Francesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
| Francesco III Gonzaga | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Mantua | |
 | |
| Duke of Mantua (as Francesco III) Duke of Montferrat (as Francesco I) | |
| Reign | 1540–1550 |
| Predecessor | Federico II Gonzaga |
| Successor | Guglielmo I Gonzaga |
| Born | 10 March 1533 Mantua, Duchy of Mantua |
| Died | 22 February 1550 (aged 16) Mantua, Duchy of Mantua |
| Spouse | Catherine of Austria (m. 1549–50; his death) |
| House | House of Gonzaga |
| Father | Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua |
| Mother | Margaret Paleologina |
Francesco III Gonzaga (10 March 1533 – 22 February 1550) was Duke of Mantua and Marquess of Montferrat from 1540 until his death. He was the eldest son of Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and his wife Margaret Paleologina.[1]
Life[]
On 22 October 1549, he married Catherine of Habsburg, a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I.[1] The marriage lasted only four months as Francesco died of pneumonia on 21 February 1550, after falling into one of Mantua lakes during a hunt. Widowed Catherine returned home to Innsbruck. Habsburgs claimed that the marriage was not consummated to increase Catherine's chances for a better second marriage.
Honours[]
Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Ancestry[]
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References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Parrott 1997, p. 22.
Sources[]
- Parrott, David (1997). "The Mantuan Succession, 1627–31: A Sovereignty Dispute in Early Modern Europe". The English Historical Review. Oxford Academic. Volume CXII, Issue 445, February (445): 20–65. doi:10.1093/ehr/CXII.445.20.
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Categories:
- 1533 births
- 1550 deaths
- House of Gonzaga
- Dukes of Mantua
- Marquesses of Montferrat
- 16th-century Italian nobility
- Burials at the Palatine Basilica of Santa Barbara (Mantua)
- Italian nobility stubs