b) Honore d'Albret d'Ailly, Duke of Chaulnes (b.1657)

5b) Louis d'Albret d'Ailly(b.1659: .1660)

6b) Charlotte d'Albret d'Ailly (b.1662: d.1666)
 
Joan de Valois (b.1582: d.1645) m. Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua (b.1587: d.1626) (a), Henri II de Montmorency (b.1595: d.1632) (b)
1a) Eleanora Gonzaga (b.1600: d1629) m. Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria (b.1608: d.1657) (a)

2a) Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua (b.1606: d.1660) m. Vittoria Farnese b.1618: d.1649) (a)
1a) Miscarriage (c.1644)

2a) Francis Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua (b.1645)
3a) Catherine Gonzaga (b.1610: d.1630) m. Charles Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers (b.1609: d.1631) (a)
1a) Eleanor Gonzaga (b.1629)

2a) Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers (b.1630)
4b) Henri III de Montmorency (b.1627: d.1689) m. Marie Henriette of Aquitaine (b.1628: d.1700) (a)
1a) Anne de Montmorency (b.1650: d.1655)

2a) Marie de Montmorency (b.1652: d.1652)

3a) Charles de Montmorency (b.1655: d.1660)

4a) Louis de Montmorency (b.1658: d.1660)

5a) Henri IV de Montmorency (b.1662)
5b) Marie Anne de Montmorency (b.1628) m. Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Modena (b.1631) (a)
1a) Afonso, Duke of Modena (b.1660)

2a) Renata d'Este (b.1667)

3a) Eleanora d'Este (b.1667: d.1668)
6b) Sophie Henriette de Montmorency (b.1630) m. Henry, Duke of York (b.1630) (a)
1a) Sophie of York (b.1652)

2a) Edward, Duke of York (b.1655)

3a) Henriette of York (b.1656: d.1656)

4a) Mary of York (b.1659: d.1666)

5a) Henry of York (b.1664: d.1669)
 
Charles, Duke of Anjou (b.1584: d.1610) m. Eleanor of Austria (b.1582: d.1620) (a)
1a) Marie de Anjou (b.1602: d.1678) m. George William, Elector of Brandenburg (b.1595: d.1640) (a), p. Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia (b.1610: d.1682) (b)
1a) Anne Charlotte of Brandenburg (b.1619: d.1678) m. Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia (b.1610: d.1682) (a)
1a) Marie Elisabeth Kettler (b.1642: d.1643)

2a) Louis Frederick Kettler (b.1644: d.1644)

3a) Louise Alexandra Kettler (b.1645)

4a) Charles Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia (b.1650)

5a) Ferdinand Ladislaus Kettler (b.1652: d.1655)
2a) Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg (b.1621) m. Henriette Marie of the Palatinate (b.1622: d.1691) (a)
1a) Sophia of Brandenburg (b.1644)

2a) Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg (b.1645)

3a) Elizabeth of Brandenburg (b.1646: d.1647)
3a) Sigismund Charles of Brandenburg (b.1622: d.1623)

4a) John Louis of Brandenburg (b.1624: d.1630)

5a) Sophie Christine of Brandenburg (b.1627) m. James II of England, VII of Scotland (b.1625) (a)
1a) Mary of England (b.1650)

2a) Henriette of England (b.1652)

3a) Henry IX of Great Britain (b.1658)

4a) James, Duke of Clarence (b.1660)
6b) Renata Eleanor Kettler (b.1645: d.1650)
2a) Henri, Duke of Anjou (b.1604: d.1611)

3a) Robert, Duke of Anjou (b.1605: d.1615)

4a) Margaret de Anjou (b.1606: d.1607)

5a) Anne Christine de Anjou (b.1607: d.1611)

6a) Margaret de Anjou (b.1608: d.1608)

7a) Louis de Anjou (b.1609: d.1610)

8a) Francis de Anjou (b.1609: d.1609)

9a) John de Anjou (b.1611: d.1612)
 
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