We all know the story of Cinderella, who was turned into a servant by her stepmother and her two daughters and treated her with contempt. All of this changes when Cinderella meets the prince at a ball and he, after several plot twists, falls in love with her, marries her, and they live happily ever after. Although Cinderella was written by Charles Perrault, the real-life version of the story actually took place in 16th-century France.
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Louise de Lorraine as Cinderella
Our Cinderella was named Louise de Lorraine (1553-1601 Louise de Lorraine) and she was one of the most beautiful princesses of her time. Despite this, her father, the Duke of Lorraine, and her stepmother did not love her and she had a difficult childhood in the shadow of her sisters. Her fate began to change in 1574, when Henry, Duke of Anjou, was elected King of Poland and during his journey east decided to stop for a few days in the Duchy of Lorraine and there he first noticed her.
The princess immediately attracted Henry's attention not only because of her pleasant nature and beauty, but especially because she closely resembled Marie de Cleve, with whom he was in love. After a few days, the Duke of Anjou continued his journey east, but did not forget his happy days with the princess.
Shortly after arriving in Poland, Henry of Anjou learned that his brother Charles IX had died and he had become King Henry III. FranceWhen he became king, his initial intention was to bring about a divorce between Marie de Calve and her husband and the king's enemy, the Prince de Condé, so that he could marry his lover. However, before he could carry out his plan, Marie de Calve died of lung disease and the King of France entered a period of depression and mourning.
At this time, the king suddenly remembered Louise of Lorraine and decided to marry her, despite his mother's opposition, because the princess was not considered royal enough in her eyes. Despite all this, the king insisted and the two of them were married on February 13, 1575, two days after the coronation ceremony. And they lived happily ever after, right? So that's not exactly...
Cinderella's Tragic Marriage
The main problem for the couple was that they were unable to have children. Some claim that the main reason for this was a miscarriage the queen suffered early in their relationship, but more likely, the reason was the king's homosexual tendencies, who preferred the company of his friends to hers.
In Alexandre Dumas’ book “Forty-Five,” it is said that as part of their attempt to have children, the king and queen went on a pilgrimage to wear the robe of a certain saint, which was considered a virtue for conception. Shiko, the court jester, told them that if they wanted children, they should actually take off their clothes and not wear them…
And so, as the years progressed and the children failed to arrive, the relationship between the two couples became increasingly strained, and there were even rumors in 1584 that the king was about to divorce his kingdom. Their marriage ended tragically in 1589, when King Henry III was murdered by a Catholic assassin, who wanted to avenge him for the murder of the Duke of Guise the year before. The queen heard the bitter news at the castle What was tried? In response, she decided to paint one of the rooms black and did not leave it almost until the day she died, about 12 years later.
Chenonceau Castle It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful castle in the entire Loire Valley and a must-see for any Francophile. So on your next visit to France, go there, enter the Black Room, and pay your last respects to the French Cinderella.
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