Valois Family Genealogy & History

Margaret of Valois, also known as La Reine Margot, was a prominent figure in French history, serving as Queen of Navarre from 1572 to 1599 and Queen of France from 1589 to 1599. Her marriage to Henry IV of France was intended to reconcile Catholics and Huguenots but was overshadowed by the St Bartholomew's Day massacre. A woman of letters and a cultural patron, she was exiled for 20 years due to political tensions but returned to influence court life. Margaret was known for her advocacy of platonic love and wrote the first memoirs by a woman during her imprisonment.

Margaret was the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici, and sister to Kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. Raised in the French royal court, she received a comprehensive education and was closely involved with her siblings, notably her brother Henry. Her early life was marked by political maneuvering and potential royal marriage alliances, showcasing her involvement in the complexities of French and European politics.

The House of Valois, a significant cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, ruled France from 1328 to 1589. They rose to prominence when Philip VI, a grandson of King Philip III, became the French monarch, marking the beginning of the Valois dynasty. This era included crucial events like the Hundred Years' War, a succession conflict with the Plantagenet dynasty. The Valois were known for their military engagements, such as the Battle of Crécy, although they faced defeats and challenges to their rule. The dynasty's male line eventually became extinct, leading to the rise of the House of Bourbon.

The Valois lineage traced back to Charles, Count of Valois, the second surviving son of King Philip III of France. Charles's position as a nephew to Philip IV and cousin to Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV solidified the Valois claim to the throne. The family context was marked by strategic alliances and inheritances, which played a pivotal role in their ascent to power in France, despite challenges from other claimants like Edward III of England.

Georges Valois, originally named Alfred-Georges Gressent, was a prominent French journalist and national syndicalist politician, recognized for his role in the early 20th-century political landscape. Born on October 7, 1878, in Paris, Valois was instrumental in creating the Cercle Proudhon and the Faisceau league, which prefigured Italian fascism. A dynamic member of the French Resistance during World War II, Valois also founded the Republican Syndicalist Party and published influential works, such as "La révolution nationale." His career was marked by a blend of anarcho-syndicalist and nationalist ideologies, and he died tragically in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in February 1945.

Philippe Charles, Duke of Valois, born on July 16, 1664, at the Palace of Fontainebleau, was a notable French prince and Grandson of France. Styled as the Duke of Valois from birth, he was a nephew of the illustrious Louis XIV. Despite his short life, dying on December 8, 1666, Philippe Charles was promised to be raised alongside his cousin, le Grand Dauphin, by the King himself. His death at the Palais Royal and subsequent burial at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis marked the end of his brief presence in the royal sphere.

Philippe Charles was born to Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans, and Henrietta of England, daughter of Charles I of England. His parents were first cousins, and his father was known at court as Monsieur. Philippe Charles had an elder sister, Princess Marie Louise, and a younger sister, Princess Anne Marie, born after his death. His birth temporarily eased his parents' strained relationship.