Louise Borgia, Duchess of Valentinois


Louise Borgia was a French noblewoman and Duchess of Valentinois, having succeeded to the title upon the death of her father Cesare Borgia, Duke of Valentinois, in 1507 when she was almost seven years old. She was also Dame de Chalus, a title she inherited from her mother Charlotte of Albret. She was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic.

Life

Louise was born on 17 May 1500. She was Cesare Borgia's only child with his wife, Charlotte of Albret. Her paternal grandparents were Pope Alexander VI of the House of Borgia and Vannozza dei Cattanei, and her maternal grandparents were Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and Françoise of Châtillon-Limoges. She had at least eleven illegitimate half-siblings from her father's relationships with other women.
On 12 March 1507, her father was killed at the siege of Viana in the service of her maternal uncle, King John III of Navarre. Louise being his only child succeeded to the Duchy of Valentinois. Her mother acted as Louise's regent until her death on 11 March 1514 when Louise was not quite fourteen years old. Louise then succeeded her mother as Dame de Chalus.
Louise married her first husband on 7 April 1517. He was Louis II de la Trémoille, Governor of Burgundy. He was killed at the Battle of Pavia on 24 February 1525, leaving her a widow at the age of 24.
She married her second husband, Philippe de Bourbon, Seigneur de Bourbon-Busset on 3 February 1530. They made their home at the Château de Busset, where she made many renovations including a covered arcade on the ground floor and a gallery in the east wing. Together Philippe and Louise had six children:
Louise died on an unknown date in 1553.

Issue