preface
Since ancient times, power and status have been goals to pursue, and in the political arena, power struggles are fascinating dramas.
In the long river of French history, after the rise of the Bourbons, the power struggle within the royal family became the most gripping chapter of the plot. And in this political game, a woman plays a role that cannot be ignored, she is Louise of Savoy.
Louise of Savoy was born at the end of the 15th century, as the daughter of Duke Filippo II and Marguerite, her early life did not highlight her future fate, however, her fate began to take a turn when she married Charles of Orléans, Count of Angoulême.
In that era of royal power override, the power struggle within the French royal family was fierce and cruel, and Charles' two mistresses and their children brought a lot of unhappiness to her marriage, but she did not flinch.
Although the husband and wife did not have a harmonious relationship, they found common ground in their shared love of books, which led them to have some similar interests.
In 1492, Louise's first child, Marguerite of Angoulême, was born, followed in 1494 by their second child, François, the future King François I of France, however, Charles' life ended just as their marriage began to come together.
Louise lost her husband at the age of 19, but instead of wallowing in grief, she cleverly arranged the future of her children and arranged for their marriage, and a few years later, she moved with the children to the king's court and became part of the political scene.
It was during this period that Louise began her complex role in politics and diplomacy, serving as regent in the king's absence, representing French interests during the Italian Wars.
Her keen insight into politics and diplomacy, as well as friendly relations with the Ottoman Empire, earned France status and interests, and through her daughter and granddaughter, she established herself as the ancestor of the Bourbon dynasty.
Under her rule, the power struggle within the French royal family reached a climax, and she used clever political means to preserve the position of the royal family, promote the development and prosperity of the country, and most importantly, in the Peace of Cato-Cambrezzi of 1529, she reached a peace agreement with other participants that ended the Italian war.
However, time was relentless, and in 1531, Louise of Savoy died tragically, leaving an indelible influence as the ancestor of the French Bourbons, and the political alliances she forged, the promotion of art and culture, and the inheritance rights of her grandchildren are deeply imprinted in the long volume of French history.
Power struggles within the French royal family
The power struggle of the French royal family has a long historical origin, involving many complex family and succession relationships, and at the end of the 15th century, after the rise of the Bourbons, the power structure of the French royal family underwent major changes, and the Bourbons became the successors to the throne, laying the foundation for the continued rule of the royal family.
During this period, the French royal family had many family members, various branches vying for the right to inherit the throne, and family disputes in the royal family such as the Vioves, the Valois family, and the Orléans family were constantly strife, and the relationship between these families was intricate, intertwined through blood, marriage and power intrigue.
A member of the Bourbon dynasty, Louise Savoy was born into a powerful family, her father was Philip II, Duke of Savoy, and her mother was Margaret, a member of the Bourbon family, which gave her a specific social status and royal status.
Louise played an important role in the French royal family, she was the wife of Charles of Orleans, Count of Angoulême, and the Orléans family is also one of the branches of the Bourbon dynasty, as the wife of Charles, her status and influence cannot be underestimated.
Members of various families played an important role in the struggle for power in the French royal family, from the House of Vioves to the House of Valois to the House of Orleans, each struggling to gain a foothold in the power vying for the throne.
The Vivous family was one of the most important forces in the French royal family, and they managed to keep the throne within the family through complex marriages and played an important role in both the political and military spheres.
The Valois family, one of the wealthiest in France, actively participated in the struggle for the throne and expanded their influence by marrying with other families.
The Orleans family was also an important force in the royal family, and their struggle with the Vivovus and Valois families never stopped, hoping to gain greater power and status through such struggles.
In such complex family disputes, the power struggle of the French royal family is like a game of intricacies, desires and ambitions, and members of various families are constantly vying for power, hoping to reach the height of domination.
Louise Savoy's political maneuvers
Regency was an important duty that required Louise Savoy to rule and manage the affairs of the state in the absence of the king, and during her tenure as regent, she had a wide range of powers, she could make policy, manage the finances and military of the kingdom, and handle foreign affairs.
As regent, she had a strong grip on the internal affairs of France, she took measures to stabilize the social order in the country and strengthened her control over the nobility and local officials, in addition, she worked to reform the judicial system and administrative institutions in order to improve the efficiency of the administration of the state.
In the fierce political struggle, Louise Savoy showed excellent skill and strategy, and she made full use of her position and influence to achieve her goals in the political struggle.
She was good at using her marriage unions with children of other countries for political purposes, for example, she successfully arranged the marriages of her children, so that the French royal family maintained alliances with other influential families, and these marriage marriages won her strong support and help in the political arena.
She approached diplomatic issues with wisdom and thoughtfulness, she was perceptive and aware of the dynamics and changes of international politics, she established local and international political alliances in pursuit of French interests through skilful negotiations and consultations, and her contacts and friendly relations with Suleiman the Great provided strong support to France's position in the Italian war.
In addition, Louise also demonstrated her decisiveness and decision-making power in the political game, she was able to make decisions quickly and take effective measures when dealing with internal and external affairs, and her decisions allowed the French royal family to maintain a strong position in political struggles and serve the interests of the country.
conclusion
Louise Savoy, as a figure to be reckoned with in French history, played an important role in the Regency period and the Italian Wars with her outstanding political skills and leadership.
Her efforts and wisdom won power and status for the French royal family and made important contributions to the development and prosperity of France.
bibliography
Adams, Tracy. “The Role of Louise of Savoy in the Italian Wars.” The Journal of Military History, vol. 80, no. 2, 2016, pp. 493-515.
Sturdy, David. Louis XII. Taylor & Francis, 2003.
Potter, David. A History of France, 1460-1560: The Emergence of a Nation State. Palgrave Macmillan, 1995.