8 November 1563 Henry II, Duke of Lorraine

On 8 November 1563 a noble boy was born at the Ducal Palace of Lorraine in
Nancy.

This noble boy would become: Henry II, Duke of Lorraine.

Family

Henry II was the son of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine and Claude Valois.
His mother was the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine
de' Medici.

His paternal grandparents were Francis I, Duke of Lorraine and
Christina of Denmark.

Love and Marriage

First he married Catherine de Bourbon. She was a sister of King Henry IV
of France. Catherine was Protestant and Henry II, Duke of Lorraine was a
devout Catholic so a papal dispensation was needed, so the two could actually
marry. Catherine died childless in 1604.

On 24 April 1606,  Henry II married Margherita Gonzaga in Mantua. She was
the daughter of Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Eleanora de' Medici,
a sister of Maria de' Medici, who was the wife of King Henry IV of France.
Maria's sister Eleanor was the future Holy Roman Empress.

Henry II, Duke of Lorraine and Margherita Gonzaga had 4 children, only 2
of them survived childhood.

Death

Henry II, Duke of Lorraine died on 31 July 1624, at the age of 60 at the ducal
palace of Lorraine in Nancy. He was succeeded by his younger brother who
ruled as Francis II, Duke of Lorraine.


Source pictures: Wikipedia